First Nations leaders convene in Ottawa to press sovereign wealth fund and broader reconciliation agenda

First Nations representatives are set to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney and the country’s premiers in Ottawa, marking the first assembly of its kind since the early 2000s. Tensions have risen since Carney’s 2025 election, especially over legislation that fast-tracked major project development without adequate Indigenous consultation. In preparation, the Assembly of First Nations organized town halls and issued papers covering economic development, policing, employment and health.

A key proposal is a sovereign wealth fund, championed by the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, intended to build lasting community wealth. Chiefs such as Jeff Copenance warned that an agenda limited to resource development would neglect urgent issues like homelessness, addiction and suicide. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs will also attend, pressing for treaty-rights recognition, governance reforms and genuine partnership, echoing Grand Chief Kyra Wilson’s call for equal treatment. Additional concerns were raised about voting obstacles in Alberta and understaffed polling in the Siksika Nation.