Arctic Indigenous Investment Series (AIIS)

In Episode 3 of the Arctic Indigenous Investment Series, host Blair Hogan sits down with Jani Djokic and Katie Johnson for a wide-ranging conversation about Indigenous economic development in the Yukon — and what it looks like when that work is rooted not only in business and investment, but in culture, community, land, youth, and long-term wellbeing. Jani Djokic, CEO of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Development Corporation, shares how her organization has been working to move beyond a conventional top-down corporate model toward a more circular and community-centred approach to development. She reflects on the boom-and-bust realities of resource economies, the limits of profit-first thinking, and the importance of building systems that help communities not just survive, but truly thrive. At the centre of that conversation is a philosophy that sees business as a tool for care, reciprocity, and nation-building — not as an end in itself. Katie Johnson brings a complementary perspective shaped by decades of work in arts, culture, events, youth leadership, and community development. She reflects on the origins of the Adäka Cultural Festival, the power of creating visible and meaningful platforms for Yukon First Nations artists and communities, and the role that those spaces play in economic development, cultural pride, and long-term impact. Across the episode, Katie returns to a core theme in her work: creating spaces where people — especially young people — can be seen, heard, supported, and connected to who they are and where they come from. A major thread throughout the conversation is Reconnection Vision, the Indigenous youth-led framework that both guests speak about with deep respect and urgency. The episode explores how this work challenges narrow models of development by asking bigger questions: What does it mean to lead in a good way? How do we make decisions that are grounded in relationship, belonging, language, culture, and land? And how can Indigenous youth help shape the future systems they are inheriting? Blair, Jani, and Katie also discuss women’s leadership, matriarchal values, identity, and the importance of grounding economic systems in the lived realities of community. The conversation moves through entrepreneurship, startup barriers, side hustles, mentorship, Indigenous business support, and the need for more flexible and responsive structures that actually reflect how people build livelihoods in northern communities. Rather than assuming one-size-fits-all models, the episode highlights development approaches that emerge from local need, local interest, and local values. The discussion also dives into food sovereignty and community-based economic ecosystems. Jani shares how Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Development Corporation has been investing in food-related infrastructure and initiatives in Mayo, including a grocery store, farm, communal kitchen space, harvester programming, and other community-rooted systems designed to reduce barriers and create opportunity. These examples open up a larger conversation about resilience, reciprocity, and what it means to build economies that are both practical and human. At its core, this episode is about more than business. It is about how Indigenous economic development can reflect Indigenous values — and how stronger futures are built through connection: to people, to place, to language, to purpose, and to each other. About Arctic Indigenous Investment Series (AIIS)AIIS is a long-form interview series presented by the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce, exploring Indigenous investment, ownership, and economic development across the North through in-depth conversations with leaders working at the intersection of business, government, and community. The series is educational and exploratory in nature and does not include confidential or transactional deal details.

This special episode of the Arctic Indigenous Investment Series was recorded onsite in Whitehorse, Yukon during the Arctic Summit, where northern, Indigenous, government, and industry leaders gathered to discuss Arctic sovereignty, infrastructure, investment, and economic development.Host Blair Hogan, President of the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce, speaks with Robert Brant, Co-head of the Indigenous Projects & Transactions Group at McCarthy Tétrault and Co-chair of the Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit.Rob is an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer advising Indigenous governments, development corporations, investors, banks, and pension funds on major transactions across energy, infrastructure, mining, and natural resources. A proud member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, he has spent decades working at the intersection of Indigenous economic development and global capital markets.In this conversation, Rob discusses why international investors are increasingly paying attention to Canada’s Indigenous economy, how perceptions of Indigenous partnership in major projects are changing, and the growing role Indigenous development corporations can play in unlocking large-scale investment opportunities across the North.The discussion also highlights the Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit, held annually at the London Stock Exchange, which brings together Indigenous leaders and global investors focused on sustainable partnerships across energy, infrastructure, and critical resources.As part of this growing collaboration, the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce will participate in the 2026 Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit in London with a Yukon wealth panel focused on Indigenous procurement, verified business capacity, and investment structures that help reduce execution risk in major northern projects.The panel will include representatives from Yukon First Nation development corporations and Indigenous investment entities, highlighting the Yukon’s growing role in the Indigenous economy and global investment conversations.Arctic Indigenous Investment Series is presented by the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce and features long-form conversations with leaders working across Indigenous investment, economic development, and northern economic growth.This episode is a special conference recording outside the normal monthly studio releases.

Episode 2 of the Arctic Indigenous Investment Series features Ben Asquith, CEO of Dàdàgáy Development Corporation, the economic development arm of Ta’an Kwäch’än Council in the Yukon.In this long-form conversation, Ben discusses the evolution of Dàdàgáy Development Corporation and the role Indigenous development corporations are playing in building long-term economic capacity across Yukon First Nations. Topics include housing development in Whistle Bend, the growth of Yukon First Nations Wildfire, workforce development for Indigenous youth, and how Indigenous-led businesses are creating new opportunities across the northern economy.The discussion also explores larger investment opportunities across sectors such as housing, infrastructure, telecommunications, and energy, and how collaboration between Yukon First Nations development corporations can unlock major economic projects in the territory.Arctic Indigenous Investment Series is presented by the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Blair Hogan. The series features in-depth conversations with leaders working in Indigenous economic development, investment, and ownership across the North.New episodes premiere every second Sunday of each month.

Episode 1 — Tony Penikett | Foundations of Yukon Land Claims & Indigenous Economic Self-DeterminationIn the inaugural episode of the Arctic Indigenous Investment Series, host Blair Hogan sits down with former Yukon Premier Tony Penikett for a wide-ranging conversation on the foundations of modern Yukon.Together, they explore the political and economic context that shaped the Yukon First Nations Final Agreements, the intent behind Chapter 22, and how land claims implementation created the framework for Indigenous ownership and economic self-determination in the North.Drawing on firsthand experience, Penikett reflects on negotiations, governance reform, the evolution of Indigenous–Crown relations, and the long-term implications of settlement structures for capital formation, resource development, and institutional growth.This episode sets the stage for the series by examining how modern Indigenous investment in the North is rooted in deliberate constitutional and economic design.The Arctic Indigenous Investment Series is presented by the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce and recorded in studio in Whitehorse, Yukon. New episodes release monthly.