Monday, July 9, 2018
The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) hosted Indigenous Day Live simultaneously in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Ottawa via a live 5-hour TV broadcast, which has showcased talent from all genres, regions and nations, ensuring the recognition and inclusion of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
The event was an important new initiative for FPAC and Canada’s forest products sector which has a decades-long partnership with Indigenous communities. Every year, FPAC is proud to recognize Indigenous excellence in forestry through the presentation of the Skills Awards for Aboriginal Youth in collaboration with the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, and an Aboriginal Business Leadership Award in partnership with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
“FPAC has forged a strong ‘working’ relationship in the truest sense of the word,” says Association CEO Derek Nighbor. “The forest products industry is currently the nation’s largest employer of Indigenous peoples. A looming skills shortage in our sector presents a challenge but also an occasion to create more opportunities that support Indigenous families and communities, while ensuring the future of the sector remains bright,” added Nighbor.
The forest products industry currently employs approximately 12,500 Indigenous peoples and supports more than 1,400 Indigenous businesses across the country. An estimated 70 per cent of Indigenous communities are located in Canada’s forested areas.
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $69-billion-a-year forest products industry represents 2% of Canada’s GDP and is one of Canada’s largest employers operating in hundreds of communities and providing 230,000 direct jobs across the country.
