First Nations must lead and govern investment of capital in projects on their lands

Press Release

ANISHINABEK NATION TERRITORY (April 28, 2026) – The Anishinabek Nation and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation acknowledge the Government of Canada’s recent announcement to establish a national Sovereign Wealth Fund as an important step toward advancing economic growth and long-term prosperity.

“This moment presents an opportunity to align national economic priorities with First Nation rights, economic reconciliation, and long-term investment certainty. Yesterday, Prime Minister Carney said, ‘This is our country, this is your future, and we are building it together.’ Nothing can be further from the truth as we have not seen any indication of building Canada together aside from empty words and hollow commitments,” states Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige. “We have seen no engagement from Canada or Ontario with respect to the First Nation Sovereign Wealth Fund or interest in partnering with our Nations to ensure our communities prosper from our resources within our territories.”

For over a year, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Chief Joe Miskokomon has championed the development of a First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund, a rights-holder-governed investment platform designed to pool capital, attract domestic and international investment, and deliver sustainable economic development opportunities. This work reflects a broader vision shared with the Anishinabek Nation: that First Nations must not only participate in, but lead and govern, the investment of capital in projects on their lands.

“We are not stakeholders, we are rights holders,” asserts Chief Miskokomon.

Investors should be aware that investments in First Nations are not only opportunities for financial returns but are also vital pathways to ensuring that projects within First Nation territories proceed with the full participation and consent of the First Nations themselves.

“Our collective goal of a First Nation Sovereign Wealth Fund is to create wealth for our Nations as we realize the immense wealth of our natural resources within our territories and ensure this balance sheet of assets can be invested in with private capital,” states Grand Council Chief Debassige. “Certainty ensures clarity for investment portfolios.”

The Anishinabek Nation and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation are advancing a coordinated approach that includes:

• The capitalization of a First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund;
• A coalition of First Nations, Indigenous financial institutions, and national organizations to advance a unified position on First Nation-controlled capital; and
• A strategic communications effort emphasizing that economic reconciliation requires Indigenous governance, investment certainty, and partnership—not duplication—of existing First Nations-led initiatives.

We are calling on the Government of Canada to:

1. To ensure the new Canada Sovereign Wealth Fund dedicates 50 per cent ownership provision for First Nations.
2. Partner with our First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund as the preferred investment vehicle for First Nations-led projects.
3. Ensure investments affecting First Nations lands and rights are aligned with Free, Prior and Informed Consent, Section 35, and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Investing through a First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund is not only an economic opportunity, but also a pathway to ensuring that development proceeds with the full participation, consent, and leadership of First Nations. This approach ensures certainty and will unlock long-term value, reduce project and investor risk, and deliver shared prosperity for First Nations and all Canadians.

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