Chris Sankey

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Sankey lost both his parents to suicide and cancer, and has seen the tragic results of addiction, abuse, lack of opportunity and poverty,  These experiences motivated Sankey as a father and business owner to change his own family’s future.   

He built a successful business with Blackfish Enterprises and has committed to be an advocate for Indigenous economic development and environmental sustainability.  He was part of a team that negotiated the $36 billion dollar Pacific Northwest LNG agreement.

Indigenous people were entrepreneurs long before the word existed, bartering through a corridor called “grease trails.” That is the Indigenous way, and it aligns with conservative values. So why wait on the government to build a brighter future for us? Why wait for a government cheque when we are more than capable of bringing in revenues on our own?

The conservative movement aligns with Chris Sankey’s values: less government, more free thinking and the ability to dream big.

Chris Sankey believes that no matter how hard life may get, you can overcome any challenge life throws at you.  And change especially for Indigenous people’s can happen with personal and professional investments, and a collective, Canada-wide effort. 

Drawing on his expertise on Indigenous-led resource development projects, Chris explores how Indigenous communities are the key to the global energy crisis through partnerships. He’s focused on finding a way to balance environment and economy through an Indigenous perspective using the connections to water, land and air.

Sankey notes: “The only way major oil and gas projects will ever be built again in this country is with the support of the Indigenous communities that are affected by them. Because pipeline infrastructure runs through traditional Indigenous territories, all impacted communities must share in the revenues they produce.

All communities must share the risk in order for a project to succeed and forge ahead. The goals must be community driven and commitments must be made to both protecting the environment and growing the economy. Once Indigenous communities are aligned and working together, industry will come to the table and invest.”

Indigenous people have looked after the environment since time immemorial. 

In this session, Chris will share how the Indigenous-led environmental protection and monitoring process looks in partnership with the industry and the Government.  The goals must be community driven and commitments must be made to both protecting the environment and growing the economy. 

Chris Sankey creates job opportunities by building relationships, creating dialogue & understanding to find a path forward and to get to a mutual understanding for common ground. He’s involved in aquaculture & agriculture, green tech initiatives that will reduce and eliminate emissions and take care of the environment.

Chris Sankey shares his personal and professional stories and experience in navigating his own mental health and wellness.  Tied to this is understanding intergenerational effects: why the past dominates the lives of families, all the way to great-grandchildren.

He lost both his parents to suicide and cancer, has seen the tragic results of addiction, abuse, lack of opportunity and poverty,  These experiences motivated Sankey as a father and business owner to change his own family’s future.   

He wants his kids to know that no matter how hard life may get, you can overcome any challenge life throws at you. And it can happen with personal and professional investments, and a collective, Canada-wide effort. 

“The challenges that Indigenous communities face will ultimately not be addressed through court actions, negotiations, protests, accusations or new government policies or spending promises. Collective, Canada-wide action is required to ensure the long-term well-being of Indigenous communities. All of us must urgently engage as the country demonstrates, really for the first time, that it is ready to stand together with them as they make the transition from colonial domination and discrimination to equality and autonomy.

A better world awaits. Canadians just need to step up, in more meaningful ways.”