Leaders converge on Saskatoon for the World Indigenous Business Forum

It was a business forum with a backdrop like no other as the seventh annual World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF) got underway in Saskatoon.

Photo after photo was taken by WIBF delegates from around the globe during the Wanuskewin Days cultural celebration and powwow.

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This is the first time the forum is being held in Canada.

“First impressions, great I really enjoyed the pipe ceremony this morning. Very authentic and it was great to have the elders there, very similar to some of our opening ceremonies that we do in indigenous Australia, absolutely enjoyed it,” said Tony Martens, who traveled from Australia for the forum.

Another attendee making the long trek to the forum is Felix Queupul, who is from Chile.

“I believe that my region is very similar to Saskatchewan because we’ve got natural resources that we would like to explore for the benefit of our communities,” said Queupul through an interpreter.

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Nearly one-thousand movers and shakers from throughout the world have converged on Saskatoon for the three-day forum aimed at engaging and inspiring those in attendance.

“We don’t want to see people making the same mistakes so we want to talk about lessons learned, promising practices so that people don’t have to go through the trials and tribulations that another particular organization went through,” said Gilles Dorval, the city’s director of aboriginal relations.

One goal is to help each other overcome hurdles and become power players in business.

“I think one of the very similar challenges is that we both face in both countries is being able to access markets and having the capacity within our businesses to be able to partner up with mainstream businesses to maximum the opportunities that exist for indigenous businesses,” Martens said.

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The forum is a win-win for Saskatoon and surrounding area.

Economic spin-off from the forum is expected to be over $3 million and is an opportunity to profile positive success stories in Saskatchewan like Whitecap Dakota First Nation.

“I’m very, very open to all ideas and looking forward to making some really, really good connections so we can do business globally,” Martens said.

WIBF runs until Thursday at TCU Place.

Meaghan Craig contributed to this story