Canada has made little progress on indigenous economic development since the federal government’s apology for the Indian residential school system in 2008, according to a report done by Cardus. .“Our paper raises serious questions about the disappointing lack of progress on economic reconciliation in Canada,” said Cardus work and economics program director Renze Nauta in a Thursday press release. .“We’re setting the table for governments, employers, and all Canadians to refocus on helping First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities close the economic and employment gap with the rest of the country.”.The report said the economic and employment gaps between indigenous people and the rest of Canada made minimal movement between 2008 and 2020. .The report went on to say the indigenous labour force participation rate is almost unchanged since 2008 at 77.4%. It said this rate is 9% lower than non-indigenous Canadians. .The average indigenous person employed for 50 weeks each year was putting 35 hours more in than the average non-indigenous worker, but earning $3,219 less in 2008. That indigenous worker was doing 20 hours more than non-indigenous people and earning about $3,339 less by 2020. .Cardus said indigenous Canadians are more than twice as likely as other people to be in the poorest 10% of the population. .It said one of the few improvements was in education. Between 2006 and 2016, the proportion of indigenous Canadians holding a high school diploma, apprenticeship certificate, college diploma, or bachelor’s degree or higher all went up. .Cardus is a non-partisan think tank working to strengthen how Canada's institutions can advocate for the common good. .This report comes after the Indigenous Resource Network (IRN) unveiled a campaign to advocate for indigenous ownership in natural resources projects on August 9. .READ MORE: Canadian indigenous organization launches resource development awareness campaign.“The problems our communities are facing is there are few mechanisms to access the necessary capital for investing in projects and having equity,” said IRN Executive Director Robert Merasty. .“Having a National Indigenous Guaranteed Loan Program is a step the federal government can take that will help First Nations get the capital needed to become partners and owners of the projects on our own lands.”
