Photo Credits: Canadian Energy Centre, Donovan (left) and Jon (right) |
In championing economic reconciliation for Indigenous communities, it’s important to put words into action. This is the guiding principle behind the Totem Training Program, an Alberta-based initiative that is opening pathways for Indigenous peoples in skilled labor as well as trades.
The program was created by Métis business leader Jon Rivard, owner of CMR Fabricators LTD and Tikaani. Launched in 2020, it seeks to promote interest in the trades among Indigenous individuals and equip them with the skills, support, and connections to get their foot in the door.
“As an Indigenous business owner, I wanted to find a way to get these young people on the path to a stable career in the trades or to the point of skilled labor positions, while also teaching essential life skills for success,” says Rivard.
Indigenous training participants from Sunchild First Nation working on TC Energy’s job site
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Providing mentorship and support is core to the Totem program. Rivard and his team not only help participants find opportunities but also provide hands-on training, foster life skills, and assist in locating temporary places to live if the projects that hire them are far from their communities.
“What (Rivard) wanted to do was create better futures for Aboriginal communities,” noted Jeff Berube, CMR’s business development manager in an interview shortly after the program’s launch . “We figure out what communities are close by when we do a project and then we invite Indigenous people to come and live at our shop for a couple months for this program. The idea is to spur interest into skilled trades.”
In a recent interview for CCAB’s e-news, Rivard adds that the motivation to create the Totem Training Program came from a first-hand understanding that more needed to be done to connect Indigenous communities to the trades and, perhaps more importantly, ensure that Indigenous youth benefit from construction partnerships.
“When I started my first business CMR, and then Tikaani, I wanted to be the kind of company that not only brought opportunities to bands, but made sure youth were also getting something out of it,” he says.
Building a base
The Totem program is setting a strong foundation in Alberta. In 2021, for example, it facilitated the employment of several Indigenous youth on a TC Energy project near Sunchild First Nation’s territorial land.
“TC Energy awarded us a portion of the work at a compressor station and, through the Totem program, we hired a couple of youth from Sunchild First Nation to join us,” recounts Rivard. “That involved bringing them into Red Deer, setting them up in apartments, helping them find food and supplies, and teaching them how to get ready for the project. After that, we put them to work and gave them a taste of a few different trades.”
The Totem program was among the many factors that drew TC Energy’s attention to CMR. Ryland Brennan, a Business Engagement Lead with the energy infrastructure company, says the initiative fits well with the firm’s Indigenous engagement objectives. He notes, “The more we involve Indigenous peoples in our projects, the more we help create opportunities for sustainable employment in those communities.”
“Economic reconciliation is critical, not just to TC Energy, but for all Canadians,” he adds. “We need to focus on making the training and employment of Indigenous peoples a priority, especially with projects like the one near Red Deer where we’re close to an Indigenous community and there are people who want to work and bring those benefits back to their families and peers.”
Building a foundation
Nearly a dozen Indigenous youth have gone through the Totem initiative since it was established, some of whom have moved on to rewarding careers in the trades. One such youth is Donovan Doll, a member of the Sturgeon Lake First Nation who joined CMR’s crew through the Totem program and stayed on through several projects.
“I was already a journeyman when I started with CMR, but I didn’t have a lot of experience. Jon Rivard himself taught me a lot about pipe fitting, welding, how to look at blueprints properly, and just excel in my trade,” he recalls. “I’m very grateful to CMR because of that opportunity. It gave me the confidence to move on to other projects.”
Doll stayed with CMR for three years and was eventually asked to help train new employees from other Indigenous communities, an experience which has helped foster his leadership skills.
He says, “[Totem] has been such an important program for them. Jon gives them every opportunity to learn, but they’re the ones who have to put the work in.”
Doll’s story reflects many within the Totem program. And looking ahead, Rivard hopes to replicate the success of CMR’s recent collaboration with TC Energy with other partners and continue building support for the program.
“What we’re looking for is a commitment from other companies that will help us provide steady, ongoing work for these kids,” he adds. “We’re not asking for huge donations; we just want opportunities to provide youth with education and meaningful jobs.”
As for the value of partnering with Indigenous-owned businesses and leaders like Rivard, Brennan adds: “Indigenous entrepreneurs are vital to the future prosperity of Canada. It is important to keep breaking down the barriers that prevent Indigenous talent from entering the workforce.”
