The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Oscar Lathlin has told the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce that strengthening Aboriginal participation in the economy is critical to the future prosperity of Manitoba. "The aging public and private workforce provides a unique opportunity to address the high unemployment rate facing Aboriginal people in this province," Lathlin said. "Manitoba has a growing population of highly educated and trained Aboriginal people who will soon form nearly 25 per cent of the provincial workforce. As well, this population is becoming a major consumer market for Manitoba businesses. Increased education, training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people makes good business sense." Lathlin also noted the multi-faceted approach the province is taking under the best practices report, Strengthening Aboriginal Participation in the Economy, to promote economic activity and employment in Aboriginal and northern communities and across the province. "We are emphasizing the importance of education and training including everything from early childhood education to stay in school programs and supports to increase graduation rates at schools, colleges and universities including bringing courses to the communities through the new University College of the North. Our Northern Development Strategy focuses on increased opportunities and better services for Northerners to promote economic development. "Aboriginal youth need that first job experience in order to make the transition to the paid workforce. Manitoba cannot truly prosper if Aboriginal people do not prosper," Lathlin told the chamber. A new generation of Aboriginal entrepreneurs is also addressing this challenge with more than seven hundred Aboriginal businesses now operating across the province, most of them very small family businesses. It is estimated that Aboriginal entrepreneurs and business are responsible for up to 25 per cent of all new employment opportunities for Aboriginal people. The provincial TEAM program under the Development Fund has assisted the creation of over two dozen small enterprises in Northern communities on and off reserves complementing the business loan program of the fund which assists small to medium enterprises throughout the North. The province also has a number of training initiatives underway including the pre-project training for the proposed new northern hydro projects. The Department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs is working with employers in the public and private sector to develop Aboriginal Employment Partnership Agreements. These agreements encourage organizations to work together on human resource strategies that promote hiring and retention of Aboriginal people. Some of these new partnership agreements include several of the regional health authorities, the Manitoba Consumer Contact Association and the MKO Building Sustainable Workforces Initiative. "Building a more representative workforce benefits employers who can better serve their customers and attract more business," Lathlin said. "Aboriginal recruitment, retention and promotion is in the long-term interests of all employers and the provincial economy."
