No one builds a digital pathway alone. Welcome to the section of our blog where we share announcements, collaborations, and updates from the partners who make MGPN's work possible — and the resources to help more partners join us.
Maverick Gardner Pathways North is, by name and by design, a network. Every cohort we train, every participant who lands a job, and every digital career launched through our work is the result of a partnership — between Indigenous communities, employers, training providers, government funders, technology partners, and individual champions who decide that economic reconciliation in Canada's digital economy is work worth doing.
Partner News is the section of this blog where we celebrate that network out loud.
What you'll find here
This category will publish three kinds of posts on a regular cadence:
• Announcements — when a new partner joins MGPN, a major commitment is made, or a key program launches. We will name names (with permission), explain what the partnership means in practical terms, and credit the people who made it happen.
• Collaboration spotlights — deeper looks at specific partnerships in action. These posts show how MGPN, an employer partner, and a community partner work together on a particular cohort, project, or initiative.
• Updates from the network — news, reports, milestones, and stories from our partners that the broader MGPN community should know about. If a partner is hiring Indigenous talent, releasing a relevant report, hosting an event, or doing notable work in this space, this is where we share it.
This is not a marketing channel for sponsored content. Every post in this category will reflect real partnerships, real outcomes, and real updates worth your time.
Why partnership matters here
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action 7 and 92 do not place the responsibility for closing economic gaps on any one actor. Call to Action 7 directs governments to develop, with Indigenous groups, a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps. Call to Action 92 directs the corporate sector to commit to meaningful consultation, equitable access to jobs, training, and education, and long-term sustainable benefits.
Partnership is how those calls actually get answered. Government cannot do this alone. Employers cannot do this alone. Training providers cannot do this alone. Indigenous communities have always known that lasting work is collective work — and that is the model MGPN is built on.
When you see a Partner News post, you are seeing a piece of that collective answer in motion.
Resources for partners and prospective partners
We will keep this section updated as we add new partners and as the resource landscape evolves. If a link is broken or a program has changed, please let us know.
For employers exploring how to partner with MGPN or build Indigenous hiring pathways:
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada — Calls to Action — the foundational document, with Calls 7 and 92 most directly relevant to employers in this space
• Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business — Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) — the leading certification program for companies committed to Indigenous relations
• Indigenous Procurement Strategy — Government of Canada — overview of the federal target to procure at least 5% of contracts from Indigenous businesses
• Indigenous Works — national non-profit focused on Indigenous workforce inclusion; offers employer assessments and resources
For community partners and Indigenous organizations:
• Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program (ISET-P) — Canada.ca — the core federal funding program supporting Indigenous-led training and employment work
• Indigenous Services Canada — Programs and services — broader funding and program landscape
• First Nations Technology Council — Indigenous-led non-profit advancing digital skills training and policy across BC
For learners, researchers, and anyone wanting to understand the digital economy landscape:
• Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) — Canada's national centre for digital economy research
• DIGITAL Supercluster — funder of major Indigenous digital workforce initiatives
• Indspire — Indigenous-led charity providing scholarships, programs, and reports on Indigenous education
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) — research, archives, and education resources on residential schools and reconciliation
Manitoba-specific resources:
• Manitoba Métis Federation — Métis Nation of Manitoba; partner for Métis-specific initiatives
• Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs — political voice of First Nations in Manitoba
• Province of Manitoba — Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations — provincial portal for Indigenous and northern relations
Become a partner
If you are an employer, training provider, community organization, or funder interested in partnering with MGPN, the conversation starts with a conversation. Reach out to us at [email protected] and let us know what you are working on. We will set up a call, walk you through how partnerships work in practice, and figure out together what a meaningful collaboration looks like.
The best partnerships we have are the ones where everyone shows up honest about what they need and what they can offer. If that sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.
A first set of partner spotlights is on the way. Until then — thank you to every partner already in the network, and welcome to anyone reading this who is thinking about joining it.