A client meeting in Burns Lake was bumped at the last minute, so I did what years of travel have taught me to do: use the time well. I called a few local friends and ended up at the pub with two locals, Ron Windsor, former Chief of Tl’azt’en Nation, and Norman Alexis, who leads the Nation’s economic development arm. Ron and I have know each other for well over a decade, and we’ve been meaning to meet up in person for the past year. There’s nothing quite like sitting down face-to-face, talking candidly about community priorities and the practical barriers that still get in the way.
What struck me most was how forward-leaning the vision is in and around Tl’azt’en territory. Yes, the familiar resource opportunities are there: responsible minerals and energy development, and prospective pipeline corridors like PRGT intersecting traditional territories. But so are the next-generation plays: carbon sequestration, battery storage, and data centres. The Nation has brought in fibre-optic connectivity to serve the community, a seemingly simple step that becomes a game-changer when you’re courting digital infrastructure. Reliable, low-latency bandwidth, abundant clean power, a cooler climate, and available land mean remote communities can compete for high-skilled jobs that keep youth close to home. That’s “community-first” economic development in action.
Our conversation reminded me of the pain points that Nations I work with often encounter: regulatory churn, long timelines to develop partnerships, and uncertainty over who actually has the pen at critical decision moments.
I’ve seen versions of this problem across Canada over two decades of practice and travel. But the conversation also reminded me of a truth I wish more Canadians understood: the vast majority of Nations—call it 80 to 90 per cent, in my experience—are open to economic development when engagement is meaningful and outcomes are shared. Gridlock isn’t primarily about whether to develop; it’s about whether benefits, authority, and risk are shared fairly. Co-jurisdiction and co-management are how we can move from consultation fatigue to durable partnership.
Ron and Norman talked about growing own-source revenues to fund employment and social programs. That balance between prosperity and stewardship is the core of responsible resource development. It’s also where the most interesting innovation is happening: Indigenous-owned project vehicles, revenue-sharing formulas that scale with risk, joint environmental oversight, and training opportunities that start in high school and end in well-paid careers.
When those pieces are on the table, the conversation changes and projects can actually get built.
I wear four hats that make these dialogues especially meaningful. I serve on the Board of Resource Works Society, an organization committed to practical, inclusive conversations about Canada’s resource future. I also serve as the Governor of Stakeholder Engagement with the Canadian Energy Executive Association. In my day job, I’m National Chair of the Indigenous Practice at Whitelaw Twining, where I work with Nations and proponents to structure agreements that stand up in the boardroom, at community meetings, and, when necessary, in court. And I’m also the Chair of this year’s Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase, returning to Vancouver on November 13th, 2025, where dialogues like this one will happen on stage and in the room between industry, Indigenous peoples, and government officials. You should join us for that, so be sure to get your ticket now.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll share more about what’s working and what still needs fixing. For now, here’s the takeaway from that pub table in Fort St. James: Nations are, by and large, ready and willing to help advance major projects, provided that core needs are met. First, meaningful input into decision-making authority. Second, co-jurisdiction and co-management that give communities a genuine stake in outcomes. Third, regulatory processes that are clear, timely, and respectful of Indigenous governance. Fourth, reasonably proportional and meaningful sharing in the wealth creation from resource extractive projects and activities. Get those right, and the “new economy”, from energy and minerals to carbon solutions and data, will be built together, in the places that need it most.
Malcolm Macpherson- Board Member at Resource Works.
