The Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative (RRII) and First Peoples Worldwide (FPW) are excited to announce the launch of a Canadian chapter of the Investors & Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IIPWG).
Established in 2006, the IIPWG — also known by its gifted Oneida name Yethiya wihe’, meaning “We all give to them/We all invest in them” — is a broad coalition of Indigenous and allied investors, financial professionals, and community leaders and members who work to address challenges facing Indigenous Peoples globally, and to mainstream Indigenous Peoples’ rights in responsible investment.
The launch of IIPWG Canada is a response to feedback from the group’s own members expressing a desire for a dedicated time and space to address the growing amount of Canadian Indigenous and corporate issues being raised on calls.
“IIPWG Canada will provide meaningful and substantive exploration, discussion, and co-ordination on Canadian Indigenous rights, title, and interest issues in capital markets. It will also provide information, context, insights, and direction to allied investors, asset managers, and service providers.”
Joseph Bastien, SHARE
In 2024, RRII and other Canadian Indigenous and allied IIPWG participants noted that the frequency of Canadian issues being raised on the calls was increasing, but the time dedicated to those issues was insufficient to facilitate exploration, discussion and co-ordination.
This led to informal side-calls among interested participants, and eventually gave rise to discussion on the need for a dedicated, Canadian Indigenous-led and facilitated space within the FPW/IIPWG system.
Following these discussions, leadership from FPW and Indigenous advisory board members agreed to the creation of IIPWG Canada, which will be managed by RRII but maintain the operating principles of the IIPWG.
“IIPWG Canada will provide meaningful and substantive exploration, discussion, and co-ordination on Canadian Indigenous rights, title, and interest issues in capital markets,” said Joseph Bastien, Associate Director of Inclusive Economy at SHARE, the Shareholder Association for Research and Education, which operates RRII alongside NATOA, the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association.
“It will also provide information, context, insights, and direction to allied investors, asset managers and service providers.”
Get Involved
The first meeting of IIPWG Canada will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, with meetings to be held every two months.
The sessions will follow a similar format to IIPWG meetings, which serve as a clearinghouse for international information, news, events, joint action, and resources including investor briefs and toolkits. Attendees can expect to hear from a diversity of speakers, partake in group discussion, and learn about relevant issues and engagements.
IIPWG Canada will also report during the regular monthly IIPWG calls, providing updates on Canadian Indigenous rights, title, and interest issues, Canadian corporate engagements, and legal and policy issues and advocacy.
RRII encourages investors to join the first IIPWG Canada call on Nov. 6, and to share the gathering information with your networks.
For more information on RRII and IIPWG Canada, please contact Molly Damiani, Program Officer in Indigenous Reconciliation and Responsible Investment at SHARE.
