Drumbeats - Canadian Indigenous Investment Podcast

This episode examines Indigenous investment in Canada, institutional capital, and Indigenous partnerships, as well as why Indigenous-led finance is now central to infrastructure, energy, and natural resource investment outcomes. Under Dawn Madahbee-Leach leadership a $150,000 First Nation–owned loan fund scaled to more than $170 million, supporting more than 4,000 projects across Canada. In this e...

Canada's largest Indigenous equity partnerships aren't happening by accident - they're the result of deliberate corporate strategy, government support, and Indigenous communities' increasing interest in owning infrastructure that operate in their territories. Enbridge has been at the centre of this important work, having completed multiple transaction since 2022. Until December 2025, Emily Black s...

Mark and Rob kick off 2026 by exploring the Canadian levée tradition, tracing its origins back to 1606 and highlighting how Indigenous participation has been fundamental to this relationship-building custom since the very beginning. The episode features the "Best of Drumbeats 2025," showcasing highlights from the top 10 most influential guest conversations—including insights from leaders like Clin...

In this special Christmas episode, Mark Magnacca and Rob Brant revisit the pivotal moments of 2025 that redefined the Canadian Indigenous investment landscape, from the historic scale of the second annual summit at the London Stock Exchange to the rapid passing of Bill C-5. The co-hosts discuss the multi-billion dollar pipeline of LNG, nuclear, and critical mineral projects, emphasizing why authen...

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% ownersh...

Why would a KPMG and Ernst & Young alumnus leave corporate America to become Chief of a First Nation in Alberta? Because Chief Ouray Crowfoot saw investment potential that most people miss - and he had the financial expertise to unlock it. In this episode of Drumbeats, Chief Crowfoot shares how he's applying Big Four accounting principles to Indigenous economic development at Siksika Nation. L...

Ontario is doubling its transmission grid by 2040 through Indigenous equity partnerships - and doing it faster than jurisdictions still treating Indigenous engagement as compliance. In this episode of Drumbeats, Matthew Jackson, Vice President of Indigenous Partnerships and Business Development at Hydro One Networks Inc., reveals how Canada's largest transmission company completely transformed its...

How do indigenous communities actually access Europe's £400 billion sustainable bond market? Part 2 provides the implementation roadmap. Aude Rajonson from London Stock Exchange Group explains the preliminary steps debut issuers must take: creating sustainable bond frameworks with trusted advisers, identifying community priorities that align with ICMA principles, and engaging European impact inves...

The London Stock Exchange's sustainable bond market represents $400 billion in securities across 16 currencies, serving 1,200+ debt issuers from 90+ countries. But can Canadian Indigenous communities actually access these markets? In this first of two episodes, Aude Rajonson, Head of Fixed Income Origination at the London Stock Exchange, answers this question definitively. She explains how the Lon...

In this landmark episode of Drumbeats, we step beyond Canada for the first time to explore how Canadian Indigenous partnership models are transforming investment approaches worldwide. Juan Dumas, co-founder and partner at Meliquina, shares extraordinary insights from mediating disputes across Latin America - revealing patterns about project risk that fundamentally challenge conventional investor t...

Mark Magnacca and co-host Rob Brant analyse Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney's first federal budget hours after delivery, focusing on Indigenous-specific provisions and infrastructure investment opportunities for UK and continental European investors. Rob details three critical Indigenous economy initiatives: legislation enabling First Nations Finance Authority to lend directly to special purpo...

In this episode, Mark Magnacca and co-host Rob Brant are joined by Michael McPhie, Executive Chairman and Founding Partner at Falkirk Consulting. Michael previously served as President and CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia, Chair of Ridley Terminals, and Chair of the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He explained how Indigenous partnership quality determines project velocit...

In this Drumbeats episode, Mark Magnacca and Rob Brant are joined by Dallas Smith, President of Na̲nwak̲olas Council and former Chair of Coast Funds. Smith shares his journey from growing up between urban Vancouver and his North Island community to becoming a leader in Indigenous governance and economic development. He reflects on the $435 million Coast Funds model that has protected 3.1 million h...

In this episode, Mark Magnacca and co-host Robert Brant are joined by Catherine Pennington, Director of Indigenous Advisory Services at KPMG. Catherine shares her path from social work to the energy sector and explains how Indigenous relations are shaping the success of major corporate projects. She highlights KPMG’s Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan, and KPGM's services specializing in Indigen...

In this episode of Drumbeats, hosts Mark Magnacca and Robert Brant speak with Bernd Christmas, KC, Principal at Bernd Christmas Law Group (BCLG). The conversation explores the historical and legal importance of Mi’kmaq treaty rights, beginning with the 1725 peace and friendship treaty with the British. Bernd reflects on the landmark Donald Marshall Jr. case, which affirmed Mi’kmaq commercial fishi...

In this episode, hosts Mark Magnacca and Robert Brant are joined by Jean Paul (JP) Gladu, Board Member of the Indigenous Advisory Council and Principal of Mokwateh. JP shares his journey from his Anishinaabe roots in Thunder Bay to serving as President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, where he advanced programmes that support Indigenous entrepreneurs. He speaks about his ro...

In this episode, Mark Magnacca and co-host Robert Brant are joined by Bernd Christmas, KC, Principal at Bernd Christmas Law Group (BCLG). With nearly 30 years of experience as a practising Mi’kmaw lawyer, Bernd has represented First Nations in groundbreaking projects that are reshaping Canada’s economy. He shares insights from his recent and ongoing work, including billion-dollar negotiations in O...

Our conversation explores Prime Minister Mark Carney's announcement of five nation-building projects generating $60 billion for the Canadian economy, supported by eleven Indigenous leaders with exceptional credentials appointed to the Indigenous Advisory Council. Rob details how these transformative initiatives, from LNG Canada's Phase Two expansion doubling liquefied natural gas production in Kit...

Our conversation explores specific multi-billion dollar projects, including the Grays Bay Road and Port development and the Kivalliq Hydrofibre Link, designed to open mineral corridors and transform energy infrastructure. President Obed details how these nation-building initiatives create launching pads for natural resource extraction whilst maintaining environmental standards and Indigenous right...

Michael Bonshor, CPA, CMA, and newly appointed board chair of the Canadian Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation (CILGC), discussed the organisation's role in providing enabling affordable capital for Indigenous Nations. The CILGC, initially funded at $5 billion, was expanded to $10 billion by Prime Minister Mark Carney. With one deal completed and a number of applications received, the CILGC aims...

Thomas Benjoe, CEO of Flowing River Capital, discusses how Canada’s first Indigenous-led private equity fund fuels investment. In this interview, he outlines the firm’s strategy to acquire and Indigenise strong businesses aligned with procurement commitments, unlocking billions in opportunities. Learn how Flowing River Capital combines Indigenous and non-Indigenous expertise, has already secured $...

CWEIC drives trade across Commonwealth nations, linking rich countries like Australia and the UK with global markets and Indigenous innovation. In this episode of Drumbeats podcast, co-chairs Mark Magnacca and Robert Brant speak with Samantha Cohen, CVO, OBE, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council. Cohen reveals the 21% Commonwealth trade advantage and why Canada is...

Preview the priorities, themes, and strategic direction of Summit 2026, from critical minerals to Arctic defence, energy, and infrastructure. In this episode of the Drumbeats podcast, Co-Chair Mark Magnacca offers a preview of what’s ahead at the 2026 Summit, a platform where Indigenous leadership and institutional capital converge. Building on our previous episode’s examination of Bill C-5, which...

Indigenous-led finance meets institutional capital: FNFA's Jody Anderson reveals how First Nations are reshaping Canada's investment landscape. In this episode of the Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit podcast, co-chairs Mark Magnacca and Robert Brant speak with Jody Anderson, Vice President of Partnerships, Strategy & Public Affairs at the First Nations Finance Authority. A proud Anishinaa...

Mark Carney's policy influence meets Bill C-5: How regulatory shifts are reshaping Indigenous-corporate investment partnerships in Canada. In this episode of the Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit podcast, co-chairs Mark Magnacca and Robert Brant examine Prime Minister Mark Carney's The Building Canada Act Bill C-5 and Canada's changing investment landscape. The legislation allows federal fast-...