Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada released its final report in 2015, the term reconciliation and, more specifically, economic reconciliation has become increasingly familiar to Canadians. Call to Action #92 from the TRC urges the corporate sector in Canada to adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a framework for reconciliation. It calls on businesses to commit to meaningful consultation and partnerships with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) people, including equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities, while promoting Indigenous participation in economic opportunities.
Economic reconciliation is not a catchphrase, nor a trend that will fade over time. Economic reconciliation is fundamental to the self-determination and empowerment of FNMI people across our country. In Canada, economic reconciliation is the crucial process of reconciling the economic disparities between Indigenous (FNMI) and non-Indigenous communities, while acknowledging the impact that colonization had on the current economic state of FNMI people across the country.
The technology industry presents unique opportunities for partnerships, innovation, and inclusivity, offering pathways to bridge economic gaps and foster long-term, collaborative growth. Whether empowering FNMI talent through technology training and employment opportunities, or fostering Indigenous entrepreneurship, the tech industry can play a pivotal role in building an equitable future.
It is incumbent on all of us to understand our shared responsibility for reconciliation and to reflect on how we can guide corporate Canada’s active participation in this journey toward economic reconciliation.
Empowering Indigenous Talent Through Tech Skills Training and Employment
In 2015, while attending the Governor General’s Leadership Conference, I met Keith McIntosh, another participant of the conference. Keith was Founder and CEO of PQA (Professional Quality Assurance, Ltd.), a software testing company that he had launched in 1997 to deliver testing services from his home province of New Brunswick to clients across the country and globally. As the Interim Report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada had just been released, much of our discussion was centred on the theme of economic reconciliation, and specifically, exploring actions that could be taken to create wealth and careers in technology for FNMI Canadians. We discussed the possibility of taking a private sector approach to tackling a challenging social issue, and asked the question: how can we increase Indigenous representation in the technology workforce?
From the initial discussion, a train-and-employ concept was developed, and PLATO was born. Today, PLATO’s approach involves empowering FNMI talent by providing training and full-time employment in and around Indigenous communities and supporting the growth of these professionals upon a foundation of mentorship, upskilling, and real-world experience. Participants of our training program join the PLATO community, becoming an integral part of our workforce, and deliver software testing and technology services to clients across Canada and around the world. This model has been successful in multiple communities, including Fredericton, NB; Ottawa, ON; Calgary, AB; Vancouver, BC; Regina, SK; Prince Albert, SK; Sault Ste. Marie, ON; and other centres. But creating this pathway toward economic reconciliation is limited by access to digital infrastructure; infrastructure that is not available in all regions of Canada.
Bridging the Digital Divide for Indigenous Communities
Core to FNMI participation in the tech sector is ensuring access to the necessary digital infrastructure to pursue such opportunities. I travel regularly and find myself in Northern Ontario once or twice a year. These trips often entail visits to multiple communities across the North Shore between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, and north through Batchewana and past Wawa. This itinerary lends itself well to a road trip. With each trip, I am hopeful that the issue of mobile connectivity has been addressed, which could serve as an indicator that access to adequate broadband and mobile cell service in remote communities and First Nations is improving. But, with each trip, my 5G quickly drops to 3G and LTE, before eventually reading, ‘SOS.’
Inadequate digital connectivity is not exclusive to Northern Ontario. The Auditor General of Canada’s 2023 report on Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas reported that, “access to high speed Internet and mobile cellular services lags behind for rural and remote communities and First Nations reserves.” In 2024, the CRTC reported that while 91.4% of Canadian households had access to broadband, only 62% of households in rural or remote communities had access to speeds of at least 50/10Mbps.
Access to broadband, affordable devices, and digital tools improves opportunities for Indigenous talent development and workforce engagement, particularly in sectors like technology that rely on digital connectivity. Digital infrastructure also improves opportunities for greater Indigenous innovation and entrepreneurship in the tech industry.
Diversifying the Supply Chain
Throughout my tenure with PLATO, I have had the opportunity to explore the tech innovation ecosystem and help to build a network of Indigenous entrepreneurs across the country. The landscape has changed, and for the better. During a recent podcast with Indigenous Tech Circle founder, Ryan St. Germaine, fellow panelist Jeff Ward (CEO of Animiiki) said that, despite feeling like the only Indigenous tech-entrepreneur when he started his company in the 2000’s, the tech sector is no longer a lonely place for FNMI founders.
This growing ecosystem of Indigenous start-ups and Indigenous-owned tech companies is leading to more visible representation in the tech industry, which helps to stimulate and inspire an Indigenous workforce stream. The building of digital skills and launching of tech-based enterprises is creating opportunities for FNMI peoples to participate in high-growth, high-paying jobs, fostering economic independence, and closing the employment gap.
This effect is only possible if Canadian corporations choose to diversify their supply chain by procuring products or services from an FNMI-owned or staffed business and, sometimes, this requires updating a procurement policy or rethinking the way the work can be done. When pitching to a prospective client seeking our services, we sometimes hear the rebuttal, “that won’t work, because we do it ‘this’ way.” We challenge these companies to consider ways in which they can modernize their approach that will result in diversifying their supply chain and, ultimately, participating in economic reconciliation. Those that have been successful find that the effort was worthwhile and inspires them to look at other areas of the business where they can make minor changes to become more inclusive.
The government has a role to play, as well. To bolster the effort of corporate Canada, federal, provincial, and municipal governments have a duty to provide policies that enable economic reconciliation. This could involve ensuring equitable access to digital infrastructure, offering incentives to FNMI entrepreneurs, or facilitating partnerships between Indigenous communities and industry. Investment for digital skills development and training programs, such as DIGITAL, and those that are specifically tailored to FNMI communities, can help to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies across the country, feeding into both Indigenous entrepreneurship and the tech workforce. Above all, it is essential that the government is accountable for updating their procurement approach to incentivize suppliers that can demonstrate that wealth and benefits go back to the community.
PLATO’s social mission is inspired by our commitment to economic reconciliation. It’s a journey. Along with our partners, clients, and allies, we are empowering FNMI talent by providing training and employment in the tech sector, we’re advocating for equitable digital access among Indigenous communities, and we are diversifying the supply chain within the tech sector. To those of you who are already a part of this crucial journey, we thank you. To those of you who would like to learn more, please reach out.
Denis Carignan is a member of Pasqua First Nation in Treaty Four (Saskatchewan) and President of PLATO. Since joining PLATO in 2016, Denis has become a national voice promoting Indigenous reconciliation and creating opportunities for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people to pursue successful careers in technology.
As a member of PLATO’s executive team, Denis contributes to the organization’s strategic direction while providing leadership and perspective on Indigenous matters. He is also critical in the development, maintenance, and growth of partnerships with Indigenous communities across the country.