Agenda

To launch the 9th Annual FNMPC Conference The Next Seven Generations, Our Shared Future, Enbridge will host the opening reception on Wednesday night, April 29th. This event will bring together First Nations, industry, and government delegates from across Canada and around the world.

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Her Majesty Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, the Māori Queen, Aotearoa New Zealand

Te Arikinui, the Māori Queen, is the eighth sovereign of the Kiingitanga, the Māori King Movement, and a prominent voice for Māori rights, culture, and self‑determination in Aotearoa New Zealand. Continuing a dynastic line that has defended mana motuhake (self-determination) and Māori lands and identity since 1858, she urges Māori to “walk a new path” toward economic independence and resist forces that undermine Māori initiatives. In her address, she will discuss intergenerational leadership, Crown–Indigenous relations, and Indigenous nation‑building in a shifting political landscape, offering lessons for Indigenous nations navigating their own futures.

His Majesty Kgosi (King) Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi, King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, South Africa

His Majesty Kgosi Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi, King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, will give a keynote on how to build lasting Indigenous wealth. The Royal Bafokeng, a Setswana-speaking Indigenous nation in South Africa, used pooled member earnings in the 19th century to buy back ancestral land and to secure title when most Black South Africans were barred from owning property. Later, platinum was found under that land; the Royal Bafokeng Nation asserted mineral rights, struck royalty and equity deals with miners, and created a R49b (C$4b) community-owned investment vehicle that now funds education, health, housing, and infrastructure — an example of turning land, law and resources into durable, intergenerational prosperity.

Stuart Chambers, Chair, Anglo American

Moderator: Mark Podlasly (Nlaka’pamux), CEO, FNMPC

Stuart is Chair of Anglo American, one of the world’s leading mining companies, offering a boardroom-level perspective on resource governance and strategic decision-making. His leadership spans multiple commodities and jurisdictions, placing him at the forefront of discussions on capital allocation, corporate accountability, and resource development. As Anglo American prepares to merge with Teck and expand its presence in Canada, Stuart’s insights are especially relevant amid sector-wide transformation. His session will address the realities facing major projects today—complexity, scrutiny, and rising stakeholder expectations—providing essential perspective for those shaping the future of resource development.

Rohitesh “Ro” Dhawan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)

Moderator: TBD

For many First Nations, “good mining” is about who decides what happens on our lands, how harm is managed, and whether projects leave lasting benefits. Rohitesh “Ro” Dhawan, President and CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals, leads a London-based coalition of 35 industry associations pushing the industry to centre Indigenous rights and participation.

This session gives the opportunity for First Nations participants to hear how ICMM’s new commitments on engagement, rights, benefit-sharing, and cultural heritage may play out—and gauge how far those commitments align with First Nations’ own expectations for future mining projects.

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Canada’s critical‑minerals industry is already a major economic force, with even faster growth ahead. This panel presents the First Nations Major Projects Coalition’s (FNMPC) new report and sets out practical ways for First Nations to plug into the value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing, recycling, and owning infrastructure.

With roughly 55,000 critical‑minerals jobs, 430,000 mining jobs overall, C$117b in GDP and Indigenous workers now 11% of the upstream workforce as demand surges, the session offers First Nations a concise look at how to shift from participation to decision-making and ownership

Tickets sold separately.

Sponsored by First Nations Bank of Canada.

Room: Osgoode West

Geoff Gay, CEO, Athabasca Basin Development

Matt Smith, Vice President Government & Stakeholder Relations, Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership (KMLP)

Bill Lomax (Gitxsan Nation), President & CEO, First Nations Bank of Canada (FNBC)

Moderator: TBD

Join a small group over lunch for a tightly focused session on building effective partnerships in Indigenous, community, and equity-participation settings. Practitioners, community representatives, and industry leaders will test what works, dissect what fails, and probe new ideas. Numbers are capped to keep discussion genuinely interactive, with lunch provided and early registration recommended. In 45 minutes, you will join a concentrated conversation shaped around the issues that matter most to you.

Across Canada, a growing number of First Nations–owned enterprises now hold more than $100 million in income-producing, non-trust assets, creating a new class of “Indigenous Unicorns” built under First Nations’ leadership rather than on Bay Street. Drawing on experience from capital markets, First Nations–owned corporations, and institutional investing, panelists will discuss how this growth has occurred, how ownership and governance can be structured to ensure Nations retain control and benefits, and how larger balance sheets—through acquisitions, infrastructure investment, and diversified portfolios—are reshaping First Nations’ roles in major projects and the broader Canadian economy.

Tickets sold separately.

Sponsored by Energy for a Secure Future and Canadian Gas Association

Room – Osgoode East.

Opening Remarks: H.E. Harry Tseng, Ambassador of Taiwan to Canada

Ian Arcand, CEO Alexander Economic Development

Paul Cheliak, VP Delivery, Canadian Gas Association

Crystal Smith (Haisla), ESF Fellow and Advisory Council Member, Federal Major Projects Office

Moderator: Shannon Joseph, Chair, Energy for a Secure Future

Join a small group over lunch for a tightly focused session on building effective partnerships in Indigenous, community, and equity-participation settings. Practitioners, community representatives, and industry leaders will test what works, dissect what fails, and probe new ideas. Numbers are capped to keep discussion genuinely interactive, with lunch provided and early registration recommended. In 45 minutes, you will join a concentrated conversation shaped around the issues that matter most to you.

Canada’s energy edge has long relied on abundant resources, dependable systems, and strong export capacity. That view is expanding. As economies become more data-driven, energy and data security are converging, reshaping how governments approach infrastructure and resilience. Canada’s cool climate and reliable power suit secure data hosting alongside vital natural-gas exports. For Indigenous nations, this creates openings as partners and hosts of critical assets. Realizing the promise will require clear policy, credible partnerships, and sustained investment. This panel weighs the risks and rewards of meeting rising global demand.

Chief David Jimmie (Sto:lo Nation), President, Sto:lo Nation

Emily Black, Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Power, Enbridge

Kristan Straub (Henvey Inlet First Nation), President + CEO, Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation

Moderator: Trevor Gardner, Head, Global Investment Banking Coverage

This session examines Stonlasec8 Indigenous Alliance LP as a milestone in Indigenous ownership of critical energy infrastructure—and the first deal backed by the Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation (CILGC). 38 First Nations in British Columbia acquired a 12.5% stake in Enbridge’s Westcoast gas pipeline for roughly C$725m, supported by a C$400m federal guarantee.

Panelists from the First Nations, Enbridge, and CILGC will explain how the deal was structured, how financing was secured, and, critically, how dozens of First Nations came together around a shared governance and benefits model.

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Canada’s electricity grid must double or triple in capacity over the next two decades. Every major electricity transmission corridor runs through Indigenous traditional territory — making the question of who builds and owns that infrastructure inseparable from the broader work of reconciliation.

This session introduces FNMPC’s paper providing First Nations with an overview of Canada’s transmission networks and the ownership models currently being pursued across Turtle Island. Indigenous Nations are already playing a central role in transmission development. The paper examines those projects, outlines the relevance of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent to transmission planning, and offers an accessible introduction to the economic opportunities available to Nations through Indigenous-led, -owned, and -partnered electricity infrastructure.

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Derrick Pattenden (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation – Tyendinaga), CFA, CEO, Nations Royalty

Josh Kierce, CFO, Selkirk Mining

Moderator: Christa Dewar, TSX

Keynote Remarks: John McKenzie, CEO, TMX Group

For First Nations wanting to know more about the process of taking a company public on the stock market, this session offers a step‑by‑step primer toward doing so in plain language.

Speakers from TMX Group and Nations Royalty, Canada’s first majority indigenous-owned public company, will launch a practical guide on how public markets work, the differences between private and public companies, how shares and equity function, and how both the TSX and TSX Venture Exchange can link Indigenous‑owned firms with investors. Speakers will also cover why some companies “go public”, what structures must be in place in order to do so, what changes for a company once they go public, and share existing examples of Indigenous ownership in public markets.

John McKenzie, CEO, TMX Group

Introduction: TBD

Ernie Daniels (Salt River First Nation), President and CEO, First Nations Finance Authority

Gordon Keesic (Lac Seul First Nation), Portfolio Manager, VP and National Head, Indigenous Investment Services, RBC Global Asset Management

Doug MacDonald, CFA, Managing Director & Global Head of Distribution, CIBC Asset Management

Sue McNamara, CFA, SVP Fixed Income, Head of Responsible Investing, Beutel Goodman

Moderator: Clint Davis (Nunatsiavut Inuit) CEO, Cedar Leaf Capital Inc

This session explores how existing Indigenous wealth can be turned into direct ownership of projects on your lands. It looks at how more than C$120b in capital from settlements, trusts, and other sources can be mobilized through Indigenous bonds to buy equity or build revenue‑generating infrastructure, with investors repaid from stable cash flows.

Drawing on examples such as First Nations Financial Authority +C$4b bond issues, First Nation equity in a B.C. gas pipeline, and the first Indigenous bond from a major Canadian bank, it shows how an emerging Indigenous bond market can keep more value in Indigenous hands.

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Moderator: Jon Davey (Haudenosaunee – Lower Cayuga of Six Nations of the Grand River), Managing Director, Indigenous + Government Advisory, Scotiabank

Indigenous‑led sovereign wealth funds—collective investment funds owned by a Nation and managed for the long term—can turn one‑off payments into steady financing for housing, water, education, health, and local businesses, so benefits outlast today’s agreements. Worldwide, such funds now manage on the order of US$13–15 trillion, showing what disciplined, long‑horizon investing can achieve.

This session outlines how Indigenous governments can channel resource revenues, settlements and project income into these funds to smooth revenue volatility, cut dependence on outside governments and firms, and build a permanent financial base.

Introduction: TBD

Robert Brant (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation – Tyendinaga), Co-Founder, Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit

Mark Magnacca, Co-Founder, Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit

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For First Nations pursuing large-scale projects, combining London’s global capital markets with strong Canadian financing tools creates more choice, sharper competition, and better terms, instead of relying on domestic sources alone.

The Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit in London, England is designed for Indigenous leaders ready to move from “interest in capital” to concrete transactions. Panelists will explain how Chiefs, councils, and Indigenous executives are beginning to engage directly with London based global investors, asset managers, and banks in one of the world’s leading financial centres.

The session will show how Indigenous-led projects in energy, mining, infrastructure, and clean tech can be framed, structured, and pitched to secure international partners and global capital.

Tickets sold separately.

Sponsored by Export Development Canada (EDC)

Room – Osgoode West.

Introduction: TBD

Sean Willy (Denesuline First Nation), President & CEO, Des Nedhe Group

Booker Cornea, Associate Vice President Market & Shareholder Engagement, First Nations Bank of Canada

Jennifer Cooke, Director Small Business, Customer Care & Inclusive Trade, Export Development Canada

Moderator: : Donna St Louis, National Lead, Indigenous Business | Inclusive Trade, Export Development Canada

Join a small group over lunch for a tightly focused session on building effective partnerships in Indigenous, community, and equity-participation settings. Practitioners, community representatives, and industry leaders will test what works, dissect what fails, and probe new ideas. Numbers are capped to keep discussion genuinely interactive, with lunch provided and early registration recommended. In 45 minutes, you will join a concentrated conversation shaped around the issues that matter most to you.

Indigenous participation is central to Canada’s future economic growth – whether in resource development, trade enabling infrastructure, or across the export supply chain. EDC’s Lunch & Learn will showcase the tools, financing solutions, and expertise we offer to support meaningful, long-term partnerships with the Indigenous business community that affect our shared economic and social future.

Tickets sold separately.

Sponsored by BHP.

Room – Osgoode East.

Opening Remarks: TBD

Kayli Avveduti (Alexander First Nation – Cree: Kipohtakaw), CEO, Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations

Jordan Montour (Mohawk – Kanienkeha:ka), Investment Advisor, Goldman Sachs (Boston)

Elsa Doxtdator-Jansson (Haudenosaunee), UBC Sauder School of Business

Moderator: TBD

Join a small group over lunch for a tightly focused session on building effective partnerships in Indigenous, community, and equity-participation settings. Practitioners, community representatives, and industry leaders will test what works, dissect what fails, and probe new ideas. Numbers are capped to keep discussion genuinely interactive, with lunch provided and early registration recommended. In 45 minutes, you will join a concentrated conversation shaped around the issues that matter most to you.

Indigenous young professionals are stepping into leadership across business, government, and civil society, grounded in both global experience and Indigenous traditions. Their perspectives- shaped by nationhood, stewardship, and lived experience- are influencing how institutions think and operate. This session explores how this rising cohort is reshaping industries, advancing institutional change, and applying Indigenous worldviews to decisions that affect our shared economic and social future.

Angel Ransom (Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation) Stewardship Technical Lead, Firelight

Moderator: TBD

As energy, critical minerals, and infrastructure projects are proposed on First Nations territories, Nations are demanding that major projects reflect who they are — not what others want to build. Too often, culture and community law are treated as obstacles to be managed rather than foundations to be respected.

This info session introduces the FNMPC Spirit of the Land Cultural Rights & Interests Toolkit: a practical framework for embedding free, prior, and informed consent into project design, building genuine partnerships with industry and government, embedding free, prior and informed consent, and building non-tokenistic partnerships—with youth involved as knowledge holders and future stewards.

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Craig West, CEO, Tainui Group Holdings (Aotearoa New Zealand)

TBD, Arctic Gateway Group

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Indigenous nations are no longer petitioners in infrastructure — they are owners, operators, and architects of world-class trade gateways. This session examines Waikato-Tainui’s Ruakura Superhub, a NZ$1 billion inland port in New Zealand; and Arctic Gateway Group’s Port of Churchill, Canada’s only Arctic deep-water seaport.

Executives from both projects will address what matters most to investors, Indigenous leaders, and policymakers: structuring Indigenous ownership in complex deals, attracting institutional capital, and making the business case when your community is both shareholder and neighbour.

The lesson is unambiguous: Indigenous-owned infrastructure, built on strong governance and long-term vision, is a national asset and a compelling investment.

Introduction: TBD

Luke Schauerte, CEO, Woodfibre LNG

Sxwíxwtn, Wilson Baker (Squamish), Council Chairperson, Squamish Nation

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When First Nations act as our own regulators, everyone gains—and projects tend to move faster with fewer surprises. Nations secure real decision‑making power and better protection of their lands and rights; companies and investors get clearer approval paths with fewer conflicts and court fights; governments advance UNDRIP and reconciliation; the public sees stronger environmental outcomes and more legitimate decisions.

This panel explores Indigenous‑led, consent‑based assessment processes, and how this approach centres Indigenous law and knowledge, drives innovations such as electrification and lower‑carbon design, and streamlines the path from proposal to construction.

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Canada’s Arctic is fast becoming a front line of great‑power rivalry as thinning ice, new sea routes, and critical minerals draw foreign military interest—often on Indigenous lands and waters.

This keynote, aimed at Indigenous leaders and northern partners, outlines how Russian and Chinese activity is reshaping security and how Canada is responding, with defence spending heading toward roughly 5% of GDP (C$160b/yr.) and tens of C$ billions earmarked for NORAD, Arctic surveillance, patrol ships, radar, and northern bases—and asks what this militarization could mean for Indigenous peoples.

Introduction: Brittanee Laverdure (Liard First Nation), Director, Truth and Reconciliation Office, RBC Origins

Thomas Benjoe (Muscowpetung First Nation), CEO, Flowing River Capital

Cadmus Delorme (Cowessess First Nation), Co-founder, Flowing River Capital

Moderator: Chinyere Eni (Little Pine First Nation), Head, RBC Origins

Flowing River Capital, a Saskatchewan-based Indigenous-owned investment firm, was founded in 2024 with a straightforward proposition: that Indigenous communities should own assets, not merely participate in them. In January 2026, backed by financing from RBC, it acquired Marshall Land Systems — a 600-employee defence manufacturer turning over CAD $100 million a year — making it one of the most significant Indigenous-owned industrial acquisitions in Canadian history.

Marshall Land Systems supplies deployable military command centres, logistics platforms, and medical units to NATO militaries including Canada, Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States. It now holds a CAD $350 million, 10-year contract with the Canadian Armed Forces.

In this session, Flowing River Capital and RBC will set out the mechanics of the deal and what it suggests about the broader potential for Indigenous communities to build long-term economic capacity — moving well beyond the transactional arrangements that have historically characterised Indigenous participation in Canadian business.

Introduction: TBD

Heather Bishop (Cold Lake First Nation), Cold Lake First Nations, Economic Development Director

Mark Brown (Pasqua First Nation), President, Pro Metal Industries Ltd.

Michael Peters (Glooscap First Nation), CEO Glooscap Ventures

Moderator: Sean Willy (Denesuline First Nation), CEO, Des Nedhe Group

Billions of dollars in new money will be invested in Canadian defence; the issue is whether the money simply changes hands, or better, entrenches First Nations jobs, firms, and institutions.

Aimed at First Nations that want procurement to serve their membership and businesses rather than distant contractors, this panel examines how the military procurement system really works: setting requirements, issuing tenders, scoring bids, and managing contracts. It will show how rights recognition, the duty to consult, and benefit‑sharing can both secure preferred‑partner status and map concrete steps—pre‑qualification, joint ventures, set‑aside schemes—to turn defence budgets into durable local capacity and economic development.