Malcolm Macpherson on the new rules of nation-building – Resource Works

September 10, 2025

At the AFN assembly in Winnipeg, chiefs stressed pragmatism and partnership. The message is clear: growth and rights must move together, or projects will stall.

When Resource Works News reached Malcolm Macpherson in Winnipeg, he was on the floor of the Assembly of First Nations’ annual gathering. He didn’t pause. “The question here,” he said, “is how you turn all this heat and noise around nation-building into bankable partnerships and projects that respect rights, deliver returns, and actually get built.”

Macpherson, a Vancouver-based lawyer who heads the national Indigenous practice at Whitelaw Twining, is chair of the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase (IPSS) 2025. In Winnipeg, he was listening as chiefs and economic leaders described a moment that is more business focused than ever, yet firmly rooted in principle.

Read More: https://resourceworks.com/malcolm-macpherson-on-the-new-rules-of-nation-building/