With communities facing complex challenges and opportunities shaped by technological disruptions, shifting labor markets, and persistent social, economic, and geographic disparities, the 2021 IEDC Virtual Leadership Summit focused on generating conversations, ideas and actions for leaders in economic development to step boldly into the future with vision and confidence.
Dr. James Collard, Director of Planning and Economic Development for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN), IEDC Board Member, and Vice Chair in Business Development for International Inter-tribal Trade and Investment Organization (IITIO), led the panel “A Decade of Action: How the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will Deliver A New Economy.”
Adv. Wayne Garnons-Williams, Chair and founding President of IITIO and Senior Lawyer and Principal Director of the law firm Garwill Law Professional Corporation, spoke as a leading panelist. Garnons-Williams presented the leading role of global Indigenous trade in the renewable energy sector. First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are involved in, or own, more than 150 large-scale clean energy projects. Many are developing renewable energy programs to break free of colonial ties, move towards energy autonomy, establish more reliable energy systems and secure long-term financial benefits. Garnons-Williams also spoke on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG), how they are interconnected with Indigenous trade and the emerging opportunities for the future of sustainable Indigenous trade.
