“No project is more legitimate than one that has Indigenous equity.”

Hon. Lisa Raitt
Vice Chair, Office of the CEO at CIBC

“You can only do deals as far as your network allows. You need those connections.”

Ron Hyggen
Chief Executive Officer, Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership

“Just because it looks different does not mean there is anything wrong with it.”

Jonathan Davey
Managing Director, Indigenous & Government Advisory, Scotiabank

“Capital is a lot like water. It flows where it has the least resistance.”

John McKenzie
Chief Executive Officer, TMX Group Ltd.

“Indigenous ownership can function as a form of credit enhancement. When that certainty is present, markets recognise the stability that both the nation and the project bring.”

Jody Anderson
VP, Partnerships, Strategy and Public Affairs,  First Nations Finance Authority

“Canada really is the world’s largest emerging market opportunity without the typical risks. You have a stable government, a stable currency, and a strong legal framework. These are highly attractive fundamentals.”

Fred Di Blasio
Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
Longhouse Capital Partners 

“Trust is absolutely essential. It underpins everything… once it’s embedded, it’s sort of a catalyst for alternative delivery models, doing things differently.”

Steven Whittall
President, Worley Consulting, EMEA & Asia Pacific

“Our expectation as investors is that this needs to be built in from the outset, with a mindset that truly supports any project coming to fruition.”

Adam Matthews
Chief Responsible Investment Officer (CRIO), Church of England Pensions Board

“If you go to people who understand the land first, they will often have really good problem-solving, good ideas that you do not have yourself.”

Robin Sidsworth
Acting Director, North America Operations, Teck Resources

“Our territory alone is one of the more impacted territories within BC, rail companies, highways, mining companies, logging industry. We experience a lot of impact from industry coming in and utilising resources historically without consent. Consent is important.”

Chief Christine Walkem
Chief of Cooks Ferry Indian Band & Chair

“The Ring of Fire, without dispute, is quantitatively and qualitatively the best critical mineral deposit the world over.”

Hon. Greg Rickford
First Nations Economic Reconciliation, Ontario 

“It’s not all about monetary value. For us, that’s probably one of our lowest values. That value is the connection to the land, the connection to our people, connection to our spirit.”

Chief Lindsay Tighe
Chief & Treasurer, Board of Directors — Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly,
K’en T’em Management Corp, and Cantex Mining Services

“We started to see the real, substantive benefits of that agreement after 2013. We were able to set up the Trust, and at that time, we had nine staff. Now, we have well over 100. We also have businesses that are thriving within that sector, but each one comes with its own.”

Chief Fred Sampson
Chief of Siska Indian Band

“I would argue that indigenous co-ownership doesn’t just reduce risk, it actually inverts it. That sense makes with equity in a project becomes perhaps its most motivated promoter and defender.”

Professor Michael Mainelli
Executive Chairman, Z/Yen Group

“Free, prior, and informed consent, consensus-building on what we’re talking about here, about the speed and efficacy of getting projects done, and the elements in which you look for a partner.”

Tabatha Bull
President & Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Council for Indigenous Business

“We're going to power a million homes, we're going to reduce carbon emissions.”

Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer
Former Grand Chief, Kahnawà:ke

“Economic reconciliation is not only advancing Indigenous prosperity, it is creating stable, local, long-term investment environments that appeal to our global partners.”

The Honourable Bill Blair
High Commissioner for
Canada to the United Kingdom

“Capital goes where there’s the least resistance. What I like about our programme is that we support the capital cycle — we fixed a component of it that had a leak, and then the rest of the free market operates the way that it should.”

Chana Martineau
Chief Executive Officer, Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation

“When First Nations are involved in a project, they are organised and ready. If they are involved, you are getting project certainty.”

Ernie Daniels
President & Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Finance Authority

“We cannot let perfect be the enemy of the good. Our competition is Russia, and we  have to be cognisant of that.”

Goldy Hyder
President & Chief Executive Officer, Business Council of Canada

“We really taught Cameco how to see indigenous inclusion as a value added composition rather than a legal framework.”

Sean Willy
President & Chief Executive Officer, Des Nedhe Group; Board Member, TELUS Corporation