The Canadian Indigenous Investment Forum came to fruition as the result of a chance meeting at Canada House in June 2023 between Mark Magnacca, founder and CEO of gigCMO Ltd., and Robert Brant, at the time, managing partner of the London office of McCarthy Tétrault.
Mark recognised Brant's name and introduced himself to Rob. He asked if he was a direct descendant of the famed warrior Chief Joseph Brant, who fought with the British, British Americans, Canadians and others in the American Revolutionary War. Rob answered yes, he was, and Mark said “Wow, what a coincidence!” because his direct ancestor, Daniel Rose, was a member of Brant’s Loyalists - an irregular unit who fought together during the War.
Mark and Rob had a subsequent discussion where Rob outlined his own experience of being an indigenous person in Canada, not 400 years ago, 300 years ago, 200 years ago or 100 years ago but as a member of the same generation as Mark. Mark, of course, like many Canadians, had heard about the reserve system and was also aware of the pain and suffering the Indigenous Peoples had suffered over the years. However, this was the first time Mark had actually had heard in person from an Indigenous person their own story.
Mark immediately said that his ancestor would have been ashamed to learn that the Chief and Indigenous peoples he fought as brothers in arms with and as neighbours was regarded as far less than an equal citizen of the land now called Canada.
Rob also talked about the change as result of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) adopted by the General assembly on 13th September 2007 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that the Indigenous peoples were now in a place to claim their own rights and like Rob many of his generation were in positions to effect change.
Mark and Rob decided to do something, first of all, to show that the battle their ancestors fought together in the past remains a battle that they would fight together in the future for the advancement of the country we call Canada.
They thought one of the best things they could do given that they both worked in the City of London was to set up an opportunity in one of the world's leading financial centres to convene all the stakeholders together to learn about these new opportunities and dispel some of the myths of the indigenous peoples in Canada were against development. They wanted to provide a platform for the Indigenous nations and communities to come and share their stories about how to successfully invest in Canada in partnership with them and to showcase the opportunities in natural resources and infrastructure.
The Canadian Indigenous Investment Forum held its inaugural event in May 2024.
From left to right: Mark Magnacca (Co-chair), Canon Paul Wright, and Robert Brant (Co-chair) holding the Wampum of Niagara.
