Big Business says Aboriginal communities should...

Big Business says Aboriginal communities should be at the negotiating table and treated as equal partners when it comes to tapping the country’s natural-resource wealth, and business is hoping the federal and provincial governments can make that happen. A report from the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, release July 16 and prepared for provincial premiers, says governments should make Aboriginal communities full partners in developing energy and mining projects. Governments should help grow an Aboriginal workforce through training and support Aboriginal communities to participate in business initiatives and negotiations to share the wealth. Billions of dollars in natural resource investment is at stake, said John Manley, the council’s chief executive.