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.

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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

Work collaboratively and develop productive relationships with peers and stakeholders from across the country in an intimate and confidential forum

Connect

Hear from experts and practitioners on key issues and learn from their successes and challenges

Gain

Access practical ideas about how your organization can develop and maintain effective corporate–Indigenous relations

Grow

Keep your finger on the pulse of key developments and contemporary issues

Current members

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 Railway Company

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 (Federal Economic Development Initiative in Northern Ontario)

First Nations Major Projects Coalition

First Nations University of Canada

Government of the Northwest Territories

Hydro One

Indigenous Services Canada

Leaders International Executive Search

Manitoba Hydro

Ministry of Indigenous Affairs

National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association

National Association of Friendship Centres

Nova Scotia Office of L'nu Affairs

Nuclear Waste Management Organization

Ontario Power Generation

Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada

Rogers Communications Inc.

Royal Bank of Canada

Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.

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
UNDRIP legislation: Implications for the evolving corporate–Indigenous agreement landscape
Trusted relationships: A renewed emphasis on best practices in engagement and relationship-building
Procurement and supply chain management: Barriers, opportunities, and assessing the impacts
Seizing the opportunity for Indigenous economic reconciliation: Community and youth-focused capacity development

“The Corporate–Indigenous Relations Council is one of the best forums I have had the opportunity to participate in, and it provides a lot of value to my organization. The meetings provide a unique opportunity to thoughtfully and candidly discuss cutting-edge ideas and practical issues with business, government, and Indigenous leaders from across the country. ”

Justin Huston, Deputy Minister and Chief Executive Officer, Nova Scotia Office of Aboriginal Affairs

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Member activity

Next session

Stayed Tuned for details on our next event.

Previous sessions

Spring 2022 Members Meeting

Virtual Event
Theme: UNDRIP Legislation: Implications for the evolving corporate-indigenous agreement landscape
Dates: May 4 & 5, 2022
Agenda

Indigenous Governance Virtual Series

Theme: Canada’s UNDRIP Legislation and Its Implications for Indigenous Governance
Date: January 20, 2022
Agenda

Featured Speakers:

Chief Scott McLeod, Nipissing First Nation
Sunny LeBourdais, Director of Transformation, Qwelminte Secwepemc
Ken Paul, Wastey Nation
Sandra Gogal, Partner, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Fall 2021 Members Meeting

Virtual Event
Theme: The Impacts of Systemic Racism on Indigenous Engagement and Inclusion
Dates: November 25th, December 1st & 2nd, 2021
Agenda

Featured Speakers:

Becky Sasakamoose Kuffer, Cultural Diversity & Race Relations Consultant, City of Saskatoon
Bernadette Iahtail, Government of Alberta Anti-Racism Advisory Council Member, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Creating Hope Society
Tara Shea, Senior Director, Regulatory & Indigenous Affairs, Mining Association of Canada (MAC)
Sara Mainville, Partner, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP
Dale Sturges, Head, Indigenous Financial Services, RBC
Shannin Metatawabin, Chief Executive Officer, NACCA
Sandra Gogal, Partner, Cassels

CIRC/CRSC Joint Council Meeting

Virtual Event
Theme: Indigenous Reconciliation Through an Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Lens
Date: September 23, 2021
Agenda

Featured Speakers:

Katie Wheatley, Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative, SHARE
Mark Podlasley, First Nations Major Project Coalition
Mark Sevestre, National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association
Penny Favel, Vice President, Indigenous Relations, Hydro One

Spring 2021 Members Meeting

Virtual Event
Theme: Measuring progress - evolving performance indicators and metrics for Corporate-Indigenous Relations
Date: May 12, 13 & 19, 2021
Agenda

Featured Speakers:

Tabatha Bull, President & CEO at Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
Alicia Dubois, Chief Executive Officer, Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
Jamile Cruz, Founder and CEO, I&D 101

Fall 2020 Members Meeting

Virtual Event
Theme: Indigenous recruitment, retention, and procurement: Creating an organization-wide commitment to Indigenous inclusion and engagement
Date: December 2-3, 2020
Agenda

Featured Speakers:

Francyne Joe, Partnerships Manager, National Association of Friendship Centres
Sandra Gogal, Partner, Miller Thompson
Glenn Nolan, Vice-President, Government Affairs, Noront Resources

Recent themes

Canada’s UNDRIP Legislation and Its Implications for Indigenous Governance
The Impacts of Systemic Racism on Indigenous Engagement and Inclusion
Indigenous Reconciliation Through an Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Lens
Measuring progress - evolving performance indicators and metrics for Corporate-Indigenous Relations
Indigenous recruitment, retention, and procurement: best practices and new opportunities
Measuring progress: evolving performance indicators and metrics for corporate indigenous relations
Creating an organization-wide commitment to Indigenous inclusion and engagement: from our colleagues to the boardroom
Reconciliation, UNDRIP, and FPIC—Working Towards Consensus on Key Objectives and Principles

Relevant research for members

Indigenous woman sitting at a desk and typing on a computer

Indigenous Finance and Management Professionals

As reflected in recent Supreme Court decisions, parliamentary debates, and public opinion polls, Indigenous rights are increasingly part of major project decisions. This spans sectors such as power generation, mining, and oil and gas. While at times contentious, the assertion of Indigenous rights presents a bold new vision of economic reconciliation with opportunities for Indigenous communities looking to determine their economic futures.

Impact paper | 29-min read
June 22, 2022
Partner—Future Skills Centre

Man in the snow with headphones and showing a thumbs up

Fly-In Fly-Out Labour and Airport Infrastructure in Canada’s North: A Case Study on the Rankin Inlet and Mayo Airports

Important discussions and awareness are taking place around the economic impacts of FIFO labour in Canada’s Northern regions. Northern governments are concerned about jobs and wages being lost to residents from other regions of the country. There are also concerns around the leakage of dollars earned by FIFO workers into Southern regions—money that might otherwise be spent in the North and drive additional economic activity within that region.

Case study | 17-min read
May 17, 2022

Benefit, Burden, or Both? The Economic Impact of Interjurisdictional Workers in Canada’s North

Many interjurisdictional workers (IJWs) are employed throughout Canada’s North. Often flying in to work in Northern communities, these workers are used to fill open positions across several industries due to the lack of required skillsets in local labour markets. Many of these workers are employed in the construction and the mining and quarrying and oil and gas sectors, though they also fill positions across other industries, such as public administration and accommodation and food services.

Issue briefing | 21-min read
May 11, 2022

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