Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for inviting me to appear here today.

My name is Andrea Sandmaier, and I'm the president of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. I'm happy to be here today with Garrett Tomlinson, our senior director of self-government.

It's an honour to share the work of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, formerly the Métis Nation of Alberta, and to highlight the incredible strides our government has made in economic development.

Our nation stands as the oldest continuous Métis government in Canada, where economic development has always been a foundational element of our work. Prior to Confederation, it was the Métis who were the key drivers of the northwest economy, as it revolved around the fur trade. Today, many Métis are entrepreneurs, business owners and significant participants in the Canadian economy.

In Alberta, for nearly a century our Métis government has worked hard to continue promoting economic development. One example that we are exceptionally proud of is our housing initiative. Since its inception over 40 years ago, we've grown to become the largest indigenous-owned housing developer in Canada. Operated under two companies, we maintain and manage rental accommodations that currently provide affordable housing to more than 3,000 indigenous Albertans in 14 urban centres throughout Alberta. From supportive housing for seniors to programs for young families, our housing initiatives work to ensure that no one is left behind while we compete in the open market, growing and supporting the economies of the communities we operate in.

Our government knows that economic empowerment is only possible when Métis citizens have the tools they need to succeed. The Rupertsland Institute, our education affiliate, is dedicated to advancing education, employment and training opportunities. It connects Métis citizens to meaningful employment opportunities, skills training and career development resources. Programs like these help Métis citizens move into high-demand industries, address labour market gaps and, ultimately, improve economic outcomes for Métis families.

I would like to add that our success as a government is built on the strength of our citizens and relies on the validity of our world-class citizenship registry. We have the strongest objectively verified registry system in this country. In fact, our citizenship registry is the only indigenous registry in Canada that meets the requirements set out by the Canadian Standards Association. When a citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government holds up their citizenship card, we know unequivocally that this person has proven, by providing documentary evidence, that they are biologically connected to the Métis families who have made up our nation for generations.

The federal government's target of 5% indigenous procurement is an important step forward in addressing the sordid history of the country towards indigenous people, but achieving this target requires the application of equally rigorous standards to ensure it truly benefits indigenous communities. We believe that our registry offers a model for how governments can establish clear and enforceable criteria to ensure indigenous procurement contracts are awarded to legitimate Métis businesses.

As I said, our registry ensures that Métis citizenship is verified through a robust and transparent process, and to date, over 70,000 have gone through that process. By applying a similar standard of verification to indigenous procurement, governments can ensure that opportunities meant for indigenous communities are not diverted to entities with tenuous or questionable claims. Self-identification is simply not enough.

A standardized high-bar verification process would not only protect the integrity of indigenous procurement but also ensure it delivers the economic benefits it promises.

It was the Métis who built this great country 200 years ago, and we stand ready to strengthen and grow Canada's economy today.

Thank you. I look forward to your questions.

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