New companies

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At first glance, it would probably be difficult to find something that Veco, Pitblado Barristers and Solicitors, Compass Group Canada and Manitoba Lotteries Corporation all have in common. Veco is a multi-national corporation providing project management, engineering, purchasing, construction, maintenance and operational services to industry and business. Pitblado is a firm of sixty lawyers based in Winnipeg. Compass Group Canada is the Canadian arm of the largest foodservice company in the world, serving a number of sectors, from business and industry to sporting venues, to remote camp locations. And Manitoba Lotteries Corporation is a provincial Crown corporation that manages gaming across Manitoba.

What these four diverse companies do have in common is a commitment to developing good relationships with the Aboriginal community. What they also have in common is that all four have recently joined the PAR (Progressive Aboriginal Relations) program at the commitment level.

Howard Morry is a lawyer with Pitblado Barristers and Solicitors.

Through the PAR program, Morry sees the firm benefiting in two ways, first by providing Pitblado with a scorecard to see how they are doing in their relations with the Aboriginal community, and second to give it another way to demonstrate their commitment to the Aboriginal clients they serve.

The firm has already demonstrated that commitment by hiring Aboriginal lawyers and law students. And, while Morry stressed that the Aboriginal students receive the same training as non-Aboriginal students, they are provided with the supports they need, both inside and outside the office, that will help them be successful.

Brian Arbuckle is vice-president of business development with Compass Group Canada.

"We have a responsibility to not only our clients, but the communities that we're working in, for training and transfer of technology and transfer of funds, participation in community life, scholarships, etc.," he said.

"PAR was one of the ways of measuring that participation and the implication of our company in Aboriginal life. And it was also a way of showing to other Aboriginal communities that this is a company who puts a lot of time and effort and money into supporting Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal way of life."

Michele Hazell is co-ordinator of workforce culture with Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. She said they are already doing a lot to increase the number of Aboriginal people it employs, from sending all employment postings out to Aboriginal groups, to creating work experience internships. They also offers employment equity scholarships, and sponsor Native educational, cultural and sporting events.