Tracy Robinson, President and CEO of CN leads one of the most critical elements of transportation infrastructure. With over 30 years of leadership experience in the transportation and energy sectors, Tracy has unique experience navigating products to a global market and understanding the important role of Indigenous values and partnerships. Tracy leads CN’s commitment to building stronger partnerships with Indigenous nations, a commitment recently highlighted in their Reconciliation Action Plan.
This April in Toronto, Ms. Robinson will join fellow industry leaders at the 8th Annual FNMPC Conference: Valuing Reconciliation in Global Markets.
In anticipation of the upcoming conference, Ms. Robinson shares a few insights on how old truths and new understandings can weave together to define a better way forward for Canada’s economic reconciliation progress.
Question: With your experience transversing multiple functional areas of cross-national transportation organizations, what impacts have you observed local Indigenous communities making on the industry and its customers?
Indigenous communities have become key partners in advancing more sustainable and inclusive transportation and infrastructure projects. Their insights on environmental stewardship, land management, and community engagement have positively influenced how projects are developed and operated. This collaboration also fosters innovation, builds mutually beneficial relationships, and enhances value for rightsholders and stakeholders alike.
Question: Considering the increased instability across global trade networks, how are supply chains turning to local communities for certainty?
Local communities, including Indigenous communities, provide critical stability by offering reliable, regionally grounded solutions. Their contributions, particularly in resource development and transportation corridors, help de-risk projects and strengthen supply chain resilience. Investing in these relationships allows companies to navigate global challenges with trusted local partners. Local communities, in particular Indigenous communities, also offer significant opportunities for companies like our own that offer well paying jobs in sometimes remote, hard-to-hire locations where our needs meet a largely untapped reservoir of resources and cultural expertise.
Question: What are you looking forward to most at the upcoming FNMPC Conference Valuing Reconciliation in Global Markets?
I am excited to engage in meaningful conversations about the intersection of reconciliation and global markets. Hearing firsthand from Indigenous leaders and stakeholders about their perspectives on sustainability, innovation, and economic inclusion will be invaluable. It’s an opportunity to learn, collaborate, and explore how we can better integrate reconciliation into our operations and strategies. I firmly believe reconciliation is the key to unlock value for Indigenous communities and market participants alike. Prosperity will come to those who recognize that and invest into building stronger relationship with these communities.
Join Tracy Robinson, and other leaders critical to the functioning of global markets by registering now at: fnmpc.ca/conference/register