"We've been working really hard with the government of Canada on meeting their 5% target of procurement from Indigenous business. We did some work with them to look at where they spent their money and compared that to Indigenous businesses in Canada and found that Indigenous businesses could actually serve 24% of the government spend. So 5% is a minimum target. It is definitely achievable."

Tabatha Bull is the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. She joins National Chief Bellegarde to talk about challenges facing First Nations businesses in the pandemic, her thoughts on what the Federal Budget means for First Nations entrepreneurs, the importance of getting more First Nations leaders on corporate boards in Canada, and the impressive work of First Nations in developing green energy projects.

Tabatha Bull is a proud member of the Nipissing First Nation in Northern Ontario. As well as being President and CEO of the CCAB, she is also a board member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and sits as a member on both the Positive Energy Advisory Council and the C.D. Howe Institute’s Energy Policy program. An electrical engineer, she is a graduate from the University of Waterloo.

To learn more about the CCAB, visit their website: https://www.ccab.com/

And for more on the work of the Assembly of First Nations visit: AFN.ca

The Ahkameyimok Podcast is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions in Ottawa.

Our theme music, Intertribal, is by the Red Dog Singers from Treaty 4 Territory in Southern Saskatchewan.