Premier Sandy Silver continued this morning with the theme of building stronger economies across the North through partnerships.

The premier was addressing a room full of representatives from the private and public sectors attending the first Arctic Indigenous Investment Conference at the Coast High Country Inn.

“This conference showcases the incredible breadth of First Nations businesses operating across the North,” Silver told a healthy audience gathered to kick off day two.

“And while First Nations involvement in the resource industry is certainly the obvious example here in Yukon, First Nations businesses are active drivers in all sectors, from aviation to manufacturing to housing.”

This morning’s emcee, Shirlee Frost from the Yukon First Nation Culture and Tourism Association, told the audience she thought Monday was a successful day, particularly for the opportunities to network with others.

There were talks about development corporations owned by First Nations, and about how private-sector investment can impact directly on indigenous communities.

Alaska Lieutenant-Governor Byron Mallot was to speak about about transboundary partnerships and advancing Arctic Economic Development. but his airplane was grounded in Juneau because of weather.

There was a private meeting by invitation only for indigenous development corporations to discuss the establishment of a pan-Arctic business council. The meetings were through the conference.

Brent Bergeron of Goldcorp., the international gold-producing giant who moved into the Yukon last summer with plans to build the Coffee gold project south of Dawson City, spoke about corporate affairs and sustainability in his luncheon address Monday.

Today’s schedule was to present much of the same, along with the opening of the Trade Show and Arctic Indigenous Artisan Market next door at the Yukon Convention Centre.

Adjunct professor Frank Brown from Simon Fraser’s resource and environmental management department, and a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation in Bella Bella, B.C., was to speak about sustainable indigenous ecotourism and community empowerment.

Phil Timpany of the Bear Cave Mountain Eco Adventures, the high-end tourism business that provide grizzly bear viewing opportunities in the winter as the bear’s fish along the Fishing Branch River in the traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, was to address the audience.

So too was Kylik Kisoun-Taylor, co-owner of Inuvik’s Tundra Tours. His subject matter, “If I knew then what I know now! From a cell phone to international business.”

Silver said partnership and collaboration with First Nations and their business interests are cornerstones to success and diversifying the territory’s economy.

Silver spoke of the memorandum of understanding signed last month with the chiefs of the territories 11 self-governing First Nation to work together on facilitating mining initiatives.

The recently elected Liberal government will continue to advance the responsible and respectful development of the Yukon’s natural resources on other fronts as well, said the premier.

“Our government is committed to seeing First Nations businesses, development corporations and organizations build capacity and further projects,” Silver told the audience.

“The level of First Nations participation in the territorial economy – and certainly, in economies across the North – is truly impressive.

“From the well-known success stories at Northerm and Air North, to the growing tourism industry, to community-focused initiatives like fire management and housing, First Nations business is continually growing and is guaranteed to become a dominant facet of the territorial economy.”