[Witness spoke in Northern Michif and provided the following text:]

Tân'si Anthony nisihkâson Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Ohci niya Langley, British Columbia niwîkin.

[English]

Hello. My name is Anthony Wingham. I was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. I live in Langley, B.C.

Thank you, Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to speak today.

As I said, my name is Anthony Wingham. I come here not only as a local Métis president serving my community in Langley and White Rock, B.C., but as someone who works with indigenous youth entrepreneurs and leaders across the country. I've listened to Inuit voices in the north, first nations on the coast and Métis people in the Prairies and beyond. I've collaborated with organizations such as the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, witnessing first-hand the potential of our indigenous businesses.

Through the national indigenous youth business advisory council, I've worked with young entrepreneurs to access government programs, navigate complex funding landscapes and find their footing in the fast-changing markets. Serving on the BC Indigenous Housing Society's board and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade's advisory council has shown me how deeply economic development, housing sustainability, global partnerships and good governance are intertwined. From these experiences, one truth remains clear: Indigenous economic development isn't just about financial transactions; it's about building trust, strengthening governance, expanding capacity and ensuring that real opportunities reach our people.

First nations, Inuit and Métis communities are striving to create sustainable, values-driven businesses. We are developing supportive networks and cultivating the next generation of indigenous leaders and entrepreneurs, who want to enter new sectors, scale innovative ideas and contribute meaningfully to the Canadian economy. However, a persistent barrier stands in our way: fraudulent actors who infiltrate procurement opportunities meant for indigenous businesses.

When non-indigenous companies masquerade as indigenous-owned, or when they install token indigenous partners with no real decision-making authority, they divert the resources away from those who truly need them. This practice not only undermines the credibility of set-asides and other supportive measures, but also removes the optimism from young entrepreneurs who see how easily outsiders exploit the system. They ask how we can compete on a level playing field, how we can ensure that the contracts are actually reserved for our communities and why enforcement is so lax that some people can simply game a system designed to lift us up.

Indigenous entrepreneurs consistently call for policies with real teeth and verification measures that ensure indigenous-owned businesses are genuinely rooted in their communities, accountable to local governance structures and recognized by respected indigenous institutions. They want a strong reporting and compliance framework so that everyone, from the awarding body to the community members on the ground, can see that indigenous voices are making decisions, sharing profits and building their own capacity.

For many young indigenous entrepreneurs, these procurement opportunities are a vital first step toward growth. When the system works as intended and contracts are verified and given to indigenous-owned businesses that invest in training, community projects and future bids, everybody benefits. Communities can begin to take real ownership of their economic future by reinvesting profits into scholarships for youth, improving local infrastructure and fostering a cycle of prosperity and resilience.

We must remember that this isn't about adding more boxes to check. It's about ensuring that programs to design and advance indigenous self-determination and economic security actually fulfill their purpose. It's about confirming that when we say these contracts are for indigenous businesses, we mean it. Such reforms aren't about punishing outsiders, but honouring the intent of these programs.

Empowering grassroots indigenous entrepreneurs is among the clearest paths to economic resilience. Strengthening verification processes, enhancing transparency in how the contracts are awarded and firmly enforcing rules against fraudulent participation will restore faith in these initiatives. Indigenous businesses that trust the integrity of set-asides will invest in themselves, hire locally, train apprentices and keep wealth circulating within their communities. Over time, this will create improved education, better housing, healthier families and stronger governments.

I'm grateful for the committee's attention to these issues. I'm hopeful that any steps taken will strengthen enforcement, enhance authenticity in procurement and restore the faith that indigenous communities place in these programs.

Thank you again for inviting me to share my perspective. Maarsii.

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