Economic Reconciliation

More than 150 court victories have confirmed that the resources of Canada can only be developed when working with and obtaining First Nations approval. Many First Nations are on a road to reclaiming prosperity and revitalizing cultures. Some urban First Nations have become significant land-owners actively pursuing development with the potential to help address our housing crisis. In rural areas some First Nations have taken ownership stakes in resource projects. Numerous companies are playing an active and positive role in reconciliation. These early days – far from smooth and uncontroversial. It is likely impossible to envision where we will be in the decades to come. The interests of First Nations are enormously diverse, and often at odds – witness examples in salmon farming and forestry. BC conducted a homeless count in October – indigenous people made up a third of those counted. Incarceration rates of indigenous people are more than 10 times those of the total population. Poverty and unemployment rates remain astronomically high. First Nations communities too often remain without the services that others take for granted. The issues are not unique to BC, or even Canada – in an October referendum Australians voted against creating an advocacy committee to advise parliament on policies affecting Indigenous people. Join us by webcast 7 p.m. November 21 as we bring together a panel of leaders in First Nations, business, and law to discuss economic reconciliation today, and into the future. The panel: Ellis Ross – MLA (Skeena), Shadow Minister for Energy and LNG Crystal Smith – Elected Chief Councillor of Haisla Nation; Chairwoman of the First Nations LNG Alliance Conrad Browne – President & CEO, Dakwakada Capital Investments Greg D’Avignon – Former President & CEO of the BC Business Council of BC; Partner, Canadian Strategy Group Roger Dall'Antonia – President and CEO of Fortis BC Thomas Isaac – Aboriginal Law Lawyer, Partner at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP Leon Gaber – Executive Director & National Lead (Critical Infrastructure Resilience & Emergency Management Practice), KPMG We hope you can join us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.