Corporate-Indigenous Relations Council
Effective corporate-Indigenous relations are increasingly important to our objectives as a country.
Mutually beneficial relationships are at the heart of success and prosperity for industry, public sector organizations, and Indigenous communities and businesses, and sets the foundation for reconciliation in Canada.
The Conference Board of Canada’s Corporate–Indigenous Relations Council (CIRC) is an executive network with a mandate to create equitable, productive, and collaborative corporate–Indigenous relations. It fosters honest dialogue between senior-level representatives from public, private, and Indigenous organizations in a confidential venue. Members work together to find practical solutions to common challenges and opportunities.
Who Should Join?
CIRC is a network for leaders from Indigenous, public, private, and not-for-profit organizations whose roles focus on the corporate–Indigenous relations landscape.
Members have a shared and committed interest in improving their knowledge, practices, and policies in Canada.
Key Objectives
- Support organizations from across all sectors in developing best practices and constructive, mutually beneficial relationships.
- Contribute to reconciliation through collaborative and respectful engagement between Indigenous, private, and public sector organizations.
Benefits of Membership
| Collaborate | Connect | Gain | Grow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work collaboratively and develop productive relationships with peers and stakeholders from across the country in an intimate and confidential forum | Hear from experts and practitioners on key issues and learn from their successes and challenges | Access practical ideas about how your organization can develop and maintain effective corporate–Indigenous relations | Keep your finger on the pulse of key developments and contemporary issues |
Contact Us
For more information about the Corporate–Indigenous Relations Council or to arrange for a guest invitation to attend one our meetings, please contact our team.
1-888-801-8818
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET; after hours, please send an e-mail.
Current Members
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
Alamos Gold Inc.
Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.
Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat
BC Hydro
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
Canadian National Railway
Canadian Pacific Kansas City
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Clearwater Seafoods Incorporated
Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology
Det’On Cho Corporation
Employment and Social Development Canada
Enbridge Inc.
FedNor
FedNor (Federal Economic Development Initiative in Northern Ontario)
First Nations Major Projects Coalition
Gibson Energy
Government of Northwest Territories
Hydro One
Indigenous Services Canada
JD Irving
Lakeside Process Controls Ltd
Manitoba Hydro
Ministry of Indigenous Affairs
National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association
National Association of Friendship Centres
Nova Scotia Office of L’nu Affairs
Nova Scotia Power Inc
Nuclear Waste Management Organization
Ontario Power Generation
Pathways Executive Search
Rogers Communications Inc.
Royal Bank of Canada
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.
Tlicho Investment Corporation & Group of Companies
Testimonial
Members Only
This section is currently underdevelopment. In the meantime, please visit this page to access all members-only content.
If you’re not a member and would like to become one, please contact us.
Past Meetings
Trusted Relationships—A Renewed Emphasis on Best Practices in Engagement and Relationship Building
November 16–17, 2022: Fall Members Meeting • Gastown, Vancouver, BC
A Discussion on Indigenous Governance Structures and the Path to Economic Reconciliation
September 28, 2022: Indigenous Governance Series—Session 3 • Virtual
Chief Commissioner Manny Jules, First Nations Tax Commission
UNDRIP Legislation: Implications for the Evolving Corporate-Indigenous Agreement Landscape
May 4–5, 2022 (Members Meeting)
Canada’s UNDRIP Legislation and Its Implications for Indigenous Governance
January 20, 2022 (Indigenous Governance Series)
Chief Scott McLeod, Nipissing First Nation
Ken Paul, Wastey Nation
Sunny LeBourdais, Director of Transformation, Qwelminte Secwepemc
Sandra Gogal, Partner, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
The Impacts of Systemic Racism on Indigenous Engagement and Inclusion
Fall 2021 (Members Meeting)
Becky Sasakamoose Kuffer, Cultural Diversity & Race Relations Consultant, City of Saskatoon
Tara Shea, Senior Director, Regulatory & Indigenous Affairs, Mining Association of Canada (MAC)
Dale Sturges, Head, Indigenous Financial Services, RBC
Sandra Gogal, Partner, Cassels
Bernadette Iahtail, Government of Alberta Anti-Racism Advisory Council Member, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Creating Hope Society
Sara Mainville, Partner, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP
Shannin Metatawabin, Chief Executive Officer, NACCA
Looking Forward
The Council is proud to offer a program plan for the coming two years that is relevant and actionable—one that includes the perspective of Indigenous, private sector, and public sector organizations. Moreover, this plan is flexible enough to address the changing needs and interests of Council members, as well as emerging issues that were not originally anticipated.
Systemic racism
The impacts on Indigenous engagement and inclusion
Trusted relationships
A renewed emphasis on best practices in engagement and relationship-building
Seizing the opportunity for Indigenous economic reconciliation
Community and youth-focused capacity development
UNDRIP legislation
Implications for the evolving corporate–Indigenous agreement landscape
Procurement and supply chain management
Barriers, opportunities, and assessing the impacts
