Our newsletter: 04 December 2025
Macdonald-Laurier Institute honours our Alliance CEO
Alliance CEO Karen Ogen is becoming a senior fellow of the prestigious Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
The word went informally to members of the think-tank from Joshua Wheeler, its manager of operations: “Our Fellows are at the core of what we do. They provide the expertise that makes MLI the most influential think-tank in our nation’s capital.”
We now await the formal announcement.
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute reports that it is the think-tank most cited in Parliament.
Among its senior fellows is Crystal Smith, former Alliance chair and now the Alliance’s special advisor on external relations.
The list of fellows also includes Stephen Buffalo, CEO of the Indian Resource Council of Canada; Sharleen Gale, executive chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition; JP Gladu, natural-resource leader and former CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business; Karen Restoule, director of Indigenous affairs at the Institute; and Heather Exner-Pirot, the institute’s director of natural resources, energy, and environment.
Ksi Lisims LNG another door for BC Nations
Alliance CEO Karen Ogen writes that the Nisga’a Nation’s Ksi Lisims LNG project is “a vision that’s becoming a reality.”
- “The Nisga’a will receive significant economic benefits. . . . The pipeline will also generate significant benefits to First Nations and communities along its route.”
- “First Nations are critical to the natural gas supply chain. From the upstream, to the midstream, to tidewater, the project touches dozens of First Nations territories and will involve thousands of people.”
- “The world is knocking on Canada’s door for responsibly-produced Indigenous LNG – and BC First Nations hold the key.”
And she concludes: “We can’t stop here. . . . Let’s keep going.”
- Read Karen’s full commentary: https://ow.ly/JNcI50XzLAn
Nisga’a Nation president Eva Eve Clayton with BC Premier David Eby
Eva Clayton acting chair of Alliance
Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga’a Nation, is acting chair of the Alliance, succeeding Crystal Smith, former chief councillor of the Haisla Nation and now the Alliance’s special advisor on external relations.
The chair’s position will be formally filled at the next meeting of the board of directors on January 20.
Eva Clayton became in 2016 the first female president (and seventh president) of the Nisga’a Nation in northwestern BC. She is also a leader of the Nation’s Ksi Lisims LNG project.
- Read more: https://ow.ly/235T50XzLEY
Indigenous clean energy
- Glooscap First Nation in Nova Scotia has a big appetite for renewable energy projects: https://ow.ly/K1ql50XxFgb
- Wind project in Nova Scotia, involving the Membertou First Nation, passes the environmental review stage: https://ow.ly/oe8r50XzLeJ
- Ontario’s Hydro One to invest in transmission line in partnership with First Nations: https://ow.ly/Yf1U50XxFga
- Great Bear Carbon steps up Indigenous carbon-credit project in BC: https://ow.ly/qnxz50XzLsT
- Ottawa puts up $22 million for three Inuit-led clean-energy initiatives: https://ow.ly/nW6v50XA5Am
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- The second ‘floatel’ work camp arrives at the Woodfibre LNG site, and will house up to 900 workers: https://ow.ly/X3WJ50Xz3lf
- How the Nisga’a Nation is co-developing Ksi Lisims LNG in a way that fits within the Nation’s values: https://ow.ly/WaIn50XvNFo
- Ksi Lisims LNG is helping create jobs and training for First Nations citizens: https://ow.ly/gTmK50XyIXA
- Woodfibre LNG and Squamish Nation highlight a new model for Canadian energy: https://ow.ly/CImO50XwwrV
- The Montney natural-gas formation is ‘the crown jewel of the B.C. economy.’ https://ow.ly/SY9H50XwB3M
- How Woodfibre LNG is putting Net Zero into practice: https://ow.ly/ekUO50XBkCS
EVENTS
- TODAY: First Nations clean-energy and electricity summit, Dec. 8-9, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/GKbx50WQHzJ
- TODAY: First Nations Investment Forum, Dec. 8-10, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/r7SK50XjGq5
- Atlantica Centre for Energy, free webinar explores the potential for LNG exports to Europe, and more, Dec. 9: https://ow.ly/S0zr50XyeNA
- GLJ Sustainability & Emissions Management Webinar, Energy & Trade: The Canadian Opportunity, Dec. 9: https://ow.ly/bT2n50XsWhw
- Energy Futures Institute Town Hall: The Year Ahead in BC Energy, Dec. 10, via Zoom: https://ow.ly/bmTz50XxgTu
2026 EVENTS
- BC Natural Resources Forum, Jan. 20-22, Prince George: https://ow.ly/71Y250Wj0zL
- Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and Scotiabank, Economic Outlook Forum, Jan. 29, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/pIlz50Xf8TW
- Assembly of First Nations, National Natural Resources Forum, Feb. 10-11, Calgary: https://ow.ly/HIG650Xp5v6
- Greater Vancouver Board of Trade/Bennett Jones, energy and natural resources forum, Feb. 19, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/gIBv50Xz9hN
- Canadian Gas Association, CGA Energy Security Summit, March 10-11, Ottawa: https://ow.ly/6FLp50VQu0N
- The Indigenous Forward Summit (West Coast): March 11-12, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/QuVk50Xri0Q
- Nation2Nation Women’s Gathering, April 23-24, Prince George: https://ow.ly/sBxu50XsTSZ
- First Nations Major Projects Coalition, 9th annual conference, April 29-May 1, Toronto: https://ow.ly/baN350Xz7gU
- Public Policy Forum’s Canada Growth Summit, May 7, Toronto: https://ow.ly/ikCs50WGyYr
- The Indigenous Forward Summit (West), May 13-14, Calgary: https://ow.ly/pgku50XrhQ7
- Indigenous Resource Opportunities Conference, June 3-5, Nanaimo: https://ow.ly/lla050Xv9JH
- Global Energy Show Canada, June 9-11, Calgary: https://ow.ly/NnlW50XffWC
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