7. MYTH: Indigenous peoples cannot interface with, or adapt to, life in the mainstream.
The Facts: Indigenous peoples have extensive and effective relationships with the rest of Canadian society.
- Indigenous peoples attend, and graduate from, a wide range of colleges and universities.
- There are over 40,000 businesses owned and operated by Indigenous people in Canada. There are 706 in Manitoba.
- “Indigenous businesses are estimated to have spent $6 billion in 2016. This spending contributed $1.1 billion to Manitoba’s GDP” (p.31)
- Indigenous businesses form joint ventures (and other business arrangements) with non-Indigenous businesses.
- The Indigenous economy is the second largest component of the major industries in Manitoba
◦ Agriculture = 5.3%
◦ Indigenous =3.9%
◦ Manufacturing =2.7%
◦ Accommodations and food industry = 2.7%
◦ Mining, oil and gas = 2.0% - The Indigenous component contributes $9.3 billion to the Manitoba economy annually
- Of all self-employed Indigenous people in Canada, women make up 37%, and even 51% of Indigenous small– and medium-sized enterprises are owned in whole or in part by Indigenous women.