Case Study 2 Outreach Efforts Currently, Indigenous individuals make up about 20 percent of Manitoba Hydro's workforce. In northern Manitoba, where there is a greater concentra- tion of Indigenous Peoples, 48 percent of the corporation's workforce is Indigenous. The creative ways in which the company works to achieve diversity and inclusion include the following a zero-tolerance policy of workplace harassment and discrimination; an outreach and partnership program with Indigenous organizations to provide information about employment and training opportunities; Chanter partnerships with postsecondary institutions to provide educational programs and career informa tion and to brand Manitoba Hydro as an employer of choice; ⚫ a review of training programs to ensure that there are no systemic barriers, and ⚫ systematic recruitment efforts to introduce Indigenous individuals by means of internships, co-op placements, summer employment, and part- time work. The most successful program is the preemployment training designed to facilitate the entry of Indigenous individuals into Manitoba Hydro's training programs, which are more like apprenticeship programs. The preemployment training provides academic upgrading. a rotation through three trades to familiarize candidates with these jobs, and workshops to deal with the con- cerns and issues about being away from home. Another innovative program is the utility's "Building the Circle Diversity, and Inclusion: The Legal Environment 127 Camp," which introduces girls in northern Manitoba to opportunities in engineering, technology, and trades. Nonetheless, Manitoba Hydro's diversity and inclusion efforts have not come without setbacks. For example, recently a complaint filed by A Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation member, Ken Linklater, who had worked for Manitoba Hydro for eight years, alleges that his super visor made racist remarks on multiple occasions. A year prior, a complaint had been made, and the company stated that they had conducted an investigation and presented recommendations at a meeting. However, Linklater resigned, and thus far, the supervisor is still employed at Manitoba Hydro. Further, Indigenous com- munities have protested at the front of Manitoba Hydro's office in Winnipeg to complain about the impacts of the hydroelectric dams on their communities. Thus, there are strides to take to ensure Manitoba Hydro fully fosters a diverse and inclusive environment. SaskTel is a Crown corporation providing cel- lular, phone, Internet, and multimedia services to 13 cities and more than 500 remote commun- ities in Saskatchewan, many of them inhabited by First Nations and Métis people. SaskTel cares about the Indigenous population as both customers and employees (9.3 percent of SaskTel's workforce is Indigenous). The company's Indigenous recruitment strategy is to increase their Indigenous workforce through partnering with community organizations and post secondary institutions, career fairs, and net- working events. The company's call centre can offer service in three different First Nations languages. The Thunder Bay Police are increasing outreach efforts to improve the hiring of Indigenous individuals, whose representation is currently slightly under the city's census. About 8 percent of the officers are Indigenous compared to 13 percent of Thunder Bay's residents However, the police service is also targeting Indigenous individuals in surrounding communities. Staff Sergeant Gordon Snyder and Amanda Wilson, the human resources specialist, have travelled over 3,600 kilometres to intro- duce and advertise the police force to high schools, post- secondary institutions, and First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Due to their outreach efforts, they have discovered the barriers that prevent Indigenous individuals from applying to join the police force. In Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation), the online applica- tion process was less feasible due to the community's limited Internet access. Therefore, a liaison was offered for anyone who wished to apply. In another example, the online process removed barriers as previously, pre- application testing was done in person only one or two times a year. Some students were therefore unable to apply previously. The outreach services have also been informational for the community and have raised aware- ness of the Thunder Bay police. Some Indigenous indi- viduals may not have been aware of municipal police as their communities have only come into contact with RCMP or Ontario Provincial Police. Questions 1. What are the reasons cited by the companies for wanting to hire Indigenous individuals? 2. Of the initiatives described in the case, which do you think will be most successful to achieve these objectives? Why?