Indigenous Services told tribal council to use a bunny picture to prove Indigeneity

Federal program to boost Indigenous business under increased scrutiny after a Global News investigation revealed loopholes and “fronts” used to exploit rules.

Federal officials told an Indigenous tribal council they could upload any document, including a “picture of a bunny,” to prove they qualified for a multi-billion dollar procurement program.

Seeking to be listed on the government’s Indigenous Business Directory (IBD), a listing of Indigenous-owned and -operated businesses, a representative from the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council asked the department what documents were required to prove their Indigeneity.

Emails reviewed by Global News show the department told them no proof was required.

The April 2024 email chain, shared exclusively with Global News, calls into question Indigenous Services Canada’s (ISC) claim they have tightened rules for a procurement policy meant to boost First Nations, Inuit and Métis businesses.

A Global News and First Nations University of Canada investigation into the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB) found the Canadian government has awarded billions in contracts without always requiring companies to prove they were First Nations, Inuit or Métis owned.

The program, administered by Indigenous Services Canada, now requires all federal departments to set aside five per cent of their procurement budgets for Indigenous-owned and -controlled companies. That means more than $1.6 billion in contract awards each year are earmarked for First Nations, Métis or Inuit businesses.

Global News requested comment from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) for this story. The department was unable to respond as of Tuesday.

The months-long investigation found significant loopholes in who qualifies as “Indigenous” to land lucrative contracts.