NATIONAL MEETING 2025 | OCTOBER 7-9, 2025 | Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites & Conference Centre

First Nations Leading the Way:

Unleashing Our Collective Power

Conference Agenda:

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7th

5:00pm

| Registration Opens

6:00pm – 8:30pm

| Welcoming Reception

6:15 – Opening Remarks
– Emcee Kahnekahnekahtahk Stan Wesley Introduction
– Leadership Welcoming
HRH Zolani Mkiva

6:35 – Musical Performance by Adrian Sutherland
7:15 – Musical Performance by Shawnee Kish

Wednesday, OCTOBER 8th

7:30am – 8:30am

| Breakfast & Networking

8:20 – Francophone Housekeeping, Frank Brazeau

8:30am – 8:55am

| Welcoming and National Meeting Overview

-Prayer by Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Elder Melanee McAulay
-Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Welcoming by Ogimaa-Kwe (Chief) Claire Sault
-Emcee Kahnekahnekahtahk Stan Wesley housekeeping and review of agenda

9:00am – 9:15am

| Opening Address by National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak

9:20am – 10:10am

| Updates from the Institutions

Allan Claxton, Development Board Chair, First Nations Infrastructure Institute
Ernie Daniels, President/CEO, First Nations Finance Authority
Chief Robert Louie,
Chairman, First Nations Lands Advisory Board
Chief Derek Epp
, Special Initiatives Co-Chair, First Nations Tax Commission
Harold Calla, Executive Chair, First Nations Financial Management Board

10:15am – 11:00am

| North Star: Our Journey Toward Self-Determination

With FNTC Chief Commissioner C.T. Manny Jules

11:00am – 11:20am

| Morning Health Break

11:25am – 12:10pm

| Breakout Session #1

  • Blazing New Trails: Working Together to Achieve Our Collective Vision

With FNTC (Mainstage)

  • Setting Sail for Success: First Nations Reshaping the Mi’kma’ki Landscape

With FNFA (Markham Ballroom)

  • Building a First Nations-Led Land Governance Registry: FNLGR Progress Update

(Butternut/Holley)

  • Sipekne’katik Journey to FMS Certification

With FMB (Violet/Orchid Room)

12:10pm – 1:00pm

| Lunch Break

1:00pm – 1:45pm

| Breakout Session #2

  • Creative Optimization of FMA Tools to Support Infrastructure Development

With FNII (Mainstage)

  • Reclaiming Financial Health: A Workshop on the DMPPP and Community-Led Solutions

With FMB (Markham Ballroom)

  • Financial Statements Delay

With FMB (Butternut/Holly)

  • FRANCOPHONE: Valeur de la certification du SGF

(Violet/Orchid Room)

1:45pm – 1:55pm

| Break

2:00pm – 2:45pm

| Unlocking Infrastructure Potential: Creative Use of FMA Tools in Tsawout and Sumas First Nations

With FNII, Brian Jones, Jason Calla, Chief Abraham Pelkey, Greg Diemer

2:45pm – 3:05pm

| Afternoon Health Break

3:05pm – 3:50pm

| Unleashing Our Collective Power: Land Governance through the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management

With LAB, Andrew Beynon, Former Chief Dennis Meeches

3:50pm – 3:55pm

| Day 1 Closing

Summary of Day 1 and Preview of Day 2 by Emcee Kahnekahnekahtahk Stan Wesley

6:15pm – 6:30pm

| Networking Reception (Ballroom Foyer)

6:30pm – 9:30pm

| Evening Banquet and Entertainment

6:30 – Doors Open
6:35 – Elder Melanee McAulay Blessing of the Food and Buffet Dinner
7:10 – Dance Performance by Red Sky
7:40 – Games and Prizes
7:55 –Musical Performance by The Poets
9:25 – Closing

Thursday, OCTOBER 9TH

7:30am – 8:30am

| Breakfast & Networking

8:30am – 8:35am

| Welcoming to Day 2

-Emcee Kahnekahnekahtahk Stan Wesley reviews Agenda for the day

8:40am – 8:50am

| Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

The Honourable Rebecca Alty (VIDEO)

8:55am – 9:40am

| Increasing Access to Capital Through Financing of Special Purpose Vehicles

With FNFA Ernie Daniels, Chief Derek Epp

9:45am – 10:00am

| Break

10:00am – 10:45am

| Breakout Session #3

  • Government Business Enterprises in the modern economy: Challenges and Opportunities

(Mainstage)

  • Value of FMS Certification with Taykwa Tagamou Nation

(Markham Ballroom)

  • The Launch of the Indigenous Technical Advisory Group

(Butternut/Holly)

  • Indigenous Trusts – What we know and don’t know

(Violet/Orchid Room)

10:45am – 11:05am

| Morning Health Break

11:10am – 11:55am

| Breakout Session #4

  • Taksis: Our Collective Way of Helping Each Other

With FNTC (Mainstage)

  • Unlocking Indigenous Capital: The Case for a Nation-Led Development Finance Institution

(Markham Ballroom)

  • Planning Beyond the 7th Generation

With FMB (Butternut/Holly)

  • Indigenous Economic Council – Stronger Together

(Violet/Orchid Room)

12:00pm – 12:45pm

| Lunch Break

12:45pm – 1:15pm

| Voices of Tomorrow: Youth Leading the Way Panel

Dillon Johnson and Youth Delegates

1:20pm – 2:05pm

| International Relationships Panel

Ernie Daniels, Chief Robert Louie, Shayla Point, Dr. Andre Le Dressay

2:10pm – 2:40pm

| African Experiences on the Relevancy of Traditional Leadership in the Global Economy

HRH Zolani Mkiva

2:40pm – 3:00pm

| Afternoon Health Break

3:00pm – 3:45pm

| Looking Forward and Audience Questions

Allan Claxton, Development Board Chair, First Nations Infrastructure Institute
Ernie Daniels, President/CEO, First Nations Finance Authority
Chief Robert Louie, Chairman, First Nations Lands Advisory Board
William McCue, Commissioner, First Nations Tax Commission
Harold Calla, Executive Chair, First Nations Financial Management Board

3:50pm – 4:00pm

| Closing

-Conference Summary by Emcee Kahnekahnekahtahk Stan Wesley
-Prayer by Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Elder Melanee McAulay

Convention Hall
Mainstage, Level 2
740 seats in table rounds

Breakout A
Markham Ballroom, Level 1
220 seats in table rounds

Breakout B
Violet/Orchid Room, Level 2
Up to 80 seats

Breakout C
Butternut/Holly, Level 2
Up to 80 seats