Real Assets & Private Equity: Siksika Nation's $1B Investment Strategy

In Part Two of our conversation with Chief Ouray Crowfoot, the former CFO and Chief of Siksika Nation reveals exactly how billion-dollar First Nations are deploying capital and how international investors can engage.This is where theory becomes practice. Chief Crowfoot provides specific details about Siksika's investment portfolio: majority stakes in hotels including Calgary's Westin (95% ownership) and the Kananaskis Lodge where the G7 Summit was held (35% ownership), infrastructure assets like bridges and pipelines, and professionally managed accounts generating 20-25% annual returns. With $200-300 million in annual excess capital, Siksika has moved from government subsidy dependence to active capital deployment.But the conversation goes deeper than current assets. Chief Crowfoot shares his vision for Siksika to develop a $100 million private equity account focused on emerging sectors like AI, following the Southern Utes model in Colorado who manage a $13-14 billion USD trust. He explains the strategic decision to start with Canada's major banks (RBC, TD) to build community comfort, then gradually bring in specialized managers for small-cap, emerging markets, and growth strategies.