Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the clerk and all committee members for inviting us today and for prioritizing the important discussion on barriers to indigenous economic development. Economic opportunity is central to advancing reconciliation for past injustices.

My name is Brian Doxtator. I'm a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, on Tyendinaga Mohawk territory, and CEO and majority owner of Pure Spirit Solutions Inc., an IT value-added reseller specializing in workplace technology, data centres and audiovisual solutions. I purchased the company in January 2024 after selling my majority share of an Ottawa-based electrical contracting business three years ago.

During due diligence, I identified that Pure Spirit was PSIB-compliant, certified as an indigenous business by the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business and listed in the indigenous business directory. I also found that Pure Spirit had been audited by Indigenous Services Canada in June 2022 for PSIB compliance, with no issues.

While Pure Spirit delivers value through the right products at the right price and time, we're committed to adhering to procurement standards and ethical practices. We're proud of our contributions to the indigenous community, including our support for Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth. This nationally registered charity offers employment and skills development for indigenous youth.

We sponsor an annual bursary and scholarship at Algonquin College for indigenous students in technology, business or marketing and communications programs and provide corporate sponsorship to the Masters Indigenous Games. Additionally, our staff leads fundraising activities for the Moose Hide Campaign, raising awareness to combat gender-based violence.

Though my electrical contracting business was majority indigenous-owned and I explored certification in 2014, I decided not to pursue it due to the complexity of the certification process and the resources required to engage in the federal government procurement process at that time. While there's been some clarity since then, we believe that significant barriers still remain for indigenous businesses to participate in federal government procurement activities.

Many federal procurement vehicles are highly technical, requiring specific skills to interpret and prepare bids that comply with specifications. To compete, companies must invest in attracting and retaining the necessary talent and administrative resources. While we understand the need for efficient procurement, the lowest-priced bid mentality often leaves indigenous businesses struggling. Even when successful, profit margins are thin. Perhaps weighing factors other than the lowest possible price could ease this barrier.

Another challenge for some indigenous businesses is access to reliable high-speed Internet. This has become more important since the pandemic, which has increased the need for remote work specifically to attract staff from rural and northern communities. Efforts to improve Internet access are under way, but demand certainly exceeds the available capacity.

We agree with strengthening the indigenous business verification process and enforcing penalties for non-compliance. Codeveloping procurement policies between indigenous businesses and federal agencies could help to address current barriers.

Pure Spirit is committed to ethical leadership and advancing indigenous economic empowerment. As we grow, we aim to provide more employment and career development opportunities for the indigenous community. Nearly 40% of our staff are indigenous, and we plan to increase that. Growth will allow us to support a wider variety of indigenous initiatives, further strengthening our country. This was my vision when purchasing Pure Spirit, and it remains our path forward.

I thank you again for the opportunity to speak today, and I hope the deliberations will result in enforceable recommendations to address the issues raised. I'd be pleased to answer any questions.

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