No, a ‘picture of a bunny’ is not proof of Indigeneity: federal government
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) has apologized to the Algonquin Anishinabeg Tribal Council after an official told the group that they could upload “any” document, including a snap of a rabbit, to qualify as an Indigenous supplier.
The federal government has clarified that submitting a "picture of a bunny" does not qualify as valid documentation for accessing a multi-billion-dollar procurement program intended for Indigenous businesses.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) issued an apology to the Algonquin Anishinabeg Tribal Council after one of its officials suggested that the group could upload "any" document, including a photo of a rabbit, to register as an Indigenous supplier.
"Indigenous Services Canada does not consider a picture of a bunny to be sufficient documentation to prove Indigeneity," ISC spokesperson Anispiragas Piragasanathar clarified in an email to Global News.
An April 2024 email exchange, reviewed by Global News, raised concerns about ISC’s claim that it had strengthened eligibility requirements for the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). The PSIB is a $1.6-billion annual program designed to allocate a portion of federal contracts to Indigenous-owned and operated businesses.
“Businesses registering for the Indigenous Business Directory (IBD) must provide proof that they are 51 percent owned and controlled by Indigenous People. Exceptions include Tribal Councils and Bands, which ISC verifies using a pre-approved database from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada," the department stated.
ISC also emphasized that it is reinforcing professional standards for all employees working on the IBD to prevent similar incidents in the future. The department “apologized promptly” to the Algonquin Tribal Council after the issue was brought to their attention in June 2024.
A months-long investigation by Global News, in collaboration with researchers from the First Nations University of Canada, revealed significant loopholes that non-Indigenous companies exploit to access federal contracts meant for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses.
The PSIB was launched in 1996 to ensure that a portion of federal contracts went to businesses that are at least 51 percent Indigenous-owned and operated. The current Liberal government made the program mandatory, setting aside at least five percent of federal contracts for First Nations, Inuit, or Métis companies.
However, the investigation uncovered longstanding issues with verifying Indigenous ownership, with internal government reviews identifying problems as far back as 1999. The report also exposed “rent a feather” schemes, where non-Indigenous companies hire an Indigenous person to front their bids for government contracts in exchange for a small percentage of the contract’s value.
Following the revelation of the bunny email incident, the Algonquin Anishinabeg Tribal Council, along with the Assembly of First Nations and the Assembly of First Nations Québec-Labrador, wrote to Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office, requesting an official investigation into the IBD.
“Non-Indigenous scammers are defrauding, in the sense of the Criminal Code, the Government of Canada of money using rabbits or other fabricated proof of Indigeneity. This fraud harms not only Indigenous people but all taxpayers,” the letter, obtained by Global News, stated.
Hogan's office confirmed last week that they are considering conducting an audit.
In a statement, ISC revealed that since December 2023, it had completed 19 audits of companies listed on the IBD to verify their Indigenous ownership and control. As of Tuesday, there were 2,959 companies listed in the directory.
