Profile Canada

Applying for scholarships and bursary awards can be intimidating. There are so many options to wade through before you find one you're qualified for, and once you've found one, there's usually a lengthy application process that follows. If you're an aboriginal student, the list of awards available is even longer. The good news is these factors work to your advantage if you put in some effort. To take some pressure off, we've already done some of the boring work for you! We've combed through the haystack and compiled five awesome national scholarships offered to aboriginal students across Canada. The amount of time it takes to apply is definitely worth the money you could receive. After all, it never hurts to have an extra few thousand bucks kicking around. 1.  First Nation, Inuit and Métis Post Secondary Education Bursary Award Amount:  It varies for each applicant, but last year's recipients won between $600 to $1,200. Application Process:  Mail ...

As inclusion and diversity become important elements in the Canadian workforce, several employers are paving the way in connecting with groups across the country to ensure our workplaces maintain the Canadian standard of human rights. In the early 1990s, the  Bank of Montreal  established the Task Force on the Advancement of Aboriginal Employment, making one of the first corporate public commitments to partner with the Aboriginal Human Resource Council (AHRC). To advance their connection with the community, BMO has focused on a number of initiatives, from aboriginal branches and community banking outlets to internships, awareness campaigns, and scholarships. This year, BMO and the AHRC will be hosting a number of innovative events to continue their efforts with the aboriginal community. On January 31, the AHRC is hosting a virtual recruitment fair with live representatives from a number of top employers across the country, including BMO. "We've had a long-lasting ...

Aspiring entrepreneurs take note: aboriginally owned businesses are thriving all across the country, and now is the perfect opportunity to take advantage. Not convinced? We compiled a list of five up-and-coming and already successful startups by young aboriginal entrepreneurs. Kasp Sawan: KASP Entertainment A decent night's sleep was at one point a rarity for 33-year-old Kasp Sawan, who spent much of his adolescence toughing it out on the streets of East Vancouver. Once an abuser of drugs and alcohol, he has since broken away from his tumultuous past and embraced his status as a Cree man and natural performer. Kasp spent much of his 20s piecing together a successful music career, recording alongside prolific artists like Run-DMC and Moka Only. Winner of best hip hop album at the 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Awards, his desire to inspire has now evolved into an organization called KASP Entertainment, an acronym for ÔÇÿKeeping Alive Stories for the People.' He des...

Canadian aboriginal business owners and entrepreneurs are progressing and profiting like never before. Although aboriginal issues have been made quite prominent by Canadian and international media as of late, more businesses across the country are expressing interest in working with aboriginal leaders and communities. The exponential growth of aboriginal businesses (at about five times the rate of self-employed Canadians overall) is proving to be beneficial for those ambitious businesspeople looking to partner, collaborate, and succeed with other organizations. In light of this, many non-aboriginal businesses are creating corporate social responsibility and sustainability plans, which aim to brighten the future and increase the success of aboriginal businesses. Since the 1990s, the number of modern aboriginal businesses in Canada has grown significantly. A mere 25 years ago, there were about 6,000 aboriginal organizations in the country; a 2006 census revealed that there are now o...

When Kelly Campagnola was growing up in South Porcupine, a small Northern Ontario mining town east of Timmins, she would often walk past the local  TD  branch. Fast forward a couple decades and now Campagnola spends her days in the steel and glass tower of TD Centre, in the heart of Toronto's financial district. Campagnola, who is of Métis heritage, is an articling student in TD's Legal Department following receipt of her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ottawa earlier this year. She will be called to the Bar in June 2015. She says landing at TD was a natural fit. "While doing research online for a completely unrelated school project, I came across a TD Economics article debunking the myths surrounding Canada's aboriginal population that put some common misconceptions to rest," says Campagnola, who earned an Honours BA in environmental studies from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2011. "I was really impressed by that. As for the job itself, t...

What started out as a stable teaching job for Marlene Finn later turned into a full-time consulting career when she noticed the need for a communications expert in the aboriginal community. As much as I felt there was a need for someone like me to support the community, I also felt like I wanted to be a part of the community, she says. I didn't feel that way when I was working as a teacher. Personally, that was the motivator to start her company at Marlene Finn Wolfman Consulting, but Finn also adds that she was encouraged by the radical change in aboriginal demographics. We have this booming youth population that is really changing the face of the aboriginal community. We've got so many First Nations moving to the big cities in search of work and education. Finn explains that through the work she's done with her aboriginal clients, she found they were overwhelmed by the pressures to meet the needs of their markets in the big city, despite the tremendous potential. W...

From the bustling city streets of Toronto and Montreal to the wintery slopes in Whistler, BC, and the picture perfect view of the Atlantic shores, the tourism industry is undoubtedly a huge economic driver in Canada. But there's more to offer than just sightseeing and ski hills, some of which is present within the communities of Canada's first inhabitants. Aboriginal tourism in Western Canada continues to grow as more visitors from around the globe are finding fun in the rich culture and history of Canada's aboriginal communities. BC has set a goal of doubling their tourism revenues by 2015—an effort that very much includes aboriginal businesses and its 200-plus communities across the province. The scope of tourism Aboriginal tourism is very diverse in BC. It could be cultural centres, restaurants, outdoor venture experiences, hotels, accommodations, says Keith Henry, chief executive officer of the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC, listing the wide range of abori...

It's in almost every modern-day company mandate and noted at the bottom of many job listings. The dedication to diversity has been a continuing practice by Canadian businesses, with some are pushing to take it one step further. In a report conducted by Deloitte called Widening the Circle, it outlines 10 best practices to increase aboriginal opportunities in the workplace, in addition to topics like reviewing hiring practices, preventing isolation, and supporting aboriginal businesses. With the help of corporate associates from some of the largest companies in Canada, Deloitte listed those 10 as: partner, provide, question, review, conduct, hire, promote, assess, develop, and communicate. Widening the circle Today, major Canadian companies have collectively covered those 10 areas, tailoring them to their unique strategies. At TD, the company is committed to being an aboriginal employer of choice in Canada. They accomplish this by working alongside post-secondary institution...

Believe it or not, Canada's aboriginal community is in tune with business. Whether they decide to keep it local and within their bands or expand to partnerships with companies outside their communities, aboriginals are making an impact on the Canadian business landscape. To foster the growth of these future entrepreneurs, partners, and businesspeople, post-secondary schools have taken note of the importance of aboriginal business opportunities in education. What's to be learned? Tailored for all students'aboriginal or non-aboriginal'who are interested in learning about the unique operations of business, the  University of Manitoba  introduced a brand new concentration, aboriginal business and economy, to their MBA program at the Asper School of Business. Exploring topics like aboriginal economic perspective, aboriginal healing ways, and environment, economy and aboriginal peoples are just some of what's covered in the program's concentration. It's abs...

Have you ever dreamed of giving back to your community by building better hospitals, roads, and bridges, producing better water treatment solutions, or rehabilitating poisoned rivers and lakes? Indigenous communities are experiencing plenty of growth, but don't have enough local engineers to foster the expansion. Do you identify yourself as a member of an indigenous community and have a love for math and sciences? Consider exploring your potential with a rewarding career in engineering. Understand your community Across the country, indigenous communities are expanding rapidly. By facilitating this expansion, it means these communities will be looking for bright engineers to help them do just that. According to Dr. Duncan Cree, a Mohawk from the Kanehsatà:ke community near Oka, Quebec, Engineers help build better communities. Dr. Cree has a bachelor of arts, master of arts, and a doctorate in mechanical engineering. On the surface, it seems like a lot of work to get to where h...