With insights from Blackbird’s Dan Pujdak and Travis Boissoneau?
President Donald Trump has it out for Canada, bigly. Since his election, the President has repeatedly expressed his intention to annex Canada and now he has launched his first salvo in the form of crippling tariffs which, according to Prime Minister Trudeau, are meant to soften Canada for eventual annexation into the United States.?
This means that, for the first time since the War of 1812, Canada is in open conflict with the government of its southern neighbour.
Meanwhile, First Nations, Inuit and Métis are a decade into a very new kind of relationship with the Government of Canada, attempting to advance a new chapter of reconciliation. Over the past ten years, advancing reconciliation has meant many things (commentary on the impact aside) ?which have included substantial investments into Indigenous communities and governments, the co-development of policy and legislation, the realignment of permitting and regulatory regimes to better include the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, settling billions of dollars in claims, and supporting the growth of Indigenous businesses and equity ownership in major projects.?
But will this trajectory stay the same now that Canada is staring recession in the face and experiencing an existential threat to its sovereignty? How does Indigenous sovereignty and the Indigenous economy weather the storm being faced by all of Canada??
The authors of this article come from very different backgrounds and views. Travis Boissoneau, Blackbird’s Vice President, is a member of Garden River First Nation, holds a CPA certification and served as a Deputy Grand Chief to the Anishinabek Nation. Dan Pujdak, Blackbird’s Chief Strategy Officer, is a dual national of Canada and the United States and the former Director of Policy to the Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations. He has worked extensively on issues related to economic reconciliation, resource development, and arctic affairs.??
We have lived very different realities, and yet we share a firm belief that the failure of reconciliation would also pose an existential threat to Canada.?
As Canada moves to economic war footing, here is what we believe are the biggest opportunities and questions for reconciliation:?
- Embedding the Indigenous economy in mainstream conversation: As Canada tries to foster economic growth through its resource sector, replace American goods and services in its supply chain, and identify new export markets, there is an opportunity to integrate Indigenous peoples, entrepreneurs, capital allocators, and communities directly in the conversation. Growth in the resource sector will directly implicate Indigenous communities and their land rights, and modernizing domestic supply chains will create opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses. Indigenous peoples can help sell the story of Canada to new export markets if they are included in the conversation and have a meaningful seat at the table. Prime Minister Trudeau included Canadian Council of Indigenous Businesses CEO, Tabatha Bull, in his economic advisory group and both the Prime Minister and CCIB ensured Indigenous representation in the emergency summit on tariffs. This is a good start – but will it continue, and what can governments and Indigenous peoples do to ensure it does??
- Focusing the fight against unemployment and poverty:? Indigenous peoples face higher levels of unemployment and higher rates of poverty than the general population. Indigenous workers are clustered in the mining, oil and gas, and forestry sectors – all of which face deep direct threats from President Trump’s tariffs and indirect threats from freefalling markets, which could impact these sectors for years to come. These factors are compounded by the challenges of operating in remote locations, which already drive up costs in communities where wages are low and jobs are scarce. How does Canada make sure the most vulnerable communities and individuals receive support as we face economic uncertainty, and how do Indigenous peoples work with Canada to make sure recession measures now create strength for the future??
- Rethinking obligations and expectations: Government funding for discretionary activities may dry up in the face of a recession, just as the need for spending grows. Canada’s budget was stretched thin by its COVID-19 response, and we can now expect additional pressures. For Indigenous peoples, most of the funding they receive doesn’t feel discretionary, given the real issues faced by communities. Governments might not agree. Governments at the federal, provincial, and territorial levels will need to work closer than ever with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis to insure crises holding back Indigenous wellbeing and Indigenous economies are dealt with as urgent – including the opioid crisis – while simultaneously determining investments that leave Indigenous communities and Canada’s economy as a whole better off in the long term. What are the obligations and expectations each party should have, and how might they work together to face these challenges going forward??
- Strengthening Relationships with Corporate Canada:?There is a potential $100 billion Indigenous economy. It cannot replace the United States, but including Indigenous business and organizations as equal trading and business partners can strengthen the domestic economy. Indigenous businesses and Corporate Canada have been deepening their relationships for years. Since the US election, some of corporate Canada has turned away from diversity initiatives, which, in some cases, has meant turning away from reconciliation. This is the wrong instinct. Reconciliation is deeply tied to the success of the Canadian economy, the future of capital allocation in the country, and the health of Canada’s labour force, and it will drive markets. How might Corporate Canada and Indigenous business leaders build off the work they started??
- Remembering Treaties and Indigenous Peoples in Canada-US Conversations:? The border is merely a line on a map, according to most Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States. The border cuts through nations and their territories, and while it may separate people, it has not broken up kinship ties. Cross-border relationships – including intertribal trade – have continued to exist, and the United States continues to respect the Jay Treaty, which allows a greater freedom of movement and community integration across the border for Indigenous peoples -at least for now. Canada and the United States both have legal obligations and fiduciary duties to Indigenous peoples. There is a role that Indigenous peoples can play to de-escalate the conflict and re-establish economic ties based on those relationships with one another and with national, state, and provincial governments. Treaties are a central, shared part of our histories, and Indigenous communities have a vested interest in the future of the Canadian economy. How might governments include Indigenous peoples and the treaty relationship if Canada and the US reconcile – and how might Indigenous peoples, their knowledge and kinship increase the likelihood that reconciliation occurs?
Over the coming weeks and months, we will continue to explore these questions.
If you’re wondering how changes in the Canada – US relationship might impact your nation, community, or your business's approach to reconciliation, we welcome a conversation with you.
The world is changing fast - Blackbird can help you keep up. Reach out to our team at [email protected]??
