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On March 4 2026 ANU Vice-President (First Nations) Professor Peter Yu and Centre for Indigenous Economic Transformation Interim Director Leah Armstrong were invited to Parliament House in Canberra to hear Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney address the House of Representatives. 

As founding members of the First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance (Professor Yu is also co-chair of the Alliance), they had a message to deliver to the Australian and Canadian governments. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described bilateral relations as ‘a close and enduring partnership underpinned by parliamentary democracy, multiculturalism, equality before the law and respect for First Nations peoples’.

An historic 2023 bilateral partnership agreement between founding members of the Australian First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance (FNEEA) and the Canadian First Nations Financial Management Board (FNFMB), First Nations Financial Authority (FNFA) and First Nations Taxation Commission (FNTC) has already led to important knowledge exchange between these groups and the Australian and Canadian governments.

Australian members to the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding partnership include the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, the National Native Title Council, The Australian National University First Nations Portfolio and First Australians Capital. They and their Canadian partners are calling for their governments to step up collaborative efforts at First Nations economic reconciliation.

"Our historic 2023 partnership with Canadian First Nations organisations has led to important results and knowledge transfer. With the First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance and our Canadian partners we urge both national governments to enhance the economic empowerment of their First Nations peoples. 

"Canadian progress on First Nations economic reconciliation has measurably advanced beyond our own incremental experiences in Australia," says Professor Yu.