By Andrew de Souza

Now is the time to find aboriginal employees

Feb 17, 2011 | 5:20 AM

First Nations and Métis people make up the fastest growing sectors in birth rates and education enrolment and it’s time for businesses in the province to tap into the growing human potential, said John Lagimodiere.

That was the message the newspaper publisher and business consultant gave to the North Central Enterprise Region’s labour market committee on Tuesday.

“In the last 10 years we’ve had negative increases in people but in the aboriginal community the numbers have gone up almost exponentially,” he said to the crowd of about 50 people.

“So when we see who’s going to be our next labour market and where it’s all coming from, sure immigration is important, sure people are moving back, but the biggest impact is going to come from our First Nations and Métis communities.”

Lagimodiere told the crowd it was in their best interests to find good aboriginal candidates for their companies both to be representative of their community, but also to take advantage of the growing population sector.

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He said now was the time because the best people in that category were getting snatched up all over the province and to other parts of the country.

Lagimodiere added that companies shouldn’t just hire the aboriginal sector to increase numbers within the company. He said the goal should always be to hire the most qualified person for the job and that with the current demographics those people would be increasingly coming from First Nations.

The problem, he said, was that most businesses simply didn’t have the corporate structure to accommodate or invite aboriginal applicants.

He said it was things such as being sensitive to the fact that for some people it might be their first job or they might be the first person in the family with an education.

As well, he said there should be sensitivity to things such as ceremonies or festivals that fall outside of regular recognized holidays.

“We’ve got to get past the resentment, the ignorance… we’ve got to get past those myths and realize we’re all in this together,” Lagimodiere said.

“It’s not an us and them thing anymore, it’s not the First Nations guys over here, the white guys over here or the Métis over here, we’re all want to benefit from the beautiful natural wealth of the province.”

Lagimodiere runs a consultancy for business and talks with them to increase awareness and sensitivity among workers and also helps develop strategies for businesses to attract aboriginal employees.

He came as a guest of NCER and is available for a limited amount of sessions with business through the enterprise region.

adesouza@panow.com