Indigenous leaders hold a dialogue with Canadian parliamentarians on Indigenous-led economic development

Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, public policy experts and young advocates met on Monday, October 19, 2026 with a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians at the Library of the National Congress of Chile, to exchange perspectives on leadership, representation and Indigenous-led economic development. The meeting was a space to share both countries’ experiences in advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples and their economic prosperity.

The delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador of Canada to Chile, Karolina Guay. The Indigenous Enterprises Foundation was represented by its President, Andrés Antivil Álvarez; its Executive Director, Venancio Coñuepan Mesías; and its Director of Strategic Alliances, Francisco Oyarzo. Rayen Rupayan, of Wechekeche Ka Itrofillmongen, and Jessica Tebes, of UN Women Chile’s Originarias Programme, also took part in the dialogue.

The dialogue was facilitated by the authorities of the Library of the National Congress, including its Director, Ignacio Rodríguez, and Karina Manchileo, head of the Library’s Office of Indigenous Peoples (Oficina de Pueblos Originarios).

Why the conversation with Canada matters

The gap between the two countries can be measured. In the 2025 financial year of a single global mining company present in both, the share of its purchasing that went to Indigenous suppliers was 12.9% in Canada and 1.3% in Chile.

The difference does not lie in the peoples: it lies in decades of registration, certification and financing at work in Canada. That is why an exchange like this one runs in both directions: it draws inspiration from a path others have already proven, and it contributes the experience that Indigenous peoples in Chile are building from their territories.

In its post about the meeting, the Embassy of Canada to Chile thanked the panellists for sharing their knowledge, experience and vision, and highlighted that their leadership, innovation and commitment to their communities strengthen the dialogue between the two countries.