Feds Overstate Indigenous Contract Benefits

0:00It's March 26. From your city to your ears, this is Canada News Today, powered by AI. Federal agencies face a mandate to direct at least 5% of their total contract value to indigenous owned and led businesses. A recent probe by the Procurement Onbud reveals that departmental reports have overstated the real benefits reaching those firms. The Onbud's office dug into the data, but couldn't pinpoint exactly how much federal money actually flow to indigenous businesses or how much missed. The mark. This shortfall stems from weak tracking systems, leaving officials unable to confirm if contract to work was truly performed by indigenous companies as. Required, background on the policy shows it's meant to boost indigenous economies through fair procurement. Yet the lack of verification undermines trust in the progress reports. Questions linger as the government reviews these practices, pushing for stronger oversight to ensure dollars deliver on promises to indigenous. Communities