News & Insights
Building Trust Across Borders
Author
Date
- 2025 July
What First Nations Engagements in Canada Mean for RCP
After a powerful week on the ground in British Columbia, it’s clear that our journey with First Nations communities is more than just a relationship; it’s a responsibility and an opportunity.
As RCP expands its presence in Canada, cultural engagement with First Nations isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s foundational. We’ve learned that creating value in Indigenous-led spaces requires more than standard project management. It demands humility, cultural intelligence, and a deep respect for traditions that stretch back thousands of years. It means slowing down to listen before moving forward.
This approach isn’t new to us. In Aotearoa New Zealand, RCP has worked closely with Māori iwi, hapū, and whānau on projects grounded in tikanga Māori, Treaty principles, and community-led design. Whether it’s cultural infrastructure, regional regeneration, or unlocking investment in local economic outcomes, we’ve learned that the most enduring work begins with trust. That experience is now helping us walk respectfully alongside First Nations communities in Canada.
The recent visit to the land of the Secwépemc people at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) marked a turning point. It was a deeply affirming week spent alongside Dr. Garry Gottfriedson (Secwépemc poet, academic, and cultural advisor), Jeremy Hay (our Managing Director), Bevan Judge (Principal) and Jack Bourke (Head of Strategic Engagement). Together, we explored what it means to truly co-design cultural spaces; not just with aesthetic nods to Indigenous identity, but with narrative, symbolism, and process grounded in care and reciprocity.
One moment stood out. During a key gathering with First Nations leadership, Jeremy wore a Korowai gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei; a traditional Māori cloak symbolising leadership, protection, and the weight of responsibility. That same week, Dr. Garry wore his doctoral regalia, and Bevan carried a deeply meaningful pounamu. These weren’t costumes. They were statements; of whakapapa, commitment, and mutual recognition.
Symbols matter. In fact, part of our work in Canada involves the restoration of a totem pole gifted to Aotearoa during the 1990 Commonwealth Games. Carved by Nuu-chah-nulth master carver Tim Paul, the pole once stood as a gesture of unity between First Nations and Māori. Its restoration now; under the guidance of both Indigenous communities; is more than a conservation project. It’s an act of renewal. A cultural taonga (treasure) returning to its rightful place in the story of cross-Pacific kinship.
This visit also coincided with a significant moment for Thompson Rivers University: the inauguration of Dr. Airini as President and Vice-Chancellor. Her appointment—the first woman of Māori descent to lead a Canadian university—is a powerful symbol of cultural connection and Indigenous leadership across borders. RCP was honoured to attend this historic event, which deepened the cultural resonance of our visit and affirmed the shared values guiding our engagements in Canada. The images captured that week—korowai, pounamu, doctoral regalia, and shared ceremony—are more than symbolic; they represent a commitment to uplifting Indigenous excellence and intergenerational leadership in both Aotearoa and Canada.
Our growing work in British Columbia includes the facilitation of cultural engagement processes for major institutions; such as Simon Fraser University’s new medical school; and the early planning for healing and learning spaces in partnership with First Nations like kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem). These are not transactional projects. They are intergenerational. And we are acutely aware that our presence must support — not supplant — Indigenous authority and cultural leadership.
We’ve been guided by incredible partners in this journey. It was the mana and generosity of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei; in particular, Graham Tipene and Dane Tumahai; that first opened the door. Their leadership on cultural design and cross-cultural exchange has helped unlock conversations across oceans, connecting Indigenous leaders from Aotearoa and Canada in meaningful, reciprocal dialogue.
So, what does this mean for RCP?
It means expanding the definition of project success. It’s not just about buildings delivered on time and budget. It’s about whether those buildings hold meaning for the people they serve. It’s about how spaces can support reconciliation, language revitalisation, and self-determined economic development.
It also means investing in long-term relationships. First Nations engagement is not a one-off consultation; it’s an ongoing process of walking together. For RCP, this involves everything from adapting our methodologies to accommodate cultural protocols, to co-developing guiding principles that shape each project’s purpose from day one.
Commercially, this also opens a different kind of opportunity; one that aligns economic development with social outcomes. First Nations in Canada are increasingly taking a leadership role in infrastructure delivery, development partnerships, and strategic land use. They are not just stakeholders; they are rights holders and often co-investors. For a company like RCP, that creates exciting scope for collaboration; but only if we show up with the right intent.
This isn’t easy work. It requires a deep rethinking of how power, process, and pace are negotiated in projects. But it’s work that matters. And as we look ahead to the next chapter of RCP’s presence in Canada, we know that our most valuable currency isn’t capital — it’s trust.
Because when cultural engagement is real — not symbolic — it transforms the way we build. And sometimes, a cloak, a carving, or a quiet moment of recognition can carry more weight than any blueprint.
