Leading Indigenous Perspectives on Land &amp; Development

Leading Indigenous Perspectives on Land & Development

Jul. 12, 2023 at 11:02 a.m. PDT

Legacy and contemporary action toward economic inclusion cannot be disentangled. Meaningfully engaging with both is not only a requirement for Canadian business in the modern era, but it also enables Canadian society as a whole to fully envision what a reconciled Canadian economy can look like.

The 2023 keynote session dove deep into the significance of land and how generations of advocacy and business activities by Indigenous communities have set the foundation for the economic transformation taking place across Canada today. It left attendees from all industries equipped to navigate shifting policy and business practices.

First, Kimberly Murray shared an executive update on her work as the independent, federally-appointed Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Burials. Her presentation put recent findings into context, delving into the implications of centuries of dispossession and oppression for modern-day development in an era of reconciliation.

Next, Chief Willie Sellars from Williams Lake First Nation and Kim Murray joined returning IPSS speaker Karen Restoule, now Vice President at Crestview Strategy, in a powerful conversation about the unique challenges Indigenous communities are overcoming to drive their own destinies and how relationships are making this change possible.

Chief Sellars concluded by sharing his vision for a reconciled Canadian economy, exploring nation-led development, partnerships with industry, and the future of Canada’s economy and diverse society post-reconciliation.

Participants:

Kimberly Murray, Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools,

Chief Willie Sellars, Elected Chief, Williams Lake First Nation,

Karen Restoule, Vice President, Crestview Strategy (moderator), and

Kim Brenneis, Director of Community and Indigenous Engagement (Canada), Enbridge Inc. (introducer).