{"id":4450,"date":"2026-02-10T21:16:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fnmpc.ca\/conference\/?page_id=4450"},"modified":"2026-04-10T00:30:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T00:30:26","slug":"agenda","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fnmpc.ca\/conference\/agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Wednesday, April 29, 2026<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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6:00pm Welcome Reception<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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To launch the 9th Annual FNMPC Conference The Next Seven Generations, Our Shared Future<\/em>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thursday, April 30, 2026<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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12:00pm Lunch and Learn Session: Indigenous Unicorns – First Nations Building $100+ Million Enterprises<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Tickets sold separately.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsored by First Nations Bank of Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: Osgoode West<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geoff Gay<\/strong>, CEO, Athabasca Basin Development<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt Smith<\/strong>, Vice President Government & Stakeholder Relations, Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership (KMLP)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Bill Lomax<\/strong> (Gitxsan Nation<\/em>), President & CEO, First Nations Bank of Canada (FNBC)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across Canada, a growing number of First Nations\u2013owned enterprises now hold more than $100 million in income-producing, non-trust assets, creating a new class of \u201cIndigenous Unicorns\u201d built under First Nations\u2019 leadership rather than on Bay Street. Drawing on experience from capital markets, First Nations\u2013owned 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\u2014through acquisitions, infrastructure investment, and diversified portfolios\u2014are reshaping First Nations\u2019 roles in major projects and the broader Canadian economy.
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12:00pm Lunch and Learn Session: On the Frontlines: Global Data and Energy Security<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Tickets sold separately.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsored by Energy for a Secure Future and Canadian Gas Association<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room – Osgoode East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening Remarks: Henry Liu,<\/strong> Embassy of Taiwan to Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susanna Zagar,<\/strong> President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crystal Smith<\/strong> (Haisla)<\/em>, ESF Fellow and Advisory Council Member, Federal Major Projects Office<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Shannon Joseph,<\/strong> Chair, Energy for a Secure Future<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.
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5:00pm Day 1 End<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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8:00am Day 1 Start<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Day 1 – Afternoon Theme – Energy<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Day 1 – Morning Theme – Mining<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Land Acknowledgement<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Session 1 – Address<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Her Majesty Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po<\/strong>, the M\u0101ori Queen, Aotearoa New Zealand<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Te Arikinui, the M\u0101ori Queen, is the eighth sovereign of the Kiingitanga, the M\u0101ori King Movement, and a prominent voice for M\u0101ori rights, culture, and self\u2011determination in Aotearoa New Zealand. Continuing a dynastic line that has defended mana motuhake (self-determination) and M\u0101ori lands and identity since 1858, she urges M\u0101ori to \u201cwalk a new path\u201d toward economic independence and resist forces that undermine M\u0101ori initiatives. In her address, she will discuss intergenerational leadership, Crown\u2013Indigenous relations, and Indigenous nation\u2011building in a shifting political landscape, offering lessons for Indigenous nations navigating their own futures.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Session 10 – Keeping the Lights On \u2014 Investment in the Wasoqonatl Transmission Project<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sashen Guneratna<\/strong>, Managing Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niru Thambirajah<\/strong>, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Managing Director, Project Finance, Infrastructure, Power & Utilities<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karen Augustine<\/strong> (Elsipogtog and Neqotkuk First Nations<\/em>), Director of Economy Building, Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crystal Nicholas<\/strong> (Potlotek First Nation<\/em>), President & General Manager, Wskijnu\u2019k Mtmo\u2019taqnuow Agency<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Tiffany Murray<\/strong> (Six Nations, Mohawk Nation<\/em>), Partner, Banking & Financial Services Group, BLG<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Danna Donald,<\/strong> Partner, Project Finance, Osler<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s energy grid requires deliberate, coordinated investment. The Wasoqonatl project delivers exactly that: a 160 km, 354 kV intertie transmission line connecting Onslow, NS to Salisbury, NB\u2014 physically linking two provincial grids. Financed through an integrated partnership of private, public, and First Nations capital, this session examines how the transaction was structured, what it means for grid resilience and energy security, and why its Indigenous equity ownership model is attracting attention as a replicable framework for critical infrastructure investment across the country. This is a concrete example of communities participating as co-investors \u2014 not consultees \u2014 in nation-scale infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 2 – Address<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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His Majesty Kgosi (King) Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi<\/strong>, King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, South Africa<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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 \u2014 an example of turning land, law and resources into durable, intergenerational prosperity.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Session 3 – Keynote + Fireside Chat<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Stuart Chambers<\/strong>, Chair, Anglo American<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Mark Podlasly<\/strong> (Nlaka’pamux<\/em>), CEO, FNMPC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stuart is Chair of Anglo American, one of the world\u2019s 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\u2019s insights are especially relevant amid sector-wide transformation. His session will address the realities facing major projects today\u2014complexity, scrutiny, and rising stakeholder expectations\u2014providing essential perspective for those shaping the future of resource development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 4 – Keynote + Fireside Chat<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Rohitesh \u201cRo\u201d Dhawan<\/strong>, President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Mark Podlasly<\/strong> (Nlaka\u2019pamux<\/em>), CEO, First Nations Major Projects Coalition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many First Nations, \u201cgood mining\u201d is about who decides what happens on our lands, how harm is managed, and whether projects leave lasting benefits. Rohitesh \u201cRo\u201d 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This session gives the opportunity for First Nations participants to hear how ICMM\u2019s new commitments on engagement, rights, benefit-sharing, and cultural heritage may play out\u2014and gauge how far those commitments align with First Nations\u2019 own expectations for future mining projects.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Session 5 – Paper Presentation: Critical Minerals, Critical Decisions: First Nations as Partners and Owners<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: Lesley Gallinger, <\/strong>IESO<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sagateh Williams<\/strong> (Curve Lake First Nation<\/em>) Senior Advisor, External Relations, FNMPC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s critical\u2011minerals industry is already a major economic force, with even faster growth ahead. This panel presents the First Nations Major Projects Coalition\u2019s (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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With roughly 55,000 critical\u2011minerals 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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 6 – Keynote + Panel: Inside the First Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Deal – 38 Nations United<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction by: Greg Orencsak<\/strong>, Deputy Minister, NRCan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chief David Jimmie <\/strong>(Sto:lo Nation<\/em>), President, Sto:lo Nation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily Black,<\/strong> Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Power, Enbridge<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kristan Straub <\/strong>(Henvey Inlet First Nation<\/em>), President + CEO, Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Trevor Gardner<\/strong>, Head, Global Investment Banking Coverage<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This session examines Stonlasec8 Indigenous Alliance LP as a milestone in Indigenous ownership of critical energy infrastructure\u2014and 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\u2019s Westcoast gas pipeline for roughly C$725m, supported by a C$400m federal guarantee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 7 – Panel: When Nations Decide: Indigenous-Led Regulators and Better Projects<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke Schauerte<\/strong>, CEO, Woodfibre LNG<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sxw\u00edxwtn, Wilson Williams<\/strong> (Squamish<\/em>), Council Chairperson, Squamish Nation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Kimberly Lavoie<\/strong> (Qalipu First Nation),<\/em> Assistant Deputy Minister, NRCan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When First Nations act as our own regulators on major energy projects<\/strong>, everyone gains\u2014and projects tend to move faster with fewer surprises. Nations secure real decision\u2011making 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This panel explores Indigenous\u2011led, consent\u2011based assessment processes in the context of LNG development and energy project permitting, and how this approach centres Indigenous law and knowledge, drives innovations such as electrification and lower\u2011carbon design, and streamlines the path from proposal to construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 8 – Panel: First Nations and Oil: An Economic Engine<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moderator: Valerie Helbronner,<\/strong> Partner, Torys LLP <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wealth beneath Indigenous lands used to flow out and never come back. Not anymore. In Canada, First Nation and M\u00e9tis communities now hold billion-dollar pipeline stakes and are developing bitumen on their own reserve lands. In Alaska, Native corporations operate the North Slope’s largest oilfield services companies and have distributed billions to their communities. In North Dakota, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation has generated over $1.5 billion from one of the continent’s largest shale oil deposits. The Navajo Nation runs its own tribally owned oil company, pipeline, and production fields. The tools, financing, and precedents are in place. This panel shows how Nations are using them to build lasting wealth.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Session 9 – Paper Presentation: Indigenous-Led Transmission: Ownership, Opportunity, and the Path to a Decarbonised Grid<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Sue von der Porten<\/strong>, Vice President of Clean Energy Strategy, FNMPC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s electricity grid must double or triple in capacity over the next two decades. Every major electricity transmission corridor runs through Indigenous traditional territory \u2014 making the question of who builds and owns that infrastructure inseparable from the broader work of reconciliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This session introduces FNMPC\u2019s paper providing First Nations with an overview of Canada\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Welcome and Opening Ceremonies<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Speaker: TBD<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Friday, May 1, 2026<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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12:00pm Lunch and Learn Session: Export Development Canada (EDC): Turning Export into Indigenous Opportunity<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Tickets sold separately.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsored by Export Development Canada (EDC)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room – Osgoode West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sean Willy <\/strong>(Denesuline First Nation<\/em>), President & CEO, Des Nedhe Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Booker Cornea<\/strong>, Associate Vice President Market & Shareholder Engagement, First Nations Bank of Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Cooke<\/strong>, Director Small Business, Customer Care & Inclusive Trade, Export Development Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Donna St Louis<\/strong>, National Lead, Indigenous Business | Inclusive Trade, Export Development Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indigenous participation is central to Canada\u2019s future economic growth – whether in resource development, trade enabling infrastructure, or across the export supply chain. EDC\u2019s 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.
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12:00pm Lunch and Learn Session: Indigenous Youth and the Future<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Tickets sold separately.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsored by BHP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room – Osgoode East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening Remarks: Caroline Cox<\/strong>, Chief Legal, Governance and External Affairs Officer, BHP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jordan Montour<\/strong> (Mohawk – Kanienkeha:ka<\/em>), Investment Advisor, Goldman Sachs (Boston)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsa Doxtdator-Jansson<\/strong> (Haudenosaunee<\/em>), UBC Sauder School of Business<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caleb Adams<\/strong> (Wulli Wulli [Australia])<\/em>, Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Monique Fry<\/strong> (Xwch\u00edy\u00f2:m First Nation)<\/em>, Manager Indigenous Strategy, Procon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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8:45am Day 2 Start<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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9:30am Session 12 – Opening of the Toronto Stock Exchange from the Conference<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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John McKenzie<\/strong>, CEO, TMX Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Day 2 – Afternoon Theme – Policy<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Day 2 – Morning Theme – Finance<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Session 11 – Presentation: Taking Your Nation to Market: How Indigenous Businesses List on the Stock Exchange<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Derrick Pattenden<\/strong> (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation – Tyendinaga<\/em>), CFA, CEO, Nations Royalty<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josh Kierce<\/strong>, CFO, Selkirk Mining<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morris Morrison<\/strong> (Selkirk First Nation<\/em>), Manager, Community Relations, Selkirk Mining<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Christa Dewar<\/strong>, TSX<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keynote Remarks: John McKenzie<\/strong>, CEO, TMX Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For First Nations wanting to know more about the process of taking a company public on the stock market, this session offers a step\u2011by\u2011step primer toward doing so in plain language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers from TMX Group and Nations Royalty, Canada\u2019s 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\u2011owned firms with investors. Speakers will also cover why some companies \u201cgo public\u201d, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 13 – Panel: Turning Existing Indigenous Capital into Project Ownership<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ernie Daniels <\/strong>(Salt River First Nation<\/em>), President and CEO, First Nations Finance Authority<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gordon Keesic <\/strong>(Lac Seul First Nation<\/em>), Portfolio Manager, VP and National Head, Indigenous Investment Services, RBC Global Asset Management<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doug MacDonald<\/strong>, CFA, Managing Director & Global Head of Distribution, CIBC Asset Management<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sue McNamara<\/strong>, CFA, SVP Fixed Income, Head of Responsible Investing, Beutel Goodman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Clint Davis<\/strong> (Nunatsiavut Inuit<\/em>) CEO, Cedar Leaf Capital Inc<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2011generating infrastructure, with investors repaid from stable cash flows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 14 – Panel: Indigenous-Led Sovereign Wealth Funds<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rukumoana Schaafhusen<\/strong>, M\u0101ori Queen\u2019s delegation, TBC<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obakeng Phetwe,<\/strong> Bafokeng Nation, TBC<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tristan Jackson<\/strong>, CEO, Nikutik LP, North Shore Mi\u2019kmaq Tribal Council<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Jon Davey<\/strong> (Haudenosaunee – Lower Cayuga of Six Nations of the Grand River<\/em>), Managing Director, Indigenous + Government Advisory, Scotiabank<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indigenous\u2011led sovereign wealth funds\u2014collective investment funds owned by a Nation and managed for the long term\u2014can turn one\u2011off payments into steady financing for housing, water, education, health, and local businesses, so benefits outlast today\u2019s agreements. Worldwide, such funds now manage on the order of US$13\u201315 trillion, showing what disciplined, long\u2011horizon investing can achieve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 15 – London Calling: Global Investors for Indigenous-Led Projects<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Magnacca<\/strong>, Co-Founder, Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blake Hutcheson,<\/strong> President & CEO, OMERS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Robert Brant<\/strong> (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation – Tyendinaga<\/em>), Co-Founder, Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For First Nations pursuing large-scale projects, combining London\u2019s global capital markets with strong Canadian financing tools creates more choice, sharper competition, and better terms, instead of relying on domestic sources alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit in London, England is designed for Indigenous leaders ready to move from \u201cinterest in capital\u201d 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\u2019s leading financial centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 16 – Presentation: Culture at the Centre: Indigenous-Led Assessments and the Spirit of the Land Toolkit<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Angel Ransom <\/strong>(Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation<\/em>) Stewardship Technical Lead, Firelight<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As energy, critical minerals, and infrastructure projects are proposed on First Nations territories, Nations are demanding that major projects reflect who they are \u2014 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014with youth involved as knowledge holders and future stewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 17 – Panel: Ports: Forging Indigenous Gateways to the World: Ruakura Superhub + the Port of Churchill<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Craig West<\/strong>, CEO, Tainui Group Holdings (Aotearoa New Zealand)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Spence<\/strong>, Mayor of Churchill and Arctic Gateway Group Board<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Mark Podlasly<\/strong> (Nlaka\u2019pamux<\/em>), CEO, First Nations Major Projects Coalition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indigenous nations are no longer petitioners in infrastructure \u2014 they are owners, operators, and architects of world-class trade gateways. This session examines Waikato-Tainui\u2019s Ruakura Superhub, a NZ$1 billion inland port in New Zealand; and Arctic Gateway Group\u2019s Port of Churchill, Canada\u2019s only Arctic deep-water seaport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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Session 18 – Briefing: The Military Threat to Canada\u2019s North<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s Arctic is fast becoming a front line of great\u2011power rivalry as thinning ice, new sea routes, and critical minerals draw foreign military interest\u2014often on Indigenous lands and waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014and asks what this militarization could mean for Indigenous peoples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 19 – Panel: Owning the Future: Indigenous Investment in Defence and Beyond<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: Brittanee Laverdure <\/strong>(Liard First Nation<\/em>), Director, Truth and Reconciliation Office, RBC Origins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas Benjoe<\/strong> (Muscowpetung First Nation<\/em>), CEO, Flowing River Capital<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Chinyere Eni<\/strong> (Little Pine First Nation<\/em>), Head, RBC Origins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2014 a 600-employee defence manufacturer turning over CAD $100 million a year \u2014 making it one of the most significant Indigenous-owned industrial acquisitions in Canadian history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2014 moving well beyond the transactional arrangements that have historically characterised Indigenous participation in Canadian business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Session 20 – Panel: Indigenous Participation in Canada\u2019s Defence Procurement Surge<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Introduction: TBD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather Bishop<\/strong> (Cold Lake First Nation<\/em>), Cold Lake First Nations, Economic Development Director<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Brown<\/strong> (Pasqua First Nation<\/em>), President, Pro Metal Industries Ltd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Peters<\/strong> (Glooscap First Nation<\/em>), CEO Glooscap Ventures<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderator: Sean Willy<\/strong> (Denesuline First Nation<\/em>), CEO, Des Nedhe Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2011sharing can both secure preferred\u2011partner status and map concrete steps\u2014pre\u2011qualification, joint ventures, set\u2011aside schemes\u2014to turn defence budgets into durable local capacity and economic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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