think that’s the personality of First Nations
people; they don’t boast and brag… but
that’s why I’m here. I will happily do that,”
Cole said. “Modesty is great, but it’ll only
get you so far. Sometimes you have to
stand on the rooftop and shout.”
ABORIGINAL TO THE CORE
“There are very few companies that are
truly 100 percent First Nations owned,”
Cole said. Many are joint venture partner-
ships with larger international companies,
but that is not the case with ACLP, and its
First Nations roots extend from the work-
force to the management staff.
The company began in March 1993 as a
joint venture between Fond Du Lac First
Nations and Saskatoon Catering Compa-
ny. In 2003, Kitsaki Management bought
over the latter, making ACLP a 100 percent
First Nations-owned company. In fact, it is
owned by five First Nation partners: Fond
du Lac, Black Lake, English River, Hatchet
Lake and Lac La Ronge Indian Band, and
this ownership is immensely helping Ab-
original people. About 76 percent of the
company’s workforce consists of First Na-
tions people; the rest come mostly from
the larger community of Saskatchewan,
and millions of dollars are spent every year
on wages. Most potential employees live
in the remote areas where the mines are
located. “The people are basically going
“Taking the company outward and expanding it outside of Saskatchewan is my
biggest strategy for this year.”
Quarter Page • 3.56”x4.64”
PrairieMeats1-4Ad_Layout 1 2016-08-09 2:30 PM Page 1
SEPTEMBER 2016
H
business elite canada
7
