Business Council of Manitoba

The Business Council’s Aboriginal post-secondary award program is now in its ninth year. Since the program was launched in 2001, in partnership with the governments of Canada and Manitoba, we have given out 975 awards to date totaling over $2,490,000. We are gratified with the success of this initiative; motivated by our genuine belief that educational opportunity and an introduction to the work force will help our Aboriginal youth take full advantage of their potential.

We are impressed by the quality of applicants, whose academic interests span the entire range of what our post secondary institutions offer. We have given awards to medical students, those studying law, prospective teachers, social workers, nurses, auto mechanics, carpenters, accountants, entrepreneurs and the list goes on. Every public post-secondary institution in this province – University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, College Universitaire de Saint Boniface, Red River College, Assiniboine Community College, University College of the North and Winnipeg Technical College– has been fully supportive of this program and has been integral to its continued success.

The cooperation that has characterized this initiative, including governments, business leaders, the Winnipeg Foundation, college administrators, the Manitoba Metis Federation and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is a model of community collaboration, bound together by a belief in the talent, energy and potential of our Aboriginal young people. The Business Council of Manitoba is proud of what this program has done and pledges to build on its success so that more and more Aboriginal young people can take full advantage of what Manitoba’s fine post secondary sector can offer them. The BCM would like to thank members of the steering committee who have worked so effectively to make this program the success it has been.