Photo courtesy of BAM
MPDA at the 2026 Indigenous Health Innovations Conference
The Manitoba Prospectors & Developers Association (MPDA) was honoured to be invited to participate in the 2026 Indigenous Health Innovations Conference, hosted by Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) on October 29 at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg.
This important gathering brought together First Nations leaders, Elders, healthcare professionals, innovators, and industry representatives to explore the connections between Indigenous health, community well-being, economic development, and innovation.
Our CEO, Renée Greyeyes, joined fellow panelists Monica James, Area Vice President, Indigenous Financing at FCC, and Elder Cara Widrick, alongside moderator Dennis Meeches, for a meaningful discussion titled “The Health of the Land Is the Health of the People.”
The conversation explored a fundamental truth: Healthy communities begin with healthy lands, waters, and relationships.
Section 35 and Indigenous Rights
The panel spoke about Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which recognizes and affirms Aboriginal and treaty rights, and raised an important question about what those constitutional protections mean in practice when decisions are made about development affecting First Nations’ traditional territories.
For First Nations, health extends far beyond access to medical services. It’s connected to the lands we inhabit, the water we drink, the foods we harvest, our languages, ceremonies, cultural identities, and our ability to determine our own futures.
When the health of the land is compromised, the health and well-being of our people and future generations are also at stake.
For MPDA, this conversation is particularly relevant to Manitoba’s mineral exploration and development sector.
Building Manitoba’s Future Together
We believe economic opportunity, responsible resource development, environmental stewardship, and the recognition of Indigenous rights must advance together. These are not competing priorities. They’re essential elements of building a sustainable and prosperous Manitoba.
First Nations are rights holders, not simply stakeholders in decisions affecting their lands and futures.
As an organization with a Board that is two-thirds Indigenous, MPDA is committed to helping bridge the relationships between First Nations, industry, and government through education, meaningful dialogue, and collaborative approaches to mineral development.
We extend our appreciation to Bioscience Association Manitoba, including Andrea Ladouceur and the organizing team, for creating space for these important conversations. We also acknowledge Elder Barb Nepinak and Darcy Henry for opening the gathering with prayer and song, and thank our fellow panelists, speakers, and participants for sharing their knowledge and perspectives.
The conversations reinforced something we believe strongly at MPDA:
The future of responsible mineral development must be measured not only by the economic opportunities we create, but by the health of our lands, the strength of our relationships, and the well-being of the generations who will inherit what we leave behind.