Canada needs its first entrepreneurs
“It’s about putting in place structures to manage wealth, not structures to manage poverty,” says JP Gladu.
JP Gladu, an Indigenous businessman and accomplished thought leader, at IPSS 2020.
We need “moccasins on the ground,” says JP Gladu, founder and principal of Mokwateh and former president of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
As we prepare for our 2023 Indigenous Partnership Success Showcase (IPSS), we recall Gladu’s words at our inaugural event in 2020.
“We need to start thinking about and putting actions in place to manage wealth. And our Aboriginal businesses, our Indigenous businesses are hungry,” he told 700 delegates.
“What’s been amazing is that Canadians, when we did a survey, also see that a path to prosperity, a path to reconciliation, is their business.
“SMEs (small and medium enterprises) are a significant part of this country, and we have over 54,000 Indigenous businesses.
“I know many of the people in the room today that are contributing in a big way to Canada's prosperity into their communities and to their families. So, if Indigenous people are asking for this, Canadians are asking for this, we must do better with regards to advancing our Indigenous economy through our SMEs.”
Gladu cites Alberta as a positive example when in 2017, over $3.3 billion was procured from Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Gladu says investing in Indigenous equity in infrastructure projects builds certainty. By doing so, the capacity of Indigenous communities and businesses to participate in the economy is furthered.
“This is the future of Indigenous people having a stake in Canada's infrastructure projects, having a stake in the way that business is done, having our people at the front lines managing the impacts of our environment, having moccasins on the ground as we develop projects together and prosper together.”
Our IPSS sessions on June 1 and 2 will explore how industries and Indigenous groups can best work together toward a vision of shared prosperity and renewal.
With partners including the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business, the Indigenous Resource Network and others, the 2023 event will focus on economic reconciliation and the themes of purpose, relationship and vision.
As Gladu told us in 2020: “It is about putting in place structures to manage wealth, not structures to manage poverty, which is a significant departure from the last 150 years.”
Indigenous peoples are Canada’s first entrepreneurs, says Gladu. Now, with moccasins on the ground, “we’re learning to flex our muscles in a modern context.”
Be inspired by stories of Indigenous success at our upcoming event on June 1-2, 2023, by purchasing your tickets now.