WEBVTT 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:03.049 Welcome to Drumbeats, the must -listen -to podcast 00:00:03.049 --> 00:00:05.710 which explains why Indigenous partnerships are 00:00:05.710 --> 00:00:08.669 the key to securing successful outcomes in natural 00:00:08.669 --> 00:00:11.070 resource and infrastructure investment in Canada. 00:00:12.009 --> 00:00:14.550 I'm Mark McNack and my co -host Robert Brandt 00:00:14.550 --> 00:00:17.210 and I are joined today by Tiffany Eckert -Merritt, 00:00:17.329 --> 00:00:20.089 President of Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce, 00:00:20.190 --> 00:00:22.730 and Les Wilson, Director of Yukon First Nation 00:00:22.730 --> 00:00:25.160 Chamber of Commerce. We discussed the importance 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:27.300 of Indigenous partnerships in building successful 00:00:27.300 --> 00:00:30.480 businesses, with a particular focus on how Kwanlin 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.520 Dun First Nation is unlocking new economic opportunities. 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:36.420 A key highlight of the conversation was the plan 00:00:36.420 --> 00:00:39.539 for purchasing Northwest Tel. It's expected to 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:41.679 become the largest telecommunications company 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.659 worldwide with full Indigenous ownership. Well, 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:48.439 today we're very fortunate to have two special 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:52.539 guests from Yukon. Welcome back to London. Tiffany 00:00:52.539 --> 00:00:58.159 Eckert Merritt and Les Wilson. Mark, it's a real 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:02.619 privilege to have guests from as far away as 00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:06.379 Yukon. Sure is. The farthest, most reach of Canada, 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:10.340 right? Yukon, which at one point was in everyone's 00:01:10.340 --> 00:01:13.400 mind 100 or 150 years ago when there was a gold 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:16.260 rush. And then a lot of times people forget about 00:01:16.260 --> 00:01:20.939 it. But it comes back in the news and it's... 00:01:21.290 --> 00:01:23.890 Yukon's becoming more and more important in Canadian 00:01:23.890 --> 00:01:25.909 economic development and the opportunities that 00:01:25.909 --> 00:01:31.290 prevents. And you have also a border with America. 00:01:31.390 --> 00:01:34.930 So it's not in the Yukon. It's not your southern 00:01:34.930 --> 00:01:37.230 neighbor. It's your... Our next door neighbor. 00:01:37.549 --> 00:01:41.730 Our next door neighbor. And Tiffany, we first 00:01:41.730 --> 00:01:44.890 met, you were in London last year with a big 00:01:44.890 --> 00:01:49.230 delegation from UConn. But why don't you introduce 00:01:49.230 --> 00:01:51.230 yourself and your background, your community, 00:01:51.329 --> 00:01:54.170 and what you're... Yeah, thank you so much. Thank 00:01:54.170 --> 00:01:56.530 you, Rob and Mark, for inviting us here today. 00:01:56.590 --> 00:02:00.450 Super honored to be back in London. I came last 00:02:00.450 --> 00:02:04.049 year in June with the Premier of Yukon, Deputy 00:02:04.049 --> 00:02:06.930 Premier, and a bunch of Yukon chiefs. And we 00:02:06.930 --> 00:02:08.569 were starting the conversation about the importance 00:02:08.569 --> 00:02:11.310 of having relationships between Yukon First Nations 00:02:11.310 --> 00:02:14.930 and London and businesses in the UK specifically. 00:02:15.270 --> 00:02:17.389 And so this is a follow -up to that visit. And 00:02:17.389 --> 00:02:19.580 the government has been very... great partners 00:02:19.580 --> 00:02:23.740 for us, Yukon government, in encouraging us to 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:26.219 reach out and branch and support and to start 00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:29.219 to continue the conversations with businesses 00:02:29.219 --> 00:02:33.250 in the UK and Yukon First Nations. So thank you. 00:02:33.289 --> 00:02:35.449 My name is Tiffany Eckert -Murray. I'm the president 00:02:35.449 --> 00:02:37.509 of the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce. 00:02:37.789 --> 00:02:39.710 I'm the chief operating officer for my First 00:02:39.710 --> 00:02:42.090 Nations Development Corporation. Dadagai Development 00:02:42.090 --> 00:02:44.750 Corporation is where I hang my hat during the 00:02:44.750 --> 00:02:47.750 day. And I'm a citizen of the Ta 'an Kwachon 00:02:47.750 --> 00:02:50.270 Council, which is one of the smallest First Nations 00:02:50.270 --> 00:02:53.090 in Yukon. And I'm super honored and thrilled 00:02:53.090 --> 00:02:57.370 to be here. Thank you. Les? Tell us a bit about 00:02:57.370 --> 00:03:00.009 your community, where you're from, what you do. 00:03:00.349 --> 00:03:02.509 Well, I'm currently the Senior Economic Development 00:03:02.509 --> 00:03:05.090 Advisor for the First Nation, or the government 00:03:05.090 --> 00:03:07.870 that I happen to be a citizen of, of the Yukon 00:03:07.870 --> 00:03:11.990 Territory, the Kwanlin Dun First Nation. I've 00:03:11.990 --> 00:03:14.169 been in that role for a considerable amount of 00:03:14.169 --> 00:03:17.229 time, and I have been working with my First Nation 00:03:17.229 --> 00:03:18.729 or the government for actually several decades. 00:03:18.870 --> 00:03:21.330 In fact, long before we actually ratified the 00:03:21.330 --> 00:03:23.789 agreement, one of my first occupations after 00:03:23.789 --> 00:03:26.189 post -secondary education was really in the land 00:03:26.189 --> 00:03:29.639 use. planning department. A very small First 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:31.240 Nation at that time. I think there was probably 00:03:31.240 --> 00:03:35.800 in the early 90s, late 80s, we're looking at 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:38.800 maybe 13 or 14 individuals in the administration 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.620 of the First Nation. It has now grown to well 00:03:41.620 --> 00:03:45.889 over 100 individuals. In fact, I think there's, 00:03:45.889 --> 00:03:48.689 I believe, 13 institutional buildings inside 00:03:48.689 --> 00:03:51.770 our little tiny First Nation in Whitehorse. So 00:03:51.770 --> 00:03:54.110 it's grown considerably, right? And is that where 00:03:54.110 --> 00:03:56.830 your First Nation is, right? Right in the dead 00:03:56.830 --> 00:03:58.490 center. That's right in the capital of the Whitehorse, 00:03:58.590 --> 00:04:02.349 Yukon Territory. So I'm a citizen. I was born 00:04:02.349 --> 00:04:03.949 and raised in the Yukon Territory and left really 00:04:03.949 --> 00:04:07.590 just for school. Yes. Wow. Yeah. He's also a 00:04:07.590 --> 00:04:09.009 assistant on the board for the Econversation 00:04:09.009 --> 00:04:11.830 Chamber of Commerce as well. That's right. Very 00:04:11.830 --> 00:04:13.969 good. When you were at the summit, I'm not sure 00:04:13.969 --> 00:04:17.790 if you met, we had a delegate from Sweden. I 00:04:17.790 --> 00:04:20.050 miss the Sweden delegate. That's too bad because 00:04:20.050 --> 00:04:23.810 you're both really northerners, right? Most Canadians 00:04:23.810 --> 00:04:29.490 live 90 % along the southern border. Below 60, 00:04:29.610 --> 00:04:30.889 I think is what they got. We're north of 60. 00:04:31.069 --> 00:04:33.029 It depends where you are in the country, so you 00:04:33.029 --> 00:04:38.519 say below 60, right? Yeah. true Northern representation 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:43.079 of what Canada is about. And I think when we're 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:46.000 all at the summit, most Canadians don't understand 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:49.480 the North. So I think also just this conversation 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.240 we're having today will be eye -opening not only 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:56.620 for our UK audience. It's not just the UK, actually. 00:04:56.759 --> 00:04:59.139 I think you're right. A lot of the world forgets 00:04:59.139 --> 00:05:01.620 about the North, and it's a big mystery for a 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:03.839 lot of folks because if you really think about 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:07.339 it, we're quite young in inception. The gold 00:05:07.339 --> 00:05:12.000 rush came in 1897 or 1898, and so we are still 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:15.199 dealing with a lot of things that a lot of people 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:17.779 have been dealing with for a lot longer. It's 00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:20.000 still really new. It's still a big mystery. And 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:23.019 people can, they seem to always get mixed up 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:25.079 between Whitehorse and Yellowknife. I'll never 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:26.779 understand why they get the two mixed up, but 00:05:26.779 --> 00:05:28.699 maybe they're both colors. I'm not entirely sure, 00:05:28.819 --> 00:05:30.920 but there's the amount of stories I've heard 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:32.899 about people intending to move to Whitehorse, 00:05:32.980 --> 00:05:34.540 but they wound up in Yellowknife and they wound 00:05:34.540 --> 00:05:36.639 up staying. It's incredible. I've had more than 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:39.560 my fair share of those stories. So, but you can't 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:42.100 go wrong. North is, the North is the most beautiful 00:05:42.100 --> 00:05:45.980 place. I'm so, I'm so thankful. And I was a military 00:05:45.980 --> 00:05:49.889 brat. Traveled around Canada for a lot of my 00:05:49.889 --> 00:05:52.730 dad's when he served in the military. And so 00:05:52.730 --> 00:05:56.290 we came back to the north and it's the best place 00:05:56.290 --> 00:05:57.990 to live. I'm pretty thankful to live there every 00:05:57.990 --> 00:06:01.629 day. Can you tell us the difference between Whitehorse 00:06:01.629 --> 00:06:04.689 and Yellowknife? Everybody knows where they're 00:06:04.689 --> 00:06:06.230 going, if they're booking a trip, that they've 00:06:06.230 --> 00:06:08.709 booked it to the right spot. We'd love to tell 00:06:08.709 --> 00:06:10.569 the difference. Actually, the easiest way is 00:06:10.569 --> 00:06:12.970 if you're flying Air North. Air North will bring 00:06:12.970 --> 00:06:15.290 you right to Whitehorse. So if you can go on 00:06:15.290 --> 00:06:18.610 Canadian North, which probably wasn't going to 00:06:18.610 --> 00:06:20.490 help anyone, but Canadian North will bring you 00:06:20.490 --> 00:06:22.110 right to Yellowknife and Air North, which is 00:06:22.110 --> 00:06:25.449 our local Yukon airline, owned by 49 % of a Yukon 00:06:25.449 --> 00:06:28.649 First Nation, Funtut Gwich 'in. And they're our 00:06:28.649 --> 00:06:31.889 partners. They're partners. And Yellowknife is 00:06:31.889 --> 00:06:35.949 the capital of Northwest Territories. And Whitehorse 00:06:35.949 --> 00:06:38.569 is the capital of Yukon. We're neighbors with 00:06:38.569 --> 00:06:41.149 Yellowknife, but we also have neighbors to the 00:06:41.149 --> 00:06:43.449 west of us is Alaska. So we have a really unique 00:06:43.449 --> 00:06:46.750 relationship there. And south of us is BC and 00:06:46.750 --> 00:06:49.149 Alberta. So we kind of share borders all over. 00:06:49.250 --> 00:06:52.399 And then the north is the true Arctic. Well, 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:54.379 I know the difference. I've been to Yellowknife. 00:06:54.379 --> 00:06:57.540 I haven't been to Whitehorse yet. But my daughter 00:06:57.540 --> 00:07:00.800 taught for a couple of years near Yellowknife. 00:07:00.819 --> 00:07:02.800 And when I say near, I think it was a six -hour 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:05.060 drive after you got to Yellowknife to get to 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:07.639 where she was. That is close. That is near, for 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:10.660 sure. It's only in the UK that's a day journey. 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:12.920 But I'm looking forward to getting to Whitehorse 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:16.110 for the first time. at the upcoming Arctic Indigenous 00:07:16.110 --> 00:07:18.689 Investment Conference. Maybe you can tell us 00:07:18.689 --> 00:07:20.889 a little bit about what to expect. For sure. 00:07:21.050 --> 00:07:24.870 So May 5th to 7th, 2025 in Whitehorse, Yukon, 00:07:24.870 --> 00:07:29.490 we are having our eighth annual Arctic Indigenous 00:07:29.490 --> 00:07:31.709 Investment Conference. And so the Yukon First 00:07:31.709 --> 00:07:33.889 Nation Chamber of Commerce has been hosting that 00:07:33.889 --> 00:07:37.040 for the past eight years. And it's a great way 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.560 to talk about the success stories of the North. 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:42.639 So we'll bring in folks from businesses from 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:46.160 Northwest Territories, Nunavut and other Northern. 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:48.660 We actually, this year, we have folks coming 00:07:48.660 --> 00:07:52.939 over from Iceland to come and talk about Indigenous 00:07:52.939 --> 00:07:56.779 businesses in the North. So Rob will be joining 00:07:56.779 --> 00:08:00.060 us and giving a panel for that. And we're super 00:08:00.060 --> 00:08:02.720 excited to welcome you North. No, I can't wait 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:04.959 to get there. I'll probably talk about an international 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:08.620 perspective and there's more and more interest 00:08:08.620 --> 00:08:13.060 and focus. We talked about Yukon in the north 00:08:13.060 --> 00:08:17.339 being ignored by a lot of the population, but 00:08:17.339 --> 00:08:20.560 no longer, I don't think. There's lots of reasons 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:23.180 why people are paying a lot of attention to the 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:30.889 north, geopolitical and economic as well. in 00:08:30.889 --> 00:08:32.809 the spotlight now, whether you want it or not. 00:08:33.490 --> 00:08:36.769 I'm envious that you're getting to go to Whitehorse. 00:08:36.830 --> 00:08:39.529 We'll have to change. I get the next trip. Well, 00:08:39.529 --> 00:08:41.850 it's a special time. May and June is actually 00:08:41.850 --> 00:08:45.610 really a very warm month of the year. A lot of 00:08:45.610 --> 00:08:47.450 people that come up, they actually find that 00:08:47.450 --> 00:08:49.730 it's an absolutely beautiful place. Come back 00:08:49.730 --> 00:08:52.330 in six months, okay, if you want to experience 00:08:52.330 --> 00:08:56.710 the north. Minus 50, minus 55. Well, I was born 00:08:56.710 --> 00:08:59.169 on the prairies, but I think... Minus 55 is even 00:08:59.169 --> 00:09:00.909 cold. You get to that level, though, when it's 00:09:00.909 --> 00:09:03.190 just cold, it doesn't matter. You know, what's 00:09:03.190 --> 00:09:05.309 funny, though, is that minus 55, Whitehorse, 00:09:05.409 --> 00:09:08.450 it's cold. It sounds cold, and it is. But minus 00:09:08.450 --> 00:09:11.570 20 in Ontario is actually, I find, a lot colder. 00:09:11.690 --> 00:09:15.389 I agree. It's a wet cold down south. And it goes 00:09:15.389 --> 00:09:18.149 right to your bones, right? Yes. And in the north, 00:09:18.389 --> 00:09:21.490 I can't speak for old crew or anything, but like 00:09:21.490 --> 00:09:24.450 northern us. But in Whitehorse, it's one of the 00:09:24.450 --> 00:09:26.269 driest places in Canada. So it's a different 00:09:26.269 --> 00:09:28.690 type of cold. So, you know, like it takes your 00:09:28.690 --> 00:09:30.409 breath away a little bit sometimes, but at least 00:09:30.409 --> 00:09:32.649 it doesn't go to your bones. Some of the largest 00:09:32.649 --> 00:09:34.889 cities in the south, like Edmonton or Vancouver, 00:09:35.009 --> 00:09:37.610 they basically shut down almost immediately after 00:09:37.610 --> 00:09:41.700 maybe minus 25 or minus 30. Right. Not in the 00:09:41.700 --> 00:09:43.620 Yukon. It just takes a little longer to warm 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:45.460 up your truck to get to work. Schools don't close 00:09:45.460 --> 00:09:48.200 and we don't have cold weather days in Whitehorse. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:53.279 They just keep going. Well, I can't wait to get 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.519 there. And it'll be like near no darkness at 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:59.899 that point in time in May. So there won't, it'll 00:09:59.899 --> 00:10:02.159 be about 20 hour daylight. So not daylight, like 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:05.460 it does get a little bit, it's a unique experience. 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:07.200 So I'm very excited for you to see it firsthand 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.289 and to experience. Like 20 -hour days. Yeah, 00:10:10.289 --> 00:10:13.269 no, and I'm looking forward to meeting the businesses 00:10:13.269 --> 00:10:16.429 and the First Nations people who are up there 00:10:16.429 --> 00:10:19.649 doing business and learning more about what's 00:10:19.649 --> 00:10:22.049 going on there. I mean, a couple of things in 00:10:22.049 --> 00:10:24.929 the news. First, I guess on the positive side, 00:10:25.049 --> 00:10:30.230 there's a mine, a copper mine, Minto Mine, and 00:10:30.230 --> 00:10:33.070 it looks like it's had a difficult history, but 00:10:33.070 --> 00:10:36.169 the Indigenous communities are in the process 00:10:36.169 --> 00:10:39.539 of buying it. Your guys' summit actually talks 00:10:39.539 --> 00:10:41.679 about the importance of working in partnerships. 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:45.340 And one of the speakers was talking about how 00:10:45.340 --> 00:10:48.860 when you have First Nation partners or Indigenous 00:10:48.860 --> 00:10:52.080 partners, it's a lot more successful. And so 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:55.159 Minto will tell that story. And so the message 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:57.360 that's talking about the Canadian Indigenous 00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:59.779 Investment Summit, about working in partnership 00:10:59.779 --> 00:11:02.279 with businesses and Indigenous businesses specifically, 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:05.379 will grant a lot of success. That will be the 00:11:05.379 --> 00:11:08.299 success of Minto because... while it will impact 00:11:08.299 --> 00:11:11.519 the community that they're in, they are now purchased 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.240 and owners of that mine. And that is the truest 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.379 form of consent. And I believe that's actually 00:11:16.379 --> 00:11:20.039 what Mark Podolsky was speaking about. And that 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:23.720 really reinforced that message to me. And so 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:27.659 I'm very excited for that First Nation to purchase 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:31.149 that mine. I think Selkirk. is the one who purchased 00:11:31.149 --> 00:11:34.610 it. Yeah, Selkirk First Nation. And it's such 00:11:34.610 --> 00:11:37.330 a small First Nation, but the history that is 00:11:37.330 --> 00:11:39.830 in that community, if you look at the books and 00:11:39.830 --> 00:11:41.590 you learn about the Yukon First Nation history, 00:11:42.289 --> 00:11:45.509 Selkirk is a real landing ground for a lot of 00:11:45.509 --> 00:11:49.730 important trade routes. And so the fact that 00:11:49.730 --> 00:11:52.210 a business that is based in their traditional 00:11:52.210 --> 00:11:56.659 territory, they now own a mine. is incredibly 00:11:56.659 --> 00:11:59.679 important to me. And it'll speak to that quite 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:02.360 a bit. So Minto is a great story. It shows the 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.080 community can do something. It shows also, it 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:07.419 reiterates the same message that my grandfather 00:12:07.419 --> 00:12:10.720 has been talking about since 1973, about how 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:12.960 UConn First Nation businesses, our UConn First 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:14.779 Nations want to be part of the businesses. They 00:12:14.779 --> 00:12:17.279 want to be part of that conversation. And so 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.340 again, it reiterates that same message is that 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:23.100 we were not opposed to it. We do have... We do 00:12:23.100 --> 00:12:25.279 want to be involved in it because if we don't, 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:27.879 stuff like what happens at Victoria Gold is what 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:31.120 the negative impact of that will be. For some 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.299 of our listeners, can you explain what went on 00:12:33.299 --> 00:12:36.299 with Victoria Gold? So Victoria Gold is a gold 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:39.759 mine that is in Yukon. It is about five hours 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:43.679 north. east of Whitehorse. It's on the traditional 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:46.100 territory of the Nacho Nayak Dun First Nation. 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:48.659 And incredible, it's actually the hottest and 00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:51.080 coldest spot. So when it's hot in the summertime, 00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:53.679 it's really hot. And when it's colder in winter, 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:56.200 it's really cold. So it's the heart of Yukon. 00:12:56.779 --> 00:12:59.700 And there was a Victoria gold mine that was operations 00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:02.539 there and they were producing gold. And there 00:13:02.539 --> 00:13:06.860 was, due to some regulatory oversight, there 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:09.899 was some of the, they have leech pads. And so 00:13:09.899 --> 00:13:12.139 when they're, Doing the mining, the leaching 00:13:12.139 --> 00:13:17.139 was leaking into the water. And so it is a catastrophic 00:13:17.139 --> 00:13:21.179 incident because fish is our life in the north. 00:13:21.379 --> 00:13:23.460 It started poisoning the water, essentially. 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:26.460 So the government shut down right away and stopped 00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:30.220 operation of the mine. And it's been devastating 00:13:30.220 --> 00:13:32.500 to that community for sure. And how long has 00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:35.350 the mine been shut down now? I believe two years. 00:13:35.750 --> 00:13:38.590 It's still in caretaker mode right now. So it 00:13:38.590 --> 00:13:40.409 means that there is still workers that go in. 00:13:40.509 --> 00:13:43.450 There still is economy. There still is some operations 00:13:43.450 --> 00:13:45.549 happening up there, but it's on a very small 00:13:45.549 --> 00:13:48.230 scale. And they're trying to make sure that there's 00:13:48.230 --> 00:13:51.230 no further damage to the water. And they're doing 00:13:51.230 --> 00:13:53.889 the best they can. And they're working with the 00:13:53.889 --> 00:13:57.159 Nacho Neck and First Nation to try and... fix 00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:58.679 and make sure this never happens again because 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:01.059 again you know like there's a lot of tremendous 00:14:01.059 --> 00:14:03.480 opportunities that came from that mine with that 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:05.779 community but there also is a lot of negative 00:14:05.779 --> 00:14:08.419 things and that's you know that's always going 00:14:08.419 --> 00:14:10.740 to be the struggle that indigenous people have 00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:13.460 with these type of businesses is that we really 00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:15.740 want it to happen we really believe in investment 00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:18.899 in the north but we also this is something and 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:20.909 what forgets what people forget about is that 00:14:20.909 --> 00:14:22.769 when the mines do close and when they shut down 00:14:22.769 --> 00:14:25.350 people go back home but this is our home we we 00:14:25.350 --> 00:14:27.870 have nowhere else to go back to right so it's 00:14:27.870 --> 00:14:29.590 an impact that we have to live with forever and 00:14:29.590 --> 00:14:31.730 what about the impact on the water is there a 00:14:31.730 --> 00:14:34.850 degree of recovery going on is it is it returning 00:14:34.850 --> 00:14:38.909 or just the destruction was No, they were able 00:14:38.909 --> 00:14:41.470 to get it before it got cyanide. It was alarming, 00:14:41.470 --> 00:14:45.210 but it wasn't to the point where everything's 00:14:45.210 --> 00:14:47.610 killed off right now. So they're monitoring it 00:14:47.610 --> 00:14:50.169 right now to make sure that things are not going 00:14:50.169 --> 00:14:54.039 to... hurt anymore, but there is definitely, 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.240 there still is some cyanide showing up in the 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:58.799 water. So no cyanide is ever a really good thing. 00:14:59.580 --> 00:15:03.480 But they are constantly trying to repair that 00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:05.779 right now. So government is working with the 00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:07.539 First Nation to make sure that happens. And so 00:15:07.539 --> 00:15:10.519 what's been really good about that is that, again, 00:15:10.580 --> 00:15:13.480 it reminds government that it's important to 00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:16.679 approve these businesses, these operations happening 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:19.740 in the North and exploration. But it also talks 00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:22.340 about how it's important to involve the First 00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:24.019 Nation because, again, it's our community that 00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:25.360 we have to live with for the rest of our life. 00:15:25.500 --> 00:15:28.139 And so ensuring that that chief and that nation 00:15:28.139 --> 00:15:30.659 and those community members are a part of that 00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:33.539 conversation is integrally important. But I think 00:15:33.539 --> 00:15:35.179 from the project you're talking about that's 00:15:35.179 --> 00:15:38.039 coming on stream, it demonstrates once again, 00:15:38.259 --> 00:15:40.899 it's a myth that the Indigenous peoples are not 00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:43.460 supporting of development because there has been 00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:46.559 a catastrophic incident. Everyone everywhere 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:50.059 would say that's absolutely terrible, but you're 00:15:50.059 --> 00:15:52.919 just trying to apply those learnings to new initiatives 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:56.340 and new developments. Yeah, lessons learned, 00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:59.100 right? Yes. And so how to mitigate it. I came 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:01.500 with me, but I brought today with you guys is 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:03.259 a book called Together Today for a Children Tomorrow. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:07.259 So back in 1973, my grandfather, Elijah Smith, 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.200 and other Yukon chiefs, they were not allowed 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:12.960 to meet. And so they would have these underground 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:16.120 rodeos. And so they would have rodeos. And at 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:17.899 these rodeos, they would have meetings where 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.919 they talk about what their vision was for the 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.659 future and for their children and grandchildren. 00:16:23.179 --> 00:16:25.639 And so they start talking. about self -government. 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:28.500 And so I brought for you guys the copies of Together 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:30.779 Today for Children Tomorrow. And they talk about 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:33.720 how they never have been opposed to development, 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:36.340 but they just have to be part of that conversation. 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.059 And so I brought this book with me so that you 00:16:39.059 --> 00:16:42.120 guys can just have the same words that I, it's 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:44.399 my mantra, it's my Bible, it's what I live, and 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:47.269 it's kind of my guidepost for... for what I do 00:16:47.269 --> 00:16:49.929 every day. Well, we'll read that with interest. 00:16:50.029 --> 00:16:52.029 And when you say they weren't allowed to meet, 00:16:52.090 --> 00:16:54.250 are you referring to the old Indian Act restriction 00:16:54.250 --> 00:16:59.570 that said something like no more than two Indians 00:16:59.570 --> 00:17:04.130 could meet to discuss their rights under the 00:17:04.130 --> 00:17:08.130 Indian Act? Yeah. And so it was effectively a 00:17:08.130 --> 00:17:12.250 way of saying no dissent, no groups can get together 00:17:12.250 --> 00:17:16.920 to discuss. The Indian Act and what they might 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:22.279 want to do about it to improve it. It also barred 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:28.059 lawyers from advising Indians on their rights 00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:30.220 under the Indian Act. You could be disbarred 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:34.660 if you were caught giving advice, legal advice 00:17:34.660 --> 00:17:37.099 to Indians without getting the permission of 00:17:37.099 --> 00:17:41.819 the local agent. Yeah, those are... Just crazy. 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:43.819 Yeah. I can't even believe I live in the same 00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:45.640 lifetime where that happened, right? Things like 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:48.079 going to the store. I can't even believe that 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:52.210 I'm living in the same. life where you actually 00:17:52.210 --> 00:17:54.150 had to ask for that permission and I can't even 00:17:54.150 --> 00:17:56.130 believe that I live in the same lifetime where 00:17:56.130 --> 00:17:57.930 my mom was allowed to vote because she wasn't 00:17:57.930 --> 00:18:00.750 a human being or that my grandfather who had 00:18:00.750 --> 00:18:03.750 to give up his status of as being an Indian so 00:18:03.750 --> 00:18:06.750 he can go fight in the very same war as we celebrate 00:18:06.750 --> 00:18:10.170 Vimy and the and and that you know like it's 00:18:10.170 --> 00:18:13.789 just it it blows my mind and then when all the 00:18:13.789 --> 00:18:16.930 Canadian soldiers came back they were um they 00:18:16.930 --> 00:18:20.470 were Rightfully so, given the dues and support 00:18:20.470 --> 00:18:23.589 from the Canadian government. But when Yukon 00:18:23.589 --> 00:18:26.890 Indian veterans came back, they were given $300 00:18:26.890 --> 00:18:30.369 on a couch. That was their send -off. Thanks 00:18:30.369 --> 00:18:31.809 for streaming your country. Enjoy your couch, 00:18:31.890 --> 00:18:34.509 right? So it's horrifying. That's crazy in the 00:18:34.509 --> 00:18:36.890 Indian Act. So most of our audience will have 00:18:36.890 --> 00:18:40.710 not heard that story. The Indian Act is still 00:18:40.710 --> 00:18:44.750 on the books, right? These aspects of it were 00:18:44.750 --> 00:18:48.119 eliminated. 10 years, 20, 30? No, a little bit 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:50.880 longer than that in these cases. I think the 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:54.400 right to vote came in 19, well, there's an interesting 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:56.160 story about the right to vote because it was 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:58.980 originally Indigenous people, I think, who owned 00:18:58.980 --> 00:19:02.440 property had a right to vote, talking about when 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:07.559 Canada was first formed. Yes. 1867. And then 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:10.000 could have been just men. No, I think even women 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.180 had. But it was taken away because after the 00:19:14.180 --> 00:19:16.480 first election, when there was in one of the 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:19.279 particular writings, Indigenous people voted 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.240 en masse for a particular candidate, the government 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:26.539 at the time decided we need to amend that act 00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:30.400 because we're seeing them having factual political 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.740 power. So they immediately amended the act for 00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:35.660 the next election to amend the definition of 00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:40.670 person to... be any human being other than an 00:19:40.670 --> 00:19:44.410 Indian. And so that was the way it was until 00:19:44.410 --> 00:19:49.549 1960. I was born after 1960, but that's just 00:19:49.549 --> 00:19:52.569 an absolute appalling. And it's not what people 00:19:52.569 --> 00:19:56.250 associate with Canada. And part of the problem 00:19:56.250 --> 00:20:02.789 has been that Canada has had this image of, oh, 00:20:02.809 --> 00:20:06.190 everything in Canada is nice, but we've all learned. 00:20:07.159 --> 00:20:09.680 especially through the Truth and Reconciliation 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:13.019 Committee, that there are all these black marks 00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:15.940 that need to be addressed. But coming back, the 00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:18.819 Indian Act still exists and is still on the books, 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.759 and it's still challenging for the Indigenous 00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:27.500 people to get all their titles and rights, et 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:30.119 cetera, that other Canadians have and don't think 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:31.700 twice. We heard a lot about the summit, people 00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:34.539 just being able to get a mortgage, and you can't. 00:20:35.470 --> 00:20:37.589 That is very powerful. I look forward to reading 00:20:37.589 --> 00:20:41.210 the book. The one line in there that jumps out 00:20:41.210 --> 00:20:43.869 for me, and I always think about it, is history 00:20:43.869 --> 00:20:46.609 is to be learned from and not lived in. And so 00:20:46.609 --> 00:20:50.329 while it's important to learn the history and 00:20:50.329 --> 00:20:52.369 talk about reconciliation, it's also important 00:20:52.369 --> 00:20:55.250 not to live in it and to move on. And so honoring 00:20:55.250 --> 00:20:58.150 my grandfather's vision is why we're here today, 00:20:58.369 --> 00:21:01.950 for me anyway, is why it's really important to 00:21:01.950 --> 00:21:04.869 me that we... Remember, know the history, is 00:21:04.869 --> 00:21:06.630 to know who you are, know where you come from, 00:21:06.730 --> 00:21:09.849 but also learn from it and move on. So I'm so 00:21:09.849 --> 00:21:12.849 grateful to live, while able to live in the same 00:21:12.849 --> 00:21:14.569 lifetime where terrible things have happened, 00:21:14.829 --> 00:21:17.970 unspeakable things, but also live in a time where 00:21:17.970 --> 00:21:23.740 it's now not a bad thing, like not as bad. It's 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:26.220 still pretty harrowing how there is a lot of 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:29.900 racism still. Yukon First Nation, Yukon government 00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:32.579 recently brought in the Yukon First Nation procurement 00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:35.440 policy. And so what that means is that they've 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:37.839 amended their law that it has to, it encourages 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:40.640 Yukon First Nation businesses to participate 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.099 in the economy. And our premier has always been 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:47.160 really forward thinking in Yukon First Nations. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.660 And so I really am thankful for Premier Pillai. 00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:53.740 So they amended the act to include, to encourage 00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:56.000 UConn First Nation businesses with this procurement 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:58.579 policy. And when we were going through that about 00:21:58.579 --> 00:22:01.059 five years ago, the creation of the policy, the 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:03.940 amount of businesses that were just terrible 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:06.220 things they were saying, it's still, even though 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.839 we're so far beyond that, we're living in an 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:10.259 age of reconciliation, there's still a lot of 00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:13.559 fear in there. And so as we've lived the procurement 00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:16.599 policy now for a few years, it's changed the 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:19.740 conversation from... There's a company called 00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:22.700 Castle Rock and White Horse, and it's owned by 00:22:22.700 --> 00:22:25.259 First Nation and Champagne Ajak, Dakota Capital 00:22:25.259 --> 00:22:27.960 Investments. And the companies were actually 00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:30.519 saying the Dakota effect is what they were calling 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:31.960 the procurement policy, and they were afraid 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:35.039 that Dakota was going to control every bid that 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:38.440 government put out. But it hasn't done that. 00:22:38.619 --> 00:22:40.900 So a lot of fear -mongering was happening by 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:43.779 businesses, like non -Indigenous businesses in 00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:46.490 the Yukon. But now living in the policy, it's 00:22:46.490 --> 00:22:49.130 changed that. And there isn't the Dakota effect 00:22:49.130 --> 00:22:52.730 as much out there anymore. It's now working together. 00:22:52.950 --> 00:22:56.349 And I think Qualen Dunn and Les has worked with 00:22:56.349 --> 00:22:58.869 his development corporation that he worked for. 00:22:59.150 --> 00:23:00.890 They've done a lot of really wonderful things 00:23:00.890 --> 00:23:03.329 with partnerships and showed. how they've been 00:23:03.329 --> 00:23:06.410 able to progress so far. Our First Nations, I 00:23:06.410 --> 00:23:08.190 think your First Nations signed their final agreement 00:23:08.190 --> 00:23:13.670 in 19, in 2000. 2005. 2005. We signed ours in 00:23:13.670 --> 00:23:17.049 2002. But what Les' First Nation has been able 00:23:17.049 --> 00:23:19.759 to do with people like Les working there. They've 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.759 been able to advance their First Nation tremendously. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:23.920 And I'm super envious of all the work that Les 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:27.200 has done with his development corporation because 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:28.759 they've really embraced the spirit and intent 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:30.839 of the procurement policy and been able to do 00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:33.200 remarkable things. Great. Les, do you want to 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:35.119 speak a little bit about that? Well, I'd like 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:37.400 to think that some of the stuff that Kuala Lumpur 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:38.900 has been doing and some of the progressive projects 00:23:38.900 --> 00:23:41.680 that the First Nation has, and of course its 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:44.039 corporation, all stems from that very powerful 00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:46.259 document that's sitting right in front of Tiffany 00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:49.779 there. It's an amazing document to gather today 00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:51.500 for our children tomorrow. That really speaks 00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:54.960 to me, essentially. That was Valentine's Day, 00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:58.599 1973. I was three years old, right? And the children 00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:00.319 that they're talking about is me, specifically, 00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:04.579 right? I am now... I would say, I suspect a leader 00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:06.960 in the First Nation. But some of the projects 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.799 that we've managed to be able to accomplish was 00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:12.519 really trying to unlock the economic potential 00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:15.660 of Kwanli Dun lands and essentially settlement 00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:18.500 land throughout the Yukon Territory. Typically 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:21.039 in Western Canada, and I think all over Canada, 00:24:21.160 --> 00:24:24.980 because it's Indian land or Indian dirt, it's 00:24:24.980 --> 00:24:28.220 typically a discount. It's essentially, it's 00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:31.920 not at market price. That was some of the big... 00:24:33.159 --> 00:24:35.019 uphill hurdles that we've been really trying 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:37.319 to embrace and trying to encourage the general 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:39.559 public that there's no difference. This dirt 00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:41.940 is just the same as the other dirt. Sorry, are 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:44.220 you talking about the land or topsoil? No, just 00:24:44.220 --> 00:24:47.359 First Nation land in itself with respect to the 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:51.259 simple land. It's just the same. Now, I suppose 00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:54.680 a good proxy is our gravel pit. We had a couple 00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:56.140 of gravel pits. While some of the other First 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:58.900 Nations were arguing and negotiating for precious 00:24:58.900 --> 00:25:01.279 gems and gold, our First Nation was actually 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:03.920 looking for gravel pits from the north and south 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:06.819 of town. We knew even back then, long before 00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:08.599 we ratified the agreement during the negotiations, 00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:11.180 that if development was going to happen in the 00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:13.259 capital, that we were going to need dirt in order 00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.660 to do that. So that's what we're up to right 00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:18.200 now. That particular lease, two and five. in 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:20.019 the center of Whitehorse, has actually turned 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:22.420 into a gold mine. And it's the lifeblood of our 00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:25.619 First Nation corporation to allow them to go 00:25:25.619 --> 00:25:26.900 ahead and do some of the projects that we've 00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:29.900 actually been very successful. And again, it's 00:25:29.900 --> 00:25:32.279 really unlocking the economic potential of Kwanlin 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:34.140 and lands, in particular Northwest Tel. We were 00:25:34.140 --> 00:25:36.539 talking about that earlier. I don't believe our 00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:38.000 corporation was actually involved in some of 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:42.049 the investments at Ta 'an. But we did manage 00:25:42.049 --> 00:25:44.730 to convince the Northwest Hell to actually, they 00:25:44.730 --> 00:25:46.890 were moving their headquarters from Yellowknife 00:25:46.890 --> 00:25:49.250 over to Whitehorse, and they needed a new office. 00:25:49.450 --> 00:25:51.230 So they know the difference between Yellowknife 00:25:51.230 --> 00:25:54.029 and Whitehorse, right? I suppose so. I suspect 00:25:54.029 --> 00:25:56.569 they do now. In that Northwest Hell deal, maybe 00:25:56.569 --> 00:25:58.089 you want to talk a little bit about it. It's 00:25:58.089 --> 00:26:00.150 been in the news. And what is the status? It's 00:26:00.150 --> 00:26:06.369 a, again, Bell Canada selling to a number of 00:26:06.369 --> 00:26:10.690 Indigenous communities in there. their northern 00:26:10.690 --> 00:26:15.069 counterpart to business yeah so the 60 north 00:26:15.069 --> 00:26:19.309 unity is the vehicle and what it is is it's then 00:26:19.309 --> 00:26:21.730 there's four uh the three out of the four nations 00:26:21.730 --> 00:26:24.390 that represent nunavut and then i believe there's 00:26:24.390 --> 00:26:29.059 127 in northwest territories like 127 Indigenous 00:26:29.059 --> 00:26:31.180 groups in Northwest Territories is remarkable. 00:26:31.559 --> 00:26:34.220 And then 14 Yukon First Nations have the opportunity 00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:38.920 to, they form 60 North Unity. And we have our 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:42.259 organization that represents Yukon. And so the 00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:46.019 three territories came together and we negotiated 00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:48.599 with Bell to purchase Northwest Health to acquire 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:53.619 it because before the president was elected, 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:57.199 we recognized the importance of communications 00:26:57.199 --> 00:26:59.839 in the North and how that's our lifeline. That's 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:03.019 our blood and our connection to the rest of the 00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:06.059 world. And two years ago, we lost connection 00:27:06.059 --> 00:27:08.160 to the world for 24 hours. I don't know if you 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:10.140 remember that. I do. I'm sure you do. But we 00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:11.740 couldn't even use our debit cards. You couldn't 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:13.539 buy gas. You couldn't buy water. You couldn't 00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:15.819 buy anything because we lost our network connections. 00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:18.640 It was the forest fires in Fort Nelson that caused 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:21.680 that to go down. So it was important to us that 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:24.779 we recognize how that's our one key and tie to 00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:27.619 the South. we purchased, we offered to purchase 00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:30.039 Northwest Hill for a billion dollars. And we 00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:32.200 wanted to guarantee that the jobs would stay 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:34.660 in the North, that decisions that are made that 00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:37.140 affect the North are now made in the North. And 00:27:37.140 --> 00:27:40.819 so that's the deal. That's the Northwest Hill 00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:44.200 deal. It's not the first time that Indigenous 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:46.059 organizations have come together to purchase 00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:48.119 Clearwater, which was giving the talk at the 00:27:48.119 --> 00:27:51.680 Indigenous Summit. That was also a group of Indigenous 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:53.660 organizations coming together to purchase something 00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:56.339 for their community. And so Northwest Tell is 00:27:56.339 --> 00:27:59.279 another reiteration of that same concept and 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:01.799 idea about coming together for a greater cause 00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:03.539 to purchase something that's going to affect 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:05.380 our communities for the rest of our lives. And 00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:07.940 so where the deal is at right now is that we 00:28:07.940 --> 00:28:09.960 have a share purchase agreement, we've signed 00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:13.839 it, and we are just in the back and forth negotiation 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:16.799 stages right now on locking in the financing 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.900 for it. And what's the size of that transaction? 00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:21.700 One billion dollars. Yeah, a billion dollars. 00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:24.019 Yeah, a billion dollars is the purchase price 00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:27.519 for it. And at the summit, Rob was talking about 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:30.359 whether he – I remember him talking to Tabitha. 00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:32.039 There was a panel he was on with Tabitha Bull, 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:35.299 Chief Derek Epp, and a few other folks. And he 00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:37.579 was asking the question about $100 billion economy, 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:40.960 about the impact of Indigenous business in the 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:43.960 economy. And I remember him asking the panel, 00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:48.549 do you think that's a real number? I dare to 00:28:48.549 --> 00:28:50.789 say we're beyond $100 billion. And so we're shifting 00:28:50.789 --> 00:28:52.910 that conversation now to beyond $100 billion. 00:28:53.089 --> 00:28:56.289 That's what the Indigenous economy, that's what 00:28:56.289 --> 00:28:58.930 our contribution is to that. And so Caroline 00:28:58.930 --> 00:29:01.750 Hilton is something who's a woman from New Toronto 00:29:01.750 --> 00:29:04.809 in BC. She just published her second book a short 00:29:04.809 --> 00:29:10.210 while ago. And she talks about that, about beyond 00:29:10.210 --> 00:29:12.789 $100 billion. And it's a very exciting time to 00:29:12.789 --> 00:29:16.130 be alive. And so I was sitting in my seat saying, 00:29:16.250 --> 00:29:19.890 yes, we're beyond that. That is great. Yeah. 00:29:20.710 --> 00:29:24.250 And Les, you were at the summit too. And I think 00:29:24.250 --> 00:29:27.450 that was your first time in London. What were 00:29:27.450 --> 00:29:31.750 your impressions of the day? It was very impressive, 00:29:31.769 --> 00:29:36.029 in fact, actually. I found some of the sessions 00:29:36.029 --> 00:29:38.569 very informative. Some of the things that I've 00:29:38.569 --> 00:29:40.549 learned, I didn't actually realize was actually 00:29:40.549 --> 00:29:43.230 going on in Western Canada in terms of the LNG 00:29:43.230 --> 00:29:45.869 projects. Again, I seem to be really focused 00:29:45.869 --> 00:29:47.730 around what's happening in the Yukon Territory. 00:29:48.949 --> 00:29:51.250 specifically around the community of Whitehorse 00:29:51.250 --> 00:29:54.589 and the citizens of Kwanlin Dunn. But, you know, 00:29:54.609 --> 00:29:56.349 some of the things that we've been talking about, 00:29:56.430 --> 00:29:58.630 like, again, as I was mentioning that the Northwest 00:29:58.630 --> 00:30:00.309 Health Deal, we weren't really a part of that. 00:30:00.390 --> 00:30:02.630 I guess our focus is really on trying to, again, 00:30:02.750 --> 00:30:05.529 develop Kwanlin Dunn lands. But we did manage 00:30:05.529 --> 00:30:07.849 to convince Northwest Health to actually, we 00:30:07.849 --> 00:30:09.710 built them a building, a 30 ,000 square foot, 00:30:09.789 --> 00:30:13.220 brand new three -story office tower. And that's 00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:15.339 their new headquarters now. That's actually situated 00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:18.859 in the center of Whitehorse on Conland Unsettlement 00:30:18.859 --> 00:30:22.359 Land, right? So that allows us to go and basically 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:24.900 reap the benefits of that parcel, right? Great. 00:30:25.299 --> 00:30:28.059 Thank you for your time. It's great. I remember 00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:31.559 when you came to Canada House, actually. And 00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:36.099 that was my first connection with meeting people 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:39.759 from Yukon in a long time. So it was very good 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:42.259 that you were able to come earlier to the summit. 00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:44.579 We appreciate it, both of you. And it's great 00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:46.440 to have this conversation. I can't wait to read 00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:50.200 the book. Thank you so much for having us. We're 00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:52.819 super honored and thrilled to be here. And it's 00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:55.339 because of our partnerships. And that was the 00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:57.599 other message I did. I really heard loud and 00:30:57.599 --> 00:30:59.420 clear, and I can't wait to talk about it at next 00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:02.220 year's summit, hopefully, is that the key to 00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:04.779 success for any business, no matter where they 00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:07.480 are or who they are, is that partnerships. When 00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:09.440 you work together, we can accomplish absolutely 00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:11.920 anything. And that's the bigger message, I think. 00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:16.799 And that we're not competing, we're complementing 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:20.700 each other. And it's a really wonderful time. 00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:22.900 I'm really thankful to be able to participate 00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:25.400 in that. And so thank Rob for inviting and thank 00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:27.920 you, Mark, for hosting us. And look forward to 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:31.640 next year's summit. Absolutely. Tiffany and Les 00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:36.619 Njelman, thank you. Thank you. Thank you to Tiffany 00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:39.339 Eckert -Merritt and Les Wilson for sharing their 00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:41.799 insights with us. and thank you for viewing and 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:44.640 listening. Be sure to share, subscribe, and leave 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:47.339 a review on your favorite podcast channel. Mark 00:31:47.339 --> 00:31:49.940 your calendars for the upcoming 2025 Summit taking 00:31:49.940 --> 00:31:52.819 place on the 10th of April. Thanks for listening 00:31:52.819 --> 00:31:54.700 to Drum Beats. Until next time.