I'm the Director of Indigenous Relations for TC Energy in Canada. Very exciting day. We're very, very proud to be here. We will start off shortly here with the formal part of the ceremony and announcement today. But before we get started, I'd like to go over a few housekeeping items. In case of an emergency, please make your way to the exit. These are just the doors on either side here and at the back. The muster point is at Fifth Avenue Place or Sun Life Plaza in the main, just outside the main lobby there. I do ask that please turn off your devices to silent for the remainder of the program today. If you need any other support, please find the nearest TC Energy representative wearing name tags. Feel free to reach out to me, yellow shirt. If you need anything, we are here. With that, we will start the formal announcement here. Thank you. Much too close for removing words. Now, the media and everyone else in the room can turn your photographs back on and film the rest of the event. So, thank you, everyone online and in person for joining us here at the TC Energy Tower. What a great place on Treaty 7 territory. These lands have been home to First Nations people for countless generations. We also recognize the Métis people who also share a deep connection with these lands. I'd like to thank Chief Fox for getting us started, for the powerful blessing for the livestream again. Thank you for your wisdom. I want to just recognize some of our partners that are here as well. Of course, Danielle Smith, Premier. Thank you so much. Brian Jean, Minister of Energy. Then there's Chief Roy Fox, Makiinima. Lee Thom, good friend of mine. Councillor from Kikino Métis Settlement. Chana Martineau, Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation. I've been giving her a bad time, but she got it done. So, I think good job. And François Poirier, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Energy. And now I'd like to invite Premier Smith up to the podium to get us started with some very exciting news. Well, thank you, Minister Wilson, for that kind introduction. Thank you to Makiini ma, Chief Roy Fox, for the opening blessing and for starting us off in a good way. Thanks as well to TC Energy for hosting us as we take a historic step forward together. For far too long, Indigenous peoples were kept to the outsides of society and denied a fair share in Alberta's prosperity. Despite a desire to benefit from the resources located on their traditional lands, Indigenous communities have sometimes been shut out from participating in our resource economy, either by politicians or advocacy groups who claim to speak on their behalf or pretended to have their best interests at heart. Addressing these injustices is essential to reconciliation. Any solutions must be built on more than just words and wishes. They must include Indigenous peoples in the economy and at the ownership table, sitting as partners in projects and assets that create wealth and opportunity for generations to come. To enable that, our government has adopted a practical approach by creating the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, the first organization of its kind in Canada to provide loan guarantees for Indigenous communities to purchase equity in high-value money-making projects, including resource projects. The AIOC is designed to be a game changer for economic reconciliation. It's about ensuring Indigenous peoples are active at every level of the economy as owners, workers, and partners. It's working. In its first four years, the AIOC has provided more than CAD 680 million in loan guarantees to 42 Indigenous communities. We recently tripled the AIOC's loan guarantee capacity to CAD 3 billion so that even more opportunities can be pursued. We did so because even though vocal interests claim to be speaking for all Indigenous communities, we know from our many ongoing efforts that many communities support our energy industry and want to be part of its future. They want to partner with it. They view it as a path to jobs for their children and generational prosperity for their communities. The AIOC and its loan guarantees help make that partnership with the energy industry happen. It is a successful Alberta-made solution that other provinces and the federal government are beginning to emulate. I'm happy to confirm that we're putting this extra capacity to good use. Thanks to a CAD 1 billion loan backstop, the AIOC is driving the single largest Indigenous equity transaction ever undertaken in Canada. Pending the work in the upcoming weeks, it will involve multiple Indigenous communities purchasing an equity stake in the critical NGTL System and Foothills pipeline assets from TC Energy. We're talking about the heartbeat of Alberta's natural gas industry, receiving and moving 75% of all natural gas from our world-class Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It's a network of 25,000 kilometers of pipe that delivers gas to commercial, residential, and industrial consumers all over the province, not to mention its role in supplying gas to the Canadian Mainline, which delivers fuel to millions of Canadians across the country. Owning part of this premier energy asset will create significant new revenue streams for every single community that signs on. We expect a lot of them to do so. An unprecedented number of Indigenous communities from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia have already expressed their interest in being a part of this partnership. This is a clear demonstration that many Indigenous people support our energy industry and want to be part of it. Once it's finalized, it will bring each of these communities tremendous benefits that will last for generations. They will enjoy financial returns that they can use to deliver a great quality of life to all of their members. They will also become part owners of the infrastructure that is so critical to the continent's energy security. After a long history of exclusion, they're moving straight to the heart of Alberta's economy. I want to thank all of the partners involved in this project for working tirelessly to hammer out the details and for delivering incredibly positive results. This is reconciliation action, and I'm proud that Alberta is leading the way. I hope that the rest of Canada follows suit and does just as much to open up the resource industry to Indigenous peoples. We all depend on it, and we should all share in its jobs growth and the returns it provides. Now, I'd like to hand things back over to Minister Rick Wilson. Thank you, Premier. Thank you so much for your ongoing support. It's just, you're my hero. I'm just thrilled. The AIOC continues to change the game when it comes to economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This historic announcement wouldn't be possible without the AIOC. So, who better to tell us more than the CEO of the AIOC, Chana Martineau. Thank you, Minister Wilson, and thank you, Premier Smith, Minister Jean, François for hosting us today. Tansi, and good afternoon, everyone. Welcome. I want to thank Chief Roy Fox for the blessing earlier. Your words and your presence inspire us. Before we delve into today's momentous announcement, I want to take a moment to extend my deepest condolences to the residents of Jasper and the surrounding areas. The recent wildfire has brought profound loss of property, landscape, and wildlife. We grieve with you. Our hearts go out also to the Chipewyan Prairie First Nation and Little Red River Cree Nation, who faced the harrowing experience of evacuation this past Friday due to the wildfires in Northern Alberta. Our prayers are with all of those impacted by these tragic events. Let's turn now to talk about this fantastic news that we are here to share finally. This has really been a tremendous amount of work in the making. So, today, we stand at an inflection point, one that redefines the landscape of Economic Reconciliation and sets a precedent on the global stage. We are here to celebrate a landmark achievement, one that signifies a new chapter in our shared journey towards Indigenous economic equity and prosperity. The Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation is thrilled to announce a CAD 1 billion loan guarantee to support what will be the largest equity partnership in history. This partnership, involving up to 72 First Nations and Métis groups from Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, is the first cross-jurisdictional partnership of its kind and the largest Indigenous loan guarantee ever issued in Canada. This deal is more than a mere financial transaction. It is a pivotal step towards ensuring that Indigenous communities are at the forefront of our economic landscape and with a true seat at the table. Since AIOC's inception in 2019, our model has consistently demonstrated that loan guarantees and Indigenous equity partnerships are powerful catalysts for economic reconciliation. Our program places Indigenous communities at the heart of success, driving empowerment and providing the resources to invest in land, facilities, programs, and further economic ventures. Each engagement fundamentally transforms the participants, equipping them with knowledge, financial resources, and greater acumen. Together, we are stronger. A heartfelt thank you to Premier Smith, Minister Wilson, Minister Jean, and the entire government of Alberta for your tremendous support of our program. Your commitment has been invaluable. I want to thank you for your visionary leadership in establishing AIOC, along with that unwavering commitment to Indigenous economic reconciliation. Your steadfast support has been crucial in achieving this milestone and many more, and I can't thank you enough. This monumental step, the one we are announcing today, is a testament to the remarkable strength and vision of the Indigenous Consortium. Your leadership and tenacity have made this unprecedented opportunity possible, and it is a privilege to support your nations and your communities as you take this historic leap forward. I'm so happy to see so many members of the Consortium Committee here today. I see Tyler Letendre in the back, Chief Roy Fox, and Councilor Lee Thom. I think GM Rob Thomas and Economic Development Advisor Kyle Martin are in the crowd as well. They're all here representing the Consortium Committee. I want to thank each and every one of the Consortium Committee members for your dedication and tireless commitment, your vision for a better future. Each one of you has been critical to bringing this transaction forward to get us to this point. A special thank you to Chief Isaac Twin of the Sawridge First Nation for chairing the Consortium Committee. I want to extend our sincere thanks and congratulations to François Poirier and the entire team at TC Energy for your critical role in advancing this meaningful partnership. Your leadership is instrumental in shaping a brighter future where Indigenous communities lead and thrive in the natural resource sector and the broader Canadian economy. Thank you for hosting today's historic announcement as well. The benefits from these partnerships extend far beyond the First Nations and Métis communities. Corporate partners like TC Energy and others gain a profound understanding of Indigenous values, wisdom. It fosters deeper and more meaningful relationships with their neighboring communities. The economic impacts ripple outward. Corporations and communities are stronger for these partnerships, driving positive momentum for all. This is the true embodiment of reconciliation action, as we like to call it in Alberta. Through the AIOC, Alberta is leading the way in Canada, and we are showing the entire world a better way. We are setting the benchmark globally by reshaping the paradigm of Indigenous economic participation, proving that what once was thought to be impossible can be a reality. The world is watching and learning from our experience, and let's keep showing them a better, more inclusive path forward. The historic significance of this transaction cannot be overstated. We are propelling our country toward a future of unprecedented growth, innovation, and shared success. Let us celebrate this achievement as a profound milestone for all of us. I believe that we will look back at these years as a powerful time, positive change for our country. So, congratulations to the Indigenous Consortium, TC Energy, and the Government of Alberta. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been a part of this extraordinary journey. We're not quite done yet, but we are almost there. Together, we are forging a legacy of prosperity and collaboration for generations to come. Thank you, Chana. I know I put a lot of pressure on you, but it was easy, anybody could do it. So, thank you so much. Now, I'd like to call up Chief Fox, my good friend, Makiinima. Keskkonna-aktsiamaksu maksumaksu kaakstaki, on. Mainustaja on 100 kohta peamaa kohta, kus 100 piirjoob eest suhtes ka muukseid pojapidi, kui 90 maast sõnna noorusikaks kaksiks. We extend our gratitude to François Poirier of TC Energy and your company, as well as to Premier Smith, Government of Alberta, and of course, AIOC. We thank you for giving us the opportunity to directly participate in the energy sector in Western Canada. Sometimes, sometimes Indigenous governments can reach agreement with the business sector, with the energy sector, as well as other governments, such as provincial governments. It doesn't happen all the time. In this case, this is a perfect example, a perfect example, a tangible example of what can happen when a provincial government agrees with Indigenous governments, whether they are First Nations or Métis, as well as with industry, to really begin to take advantage of good business opportunities. The conventional oil and gas sector is very much alive in Canada. It will remain with us for a long time. We have engaged with companies before, whether it's with Tamarack or other companies, in trying to become active participants on the business side of the development of our natural resources. So, this is a great example. We've only done that a few times. Once was in the agricultural sector. So, I am very grateful as well to the members of the negotiating team. I think some of you are here, chiefs, representatives from the Métis settlements, and those of our experts that are with us. Thank you for the good work that you have done with the negotiators of TC Energy, with the negotiators of AIOC, and you've come up with a truly tangible opportunity for all of us to participate in the provincial government of Alberta, the TC Energy of Canada, and of course, the Indigenous leadership of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. So, I know that there is still more work to be done, still more work to be done. Hopefully, we will be able to wrap things up within a month, I think, and we can then truly begin to say that we are working with other governments. We are working with an important industry that will remain strong, at least in Western Canada, and that we are working together for the benefit of those that we represent. So, thank you to everyone for the good work. Done. Thank you so much, Chief Fox. Now, I'd like to invite Councilor Lee Thom up to provide a few words. Well, first of all, what I'm going to do is decide what voice I'm going to use, whether it's my outside voice or my inside voice. And I'm going to put myself on a timer because I've been known to talk too much. So, here we go. Not that my friend did, but I do, and I admit it. First of all, good afternoon, everyone. What I'd like to do is to acknowledge that we're here as guests on the Treaty 7 Territory, the land of my good friend, Mr. Makiinima, and the homeland of the Métis people of Alberta. My name is Lee Thom, and I'm from the Kikino Métis Settlement. I'm proud to be here today on behalf of the eight land-based Métis settlements of Alberta and the two credible assertions of Alberta in Fort McKay and Lac Ste. Anne Métis. Sorry, please. First of all, what I want to say, it's been a long road here, and I'm so proud to be here today. And I'm just saying wow as I look at the landscape of this beautiful land, and I look at the faces in this crowd, and I start to get comfortable in my speaking, and the passion's going to spill out in three ways. And I'm honored, I'm humbled, and I'm proud to be here as a Métis man on behalf of the people of the Métis settlements of Alberta. And I really appreciate the time to speak here, and I'll go right into my speech. I'm honored and humbled to be here today in front of you all to recognize and celebrate the path forward to true economic reconciliation as we walk as Western Canadians together in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, hand in hand on a true path to economic reconciliation. United, we have come to a place where we created a partnership that not only prioritizes our needs in our Indigenous communities, but builds long-lasting investments into our communities that will extend generations far beyond mine and yours. Long-lasting generations to come. I'm proud to be here on this Treaty 7 Territory as a guest, as one nation, a First Nation, Métis provincial governments, and the energy sector in TC. This monumental partnership empowers us as Indigenous people to invest into our communities and secure commitments that our voices are shared as we shape this Western Canadian resource landscape. It's a truly proud day for me, and I'll go into a few thank yous. If I forget you, please, I apologize. We'll talk about it after. I want to thank, first of all, the Indigenous Consortium. The Indigenous Consortium that sat for five months and worked countless hours. I'll get past the names and recognize Treaty 6, Treaty 7, Treaty 8, the eight Métis settlements Alberta, and the two credible assertion communities. My timer. Sorry, I can edit that out. I just need 30 seconds. I also want to thank, of course, Madame Premier. We've met before a few times. I seem to be following you around, and I always end up beside you somewhere and doing a jig. I got it on video, by the way. You can edit that out too. But AIOC, Chana, some of the work you've done in your group, and of course, BLG, I don't know if they're here today, but without good lawyers and good TD advisors, things like this aren't possible. And of course, the TC Energy team, IR Corporate, everybody in this room who's proud today in this beautiful landscape you have, we can stand here together united as First Nations, Métis, and industry, and we can stand on one path. And I'm so proud. And of course, Axxcelus, the group that kept us in line, the group that kept us updated. And of course, my last thank you to my Métis Settlements General Council communities, and the eight settlements of Alberta that put their faith in me to negotiate on behalf of our landscape and our lands in Alberta. Thank you very much. I stand here humbled and proud. It takes a dedicated, passionate team to negotiate this big of a deal. I truly am honored to be part of this positive generational impact that will have Indigenous people for many years to come. Beneficial ownership is the only way, and it's the new way. We are united today, and we are united moving forward. Thank you. I humbly thank you, everyone, for having me. Thank you over to Chana. Thank you so much, Lee. He's a great leader in this community. I just love him. Now, I'd like to invite François Poirier, President and CEO of TC Energy, to say a few words. I really appreciate the passion, Councillor. It's very inspiring, actually. Look, I want to extend our company's deepest sympathies to the residents and the community of Jasper who've been displaced and impacted by the wildfires. We closely monitor and provide support through our TC Energy Build Strong community giving program. The community remains at the forefront of our thoughts during this devastating time. Now, with community top of mind for all Canadians during wildfire season, community is at the heart of what we are discussing here today. Today's announcement represents an important step in the journey that is long overdue: Indigenous equity ownership in Canada's most important energy infrastructure. Indigenous ownership, I'll put it simply, Indigenous ownership is the path to a more prosperous nation. This partnership, with an enterprise value of CAD 1.65 billion, creates an opportunity for many Indigenous communities across Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan to acquire an ownership interest in the NGTL and Foothills pipeline assets. It would not be possible without the world-leading Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation created by the visionary government of Alberta. Careful for the twist here. L'annonce d'aujourd'hui représente une étape déterminante dans un parcours qui n'a que trop tardé la participation autochtone dans les capitaux propres de l'infrastructure énergétique la plus importante au Canada. Le droit de propriété autochtone est la solution pour une nation plus prospère. Ce partenariat permettra à plusieurs communautés autochtones de l'Alberta, de la Colombie-Britannique et de la Saskatchewan d'acquérir ensemble une participation dans les actifs des réseaux de gazoducs de NGTL et Foothills. Cela n'aurait pas été possible sans the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, une société de renommée mondiale mise sur pied par le gouvernement de l'Alberta. Thank you, Chana. Thank you for your leadership and being a strong advocate for Indigenous ownership and participation. I want to personally thank Premier Smith, Minister Jean and Minister—excuse me, Minister Jean—I'm sorry, and Minister Wilson for being here and for their visionary leadership and support of this partnership. Through the AIOC, the government of Alberta has set the standard for the rest of Canada when it comes to creating multi-generational prosperity for Indigenous communities. It's been a privilege for us to be part of this historic transaction that demonstrates Indigenous people want to be part of the energy industry and its bright future. I extend my sincere gratitude to our partners and members of the Consortium Committee for your ongoing collaboration, dedication, and support to bring us to today's milestone. Thank you, Makiinima, Chief Roy Fox. Thank you of the Blood Tribe, and thank you, Councillor Thom, Kikino Métis Settlement on behalf of the Consortium Committee. I'm humbled and moved by this historic moment. It's an example of what's achievable when Indigenous communities, government, and industry come together. We, as a company, are on a decades-long journey of building strong relationships with Indigenous communities. That requires authentic connection and a genuine openness to feedback and a commitment to improving. Many Indigenous leaders across Canada, including our Indigenous Advisory Council, have told us that ownership can have a profound impact. We've been told that the best projects are those that are built by local Indigenous employees using Indigenous services and with Indigenous ownership. We heard you. This partnership sets a historic precedent that will change how we come together and share in Canada's resource economy. Being co-owners of the most important energy infrastructure in the company, infrastructure that drove the birth and growth of the natural gas industry that's already built, already generating cash, that fundamentally connects us and is critical to our economy. This is monumental. Co-ownership on these assets represents the tremendous value we know Indigenous partners bring to the table as owners. So we're excited to become partners. We will invest together to bring Canada's energy infrastructure and share the wealth that is generated. Dans l'économie des ressources du Canada, la propriété autochtone devrait être monnaie courante. C'est la meilleure façon pour les industries du pays de poursuivre leur exploitation et d'assurer leur croissance. Imaginez tout ce que nous, le Canada, notre industrie et nous, TC Energy, aurions pu accomplir si nous avions adopté une approche comme celle-ci il y a quelques décennies. Tout ce que nous aurions pu construire ensemble, ainsi que les avantages qu'en auraient retiré les communautés autochtones. Aujourd'hui, nous traçons un nouveau chemin. Le droit de propriété autochtone est la solution pour une nation plus prospère. Indigenous ownership in Canada's resource economy should be commonplace. It is the best way for industries across the nation to continue to operate and grow. Imagine if we, Canada, our industry, our company, TC Energy, had taken this approach decades ago. Imagine how much we could have gotten done, how much we could have built together, and how many benefits would have been created for Indigenous communities. Today, we changed that path. Indigenous ownership is the path to a more prosperous nation. Thank you. Thank you so much, François. Madam Many Talents, you get to speak in a little Blackfoot now, some Cree, some Stony Nakota, some Diné. There's so many languages in Alberta, so thank you for sharing that with us. Fantastic news, everybody. Groundbreaking, and it's going to be so impactful for the communities. Now, I'd like to thank all of our speakers today. Without their tireless effort, everyone involved, this landmark deal would not have been possible. So I'll turn things over to Sam. He's going to moderate the media Q&A. And thanks again, everybody, for joining us, especially so much press. Thank you so much. Thank you. We'll now start our media Q&A portion. We'll be taking one question and one follow-up. Please make sure to state your name and outlet before asking your question. If you could address it to who is best, that would also be great. We'll start off here in the room before making our way to the phones. First up, the mic. Cool. Thanks, Em. Emma Graney with The Globe and Mail. Premier, this is not a question for you. So lucky you. This is probably for Ms. Martineau or Chief. Obviously, there are 72 separate communities that you've brought to the table here. I'm curious what the challenges were to try and get so many communities to come together and actually agree and what you see as a challenge opportunity because this still has to go through and get voted, given the okay, right, by different communities. So can you speak to that a little bit, please? Thank you very much for that question. Chief, would you like to answer first? Yeah, sure. Maybe I'll start, but what I'll say is the AIOC has built a process around this, so we recommend and we help. Our organization acts as a bridge between the Indigenous communities and the corporate development teams, and we help to bring both sides together. The Indigenous communities represented a Consortium Committee to represent them. Typically, that's based on geography, but in the case of the Métis settlements, it can be among like-mindedness and common interests. Then that group was then elected to carry forward the interests on behalf of the whole and act as a negotiating team. The AIOC team has been with this process right from the beginning. So I'll turn it over to Councilor Lee Thom. Thank you for the question. However, you'll have to forgive me. Now that I'm getting a little older, I have problems with my hearing and with my eyesight and something else I can't quite remember. So anyways, we have faced many challenges whenever Indigenous people, Indigenous businesses want to be more actively involved in the various business sectors that are here. And so in this case, not only are we facing those basic barriers that have impeded our full business participation in developing our resources, such as capacity, such as capacity and expertise, a lack of access to capital is another barrier that has prevented us. And of course, sometimes we don't always see eye to eye with other governments and their leaders, but that's good. It makes us try harder. And sometimes we don't always see eye to eye with our own, but we continue. We continue because if there's one thing that brings people together, that thing is having a good business opportunity before you. I think that's very key because we all realize this project is beneficial to everyone involved: the Indigenous people, the First Nations people, the Métis people, TC Energy, Government of Alberta. So I think we have tried to keep that in perspective in the work. But mind you, our negotiating committee did a lot of hard work. They were so determined to make this a success. Yes, they had arguments. Yes, I had arguments with some of them. But that's part of what it is that we do in ensuring that a very beneficial outcome happens when you have trust, determination, and the sincerity to make a go of it. We've overcome those types of barriers. As Indians, First Nations business people, we have many barriers, but we're dealing with them. Thanks to the Government of Alberta, they have provided us this opportunity where we can get access to capital. Before that happens, we still have to ensure that whatever project that we bring to the forefront has merit, has good business merit to it, and this one has. Thank you. Great. Thank you so much for that. My follow-up, I'm sorry to get you out of your seat, Mr. Poirier, but it's actually for TC Energy. It's for you. Can I? Oh, I'm so sorry. Yes. Sorry. No, no, no, no trouble. I just, you know what, something keyed my mind when you asked the question about a barrier. I got excited about the answer because it adds to my speech before. As you can tell, I'm more calm now. I think the biggest barrier about dealing with Métis communities and First Nations communities on these transactions is understanding each other's demographics. There's a long history behind the Métis settlements of Alberta that comes from 1990 and further back to 1938. The Métis settlements of Alberta are land-based Métis unique to Canada and unique to Alberta and unique to the world. I'm excited to be here on behalf of a land-based Indigenous community and the recognition we've been getting in past transactions and future transactions. I think, you know what, short answer is understanding each other. The friendships that we've built with energy, governments, and my good friend, Mr. Makiinima, now will continue in a better understanding for the future, together united, one path, one goal. Thank you. Thank you very much for that. Sorry about not seeing you before. So Mr. Poirier, obviously, TC Energy right now, it does have a ton of debt, and you've got your pledge to shareholders to sell off, what, $3 billion worth of assets. So can you speak to a little bit about the, I guess, meaningful partnership here versus your need to pay down that debt and your promise to shareholders to do so? Thank you for the question, Emma. And geez, it's nice when you can kill two birds with one stone. We've been looking for years to find an opportunity to invite in our Indigenous rights holders and partners to become owners of some of our infrastructure. So when the AIOC program came to be, we started studying it to understand it. And we quickly realized that it would be an opportunity for us to achieve two objectives. First is accelerate our reconciliation with Indigenous communities. And second, to achieve some of our other corporate objectives like reducing debt. I'll be honest with you. We have $100 billion of assets. We could have picked any number of assets to reduce debt. This is far more meaningful, but it's not because of the debt reduction aspect. It's because as partners going forward, partners share information. We'll be developing projects together. As partners, our Indigenous partners will be getting a very early look at every project we're developing and give us advice as to how to do things right, how to do things well. So we're a learning organization. We're going to view this as an opportunity to learn. If it accomplishes a corporate objective at the same time, all the better. Thank you. Hi. Shaun Polczer of Western Standard. This one's for the Premier. I know that AIOC is something that's really near and dear to you. Just want to say congratulations. But you also know Western Standard readers. So how do I go back and convince them of the benefits that this truly is a good deal for everybody? Well, look, I mean, one of the things that is so attractive about this loan guarantee program and the way that Chana and her team approach investments is, and this is important to us because we want to invest in projects that are going to develop a great revenue stream for all of the partners, but also carry very limited risk of default to the taxpayers. The issue that we find in First Nations and Métis settlement communities is that they don't have the ability to go to the bank on their own to negotiate a deal like this just because of the unique ownership, communal ownership structure that they have on the nation. That was, I think, the foundational insight that the department had in advancing this program is that with us being able to use our ability to guarantee a loan, it enables these kinds of purchases of equity ownership. So I would say that taxpayers should rest assured that the diligent work that is being done limits the taxpayer liability to a very tiny, tiny risk, but the benefit is enormous. I know that before this deal came through, I was talking about the $680 million in loan guarantees. We had over seven projects that would deliver $1.2 billion worth of revenue to the nations that had signed on. I told Chana I'm going to need her to recalibrate what that new number is going to be. You can imagine it's going to be just a substantial amount of revenues to each community that they can then use for their own priorities. I just think it's a win all the way around. And. Can I just add something? Thank you, Premier, for that. And I just want to add really how I foundationally look at these projects. I'm a finance person by background. I'm also First Nations. And I want to share a little bit with all of you how I think these kinds of transactions I used to speak about making it a better Alberta, but it's now making a better Western Canada. And really, these are driving economic activity into areas that aren't traditional economic powerhouses. So when you think about your readers in, let's talk about rural Alberta, if you now have more economic development going on in Kikino Métis, Whitefish, Goodfish Lake First Nation, I really encourage you to look at the video on our website. They talk about building an arena. I want you to think about what an arena means for a community that hasn't had one. It means that there's a healthy place for youth to go and develop sport. We all know that that association with healthy activities drives a healthier community and healthier individuals. It drives economic opportunities. They can host tournaments. All of the surrounding communities benefit from that arena. It drives jobs right from the construction, procurement, even the jobs to concession stands, running them, that all drives productivity into regions that haven't had that. That is generations of positive change. I want you to multiply that 72 times over through this transaction and think about the positive impact on all of the neighboring communities and all of the communities that your readers live in. More economic impact provides. Minister Wilson talks about having hope for a positive future that makes for a better Alberta and a stronger Canada. Thank you. Recently, there's been a lot of criticism of Parks Canada going back to the Jasper Fire. I'm just wondering if you think that criticism is warranted and whether or not enough was done, what could be done in the future to prevent these kinds of things from happening again. Well, look, I mean, we have to pay attention to what the scientists are telling us and what the scientists have been telling us for years. I've been reading the stories along with you, especially after the Pine Beetle kill and the fact that we have aging forests and the type of forestry that we have was created by fire. So when you have forests that are 80 or 100 years old, there's only a few things that are going to happen. You either mechanically remove that fuel or you do prescribed burns to remove that fuel or nature will remove that fuel for you. We are very conscious of the fact that we have a lot of forest that we manage on our Crown lands. So that's why I asked Todd Loewen to take a look at the aging of our forest stands and see if we can develop a better way of managing that fuel. On a go-forward, we have asked the federal government, and they've agreed that we would be in Unified Command, not only through this current crisis, but also through the recovery. I think that's going to include us asking some of those hard questions about what do we do to make sure that the fuel is removed in a way that makes sense for the age of the forest. So it's an ongoing discussion. That being said, on the day that the fire hit Jasper, we have to remember what the firefighters were facing. It was a wall of fire that was 300-400 ft high. It was 2 km long. There was a fire on the north end of town and the south end of town that created the kind of climatic conditions where they were pulling the wind at 125 kilometers an hour, which they had not seen before. So when you think of, is there anything that that forest firefighting crew could have done in those specific circumstances, I think by the time it got to that point, they did the best they could. Kudos to the structural firefighters who stayed behind fighting the fires, even though some of them lost their own homes, to make sure that they could protect as much of the town as they did. Once you get to that situation, you have to make sure that you're taking decisions that are going to preserve life and preserve, and they made a decision that as well to preserve as much property as they could. I think we should congratulate the firefighters on what they did there. Hi there. Sarah Offin with Global News. This question is for Chief Roy or Councillor Thom. Members of this agreement are going to be invited to join TC Energy? Oh, sorry. You need to speak up a bit. Oh, yes, sorry. So members of this agreement, it said, are going to be invited to TC Energy's Indigenous Advisory Council. What influence do you hope that those members are going to bring to TC Energy? What influence do you hope that they'll have? And perhaps what changes would you like to see or what's been missing in the past? Well, already members of the consortium committee and, of course, our negotiators are already providing a better insight on our perspectives when it comes to engaging in business partnerships. One of the key factors that we agree on, whether you're Indigenous, Canadian, American, Japanese, or other, is the availability of a good business deal. I've made business deals with the second largest trading house in the world, the Sumitomo Group, about 30 years ago with respect to one of our production, processing, and marketing arrangements where we export one of our agricultural products. So it's the Japanese and ourselves. We have certain qualities that we share. Trustworthiness is such a big factor in doing a good business deal. And that is what our consortium committee, that is what our inclusion into the mix will bring, hopefully. We will begin to deal with matters in a trustworthy way. Too long, industry and Indigenous people have been fighting. I think the more we know about each other will only produce a better understanding and hopefully a more trustworthy atmosphere. I hope I've tried to answer your question. Well put. Thank you. Oh, sorry. Please. So, I, being on the Consortium Committee full-time from the beginning to now, understand that we are allocated one position from our consortium. And what benefit it brings to the Indigenous Advisory Committee for TC is the knowledge of this deal. And that's the key, right? So, the knowledge of how we came to where we are today and what steps, what monumental stages we came to, targets. And that, I think, is a good thing. That's a huge benefit for TC's Advisory Committee. Thank you, Councillor Thom. Second question for the Premier, please. And I apologize. It's slightly off topic. I know that happening behind closed doors right now in the city of Calgary, there's discussions about possible cost overruns with the Green Line. Will your government commit to funding the Green Line, even if the scope changes, to mitigate those cost overruns? We have agreed to fund the Green Line to the tune of CAD 1.53 billion. We have asked them if they are going to go beyond that to rescope the project. We think there's an opportunity to do that with the new events district as well as with the potential to integrate into City Hall. So what our hope would be is that they would be realistic about what the costs are going to look like and make sure that they build the maximum length so that it reaches into the maximum number of communities. We have conveyed to them that our CAD 1.53 billion investment is firm. Hey, Timm Bruch with CTV. I'll start with you because you're up there. Sure. We've seen more, I guess, participation when it comes to the economy throughout Indigenous communities as of late. It mainly seems to be focused on energy, right? We have this announcement today, Trans Mountain and Enbridge agreements. Would you like to see that kind of broaden its scope at all? And if so, in what direction would you like to see that go? Well, I certainly would get Minister Wilson to speak to that because I know we expanded when we increased the loan guarantee to CAD 3 billion. We expanded out the number of sectors that would be available. The main thing that we've been looking for are deals that are already in operation, already earning a good revenue stream, already a proven project. That then not only guarantees the revenue stream for nations and settlements, but it also guarantees or provides minimal risk to taxpayers. So those are the unique kinds of projects that we're looking at. But I'll turn it over to Minister Wilson to tell you the kind of things they're looking at. Now, we're open to other investments: agriculture, forestry, renewable projects. We've got several of those already in the works. One other area I'm really looking at is getting into tourism. I think it really fits in well with Indigenous communities. And we've had some studies done that one in three people coming to Alberta wants to have an Indigenous experience when they come here. So I think there's a real opportunity there. We're also looking at transportation projects, wireless. So there's lots of other opportunities out there. But when we brought Chana on board, I did tell her that get lots of projects, but don't lose a nickel. So she's very frugal, and she's making sure that they're all good projects. And our energy projects are the ones that tend to make the most sense and the most dollars. But we are open to other projects, and I know they are reviewing some at the time. Thank you. Chief Fox, I have a question for you. Go ahead. Just in a broad sense, in your mind, how important is economic self-determination to reconciliation? Well, let me begin by saying that most, many of us have all, for many years, we've talked about sovereignty, okay? But you really can't have true sovereignty until you have financial sovereignty, until you can garner your own source of funding. Business is the best way to do that. That's why we've engaged in business agreements, business partnerships with the Japanese, the South Koreans, the Emirates, the Saudis, my cousins, the British, my relatives, the Irish, and the Americans. We have built an industry wherein we are the largest irrigation farm in Canada. We have a company that was developed with the help of both governments, the federal and the provincial government, many years ago, and involvement with others in that particular sector. We've come to realize that, yes, it's good that other governments are talking about reconciliation. But when that process started a few years ago, it didn't really mean much to us. There was nothing tangible that went with the crocodile tears, if I may say so. So in this case, the Alberta government, the previous leader, Premier Smith's, the previous Premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney, started this organization. It was more narrow than what it is now. It really just talked about Indigenous people getting involved in the energy sector, more so in the conventional energy sector. Now, as mentioned, it's gone into other business sectors: agriculture, tourism, manufacturing. So that is so important when other governments talk about reconciliation. So important to back up those words. And in this case, this is what has happened. It was such a good thing that the former Premier Kenney started that we made him an honorary member of the Kainai Chieftainship yesterday at a very sacred ceremony at Aako'ka'tssin. Some people call Aako'ka'tssin the Sun Dance. But he was inducted into this society, which is 106 years old, and it is there to honor those people who have done good, not just for Kainai or Aako'ka'tssin or Blood Tribe, all Indigenous people, all Albertans, all Canadians, all North Americans, all people of the world. So they've led the way. I think Alberta continues to lead the way. I hope it doesn't sound too much like I'm bragging up Alberta, but I'm using it for negotiating points on another matter. We'll take one last question from the floor here before heading to the phones. J'aimerais savoir à quel point c'est important de conclure cette entente ici avec les Premières Nations qui sont ici dans votre organisation? Très important. Comme j'ai remarqué dans la présentation, le droit de propriété autochtone est essentiel à la prospérité du Canada. Nous avons beaucoup à apprendre en tant qu'organisation, en tant qu'industrie, comment bien gérer nos actifs, comment respecter les traditions des communautés qui sont impactées par nos projets. Alors ceci est une addition. Non seulement les communautés ont le droit de participer dans nos processus réglementaires, maintenant, comme partenaires, ils auront l'habileté de nous donner des conseils tout au début du développement de nos projets pour s'assurer que quand on les développe, on les développe de la bonne façon. Ma deuxième question est: comment est-ce que ce partenariat vous aide à réduire? Vous avez parlé tantôt du fait que vous avez tué un oiseau avec la même pierre. Mais j'aimerais savoir comment est-ce que ce projet vous aide à réduire votre dette de façon générale. De façon générale, nous allons, avec la transaction, obtenir, avant les coûts, etc., CAD 1 milliard de dollars. Nous allons réduire notre dette par une quantité comparable. Et ce que nous voulons offrir à nos actionnaires, c'est un bilan qui est très fort pour nous permettre de continuer à investir dans le secteur énergétique. Thank you. We have time for two more questions. We're going to head to the phones here. Operator, could you put through our first caller, please? First question from Chris Varcoe at Calgary Herald. Please go ahead. Hi. This is a question for Chief Fox and Councillor Thom. Does this agreement provide the consortium partnership with a template for other energy project deals, such as trying to acquire a stake in the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion? Is that something that would interest the consortium? I think that interest has been shown by other Aboriginal groups, other Aboriginal governments at the outset. When this opportunity was introduced to us in mid-January, I think mainly our sights were set primarily on this project, on the Project Aspen. And really, I have not contemplated what other projects that perhaps we could become involved in. That is up to the First Nations leadership. That is up to the Métis leadership. That is up to the Indigenous leadership. However, we still carry on with more specific partnerships in the energy sector, both in oil and gas, where we have become active participants in the business side of oil and gas rather than just being passive royalty receivers. We've engaged on become part owners of some of those operations. As well, we have gone into alternative energy projects. We are part owners of the Cypress Wind Energy, Cypress Hills, and Medicine Hat that just recently came on to production last year and produces 240 MW of wind power to the grid. As well, we are working on our own Binakwim wind project situated right on our reserve at our irrigation project. And that one will produce 300 MW, not so much to the grid, but to merchant. The merchant kind of marketing is a new way of marketing electricity. We'll still use the grid, and we're developing that. So individually, many of the Indigenous governments and their business entities are engaged in energy projects, especially in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. And so I don't know. We really have not discussed if or how we will become involved in other opportunities. I hope that answers the question. Thank you, my good friend. Thank you for the question. I'll focus on the first part of the question about, I guess, templates. As we do these deals and go forward, every time we do a deal like this, we're building templates. Templates will be continuing, but they're only beginning to get better. An opportunity for Indigenous communities across Canada, and I speak for the Métis settlements, and I'm sure I could speak maybe for my good friend, Mr. Makiinima. We are open for business, and he is open for business. There is a federal announcement that we know of that is there in the same opportunity. So yes, we are organized. Yes, we are building capacity in these deals, creating templates forward. Yes, we are open for business. A follow-up, Chris? Yes. This question is for the Premier. Premier, it's a two-part question. I'm wondering what role do you foresee the AIOC playing in a consortium making a bid for the TMX ownership? That's the first part of the question. The second one is completely separate, but it has to do with Jasper. I'm just wondering, there is some concern about the length of time that it typically takes to get permits and development approvals to build in Jasper. Obviously, with the amount of rebuilding that needs to take place, what does Parks Canada need to do, in your estimation, to ensure that the rebuild happens quickly? Sure. So let me answer the first question first. I can tell you there was a story that was written about this prospective deal last week, and I've already forwarded that to Chrystia Freeland and to Dawn Farrell. He said this would be a pretty good model for you to look at for how you might move forward with getting Trans Mountain into Indigenous hands. This one's unique because it also includes nations in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. So I think it does actually provide a model that might work cross-border. So I hope that they will reach out to Chana. I know Chana, I've indicated to the federal government that the resources of the AIOC are at their disposal. And now we have two major pipeline companies, both Enbridge and TC Energy, who have the experience in negotiating these kinds of arrangements. So I think that they would be able to offer some great insight about how to go about it. We come in last. So we allow for the proponent and the nations and the settlements to get far enough along to an area of agreement, and then they come to us, and that's when we get Chana involved in confirming it. And as you can see, there's sort of an afterpart where everybody has to sign on in a more structured way. So we stand by, happy to lend our expertise. The federal government hasn't asked us to assist in providing a loan guarantee, but as you know, we've got a little bit of capacity there. So we'll await and see how that negotiation goes. When it comes to Jasper, we would observe the same thing that you observed, that sometimes these permit approvals can be complicated. They can be lengthy. We've watched as well. We've had some experience as well in our own province with rebuild after floods, rebuild after fires in Slave Lake and Fort McMurray. We've got Minister Jean at the table with myself as well, who have lived experience about what it's like to go through that kind of recovery. But we also have seen what happens on the other end, that a few years in, you can actually make great progress. And we want to be able to lend that expertise to the federal government because I don't believe they've had to do this on this scale before. So we've created a recovery task force that includes a table of our own ADMs in about 15 different ministerial areas. They'll be coordinating with their federal counterparts. Every morning at 7:00 A.M. our time, the two tables meet, and then we have our emergency management cabinet committee at 8:00 A.M. We're going to do what we can to provide our expertise, advice, and help to create some shorter pathways so that those approvals can occur. But do know that when I have spoken with Prime Minister, spoken with Dominic LeBlanc, spoken with Harjit Sajjan, we said we want to be involved all the way through recovery because we don't want to be three or four years in and still waiting for development and permit approvals. We'll be really pushing Parks Canada and Jasper to streamline those processes. Thanks, Chris. We'll take one more question here. Operator, could you put through the next caller? Next question comes from Robert Tuttle at Bloomberg. Please go ahead. Yes, thank you. My question was kind of answered, but just as a follow-up regarding Trans Mountain, this is for the Premier, but anyone else can chime in. I'm just wondering if you said you've reached out to them and sent them something about this as a model, I guess. But I'm just wondering, what have they said about that deal? It seems like there's a perception out there that the effort to sell the project to Indigenous communities or perhaps a stake in the pipeline to Indigenous communities has stalled. Have you had any discussions with them as to when that might restart? Well, I would hope that what they would do is talk to François and talk to Enbridge as well, some of the negotiators at the table, to get some advice because I think it's telling that these two major investments did get to the finish line. The best measure of successful negotiation is that there's a deal at the end of it. So I would say that now that we've got two major energy companies, two major pipeline companies who've developed these kinds of negotiations, I would say that that would be a good step for the federal government to begin with, as well as Chana. Chana can give some good advice on how to approach the negotiations. And so, I don't, maybe they need to do a restart, and maybe this becomes an avenue that they can look at as a fresh restart based on some of the principles that are on the table. But I think that they should be watching and seeing what's happened here. A billion-dollar loan guarantee is a pretty monumental negotiation. It's been going on for months and months. It takes a long time. They may as well follow a model that has demonstrated some principles for success. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. That's all the time we have for questions. Just for speakers, could you stay there? We're going to take a group photo here.