Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Chair of the Board of Directors, The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business
Distinguished Ministers, Excellencies, industry leaders, partners and friends,
All protocols previously observed
It is a true pleasure to welcome you to the 27th Annual African Mining Breakfast and Seminar, hosted in partnership with MineAfrica.
This year feels more electric, the pace is faster, mining is on everyone's lips and the front page of newspapers.
For twenty-six years, this gathering has brought together leaders from across Africa and Canada — investors, operators, policymakers and partners — united by a shared commitment to responsible resource development and long-term economic growth, on both sides of the Atlantic. Never has it been so important.
This is the largest Africa-focused mining event in the Americas. And it represents far more than a breakfast seminar. It is an annual cornerstone moment in the Canada–Africa trade and investment relationship.
And dialogue continues until noon in the Spotlight breakout rooms. So please stay and participate.
Today, we thank our major sponsors whose leadership makes this platform possible. We are honoured to welcome distinguished dignitaries and ministerial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic — those driving economic growth in the private sector, and those governments responsible for creating and maintaining enabling environments that allow that growth to flourish.
To our Ministers and senior officials joining us — your presence underscores the strategic importance of this relationship.
We gather on the heels of our Fifth Canada–Africa Business Conference last month in Windhoek, Namibia, headline sponsored by B2Gold — thank you, John Roos (Country Director in Namibia) and Neil Reeder, VP Government Relations. With 52 Canadian company representatives and over 150 people in attendance – our Business conferences on the Continent just keep growing.
We are convening once again in Namibia next year – from February 4-6, 2027, ahead of the Annual Investing in African Mining Indaba. This is an open invitation to all of you.
In his message to the 2026 conference, Prime Minister Mark Carney recognized the importance of sustained leadership in strengthening Canada–Africa ties and acknowledged the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business for convening leaders to advance investment, trade and partnership — connecting governments, enterprise, capital and ideas to deliver real results.
That momentum carries into this room.
I first want to recognize our President Emeritus, Bruce Shapiro, co-founder of all you see today.
I also want to recognize members of our Board present today
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The Hon. Arif Virani of Torys LLP, and former Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada,
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Thys Terblanche, of Ausenco
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Pierre Boivin of McCarthy Tetrault
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KC Goudiam, of Red Dot Digital
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Dr. Preetee Gopee of Centennial College
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Mukani Moyo, McKenzie Consulting (and..Wayne
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and of course Wayne Floreani, President of MineAfrica
Our Senior Advisory Council member Joe Lombard – is today’s keynote speaker, who helped pioneer our programming on African soil— where we now host the majority of our engagements.
Looking ahead this year, I am proud to announce the launch of our Canada–Africa Financing Forum, taking place on May 14th in Cape Town — an initiative designed to bridge capital and opportunity at scale.
This follows the G20 announcement by Prime Minister Carney of a new FinDev Canada office on the African continent — among several key deliverables advanced during the G20 engagements in Johannesburg. This development signals Canada’s long-term commitment to mobilizing capital and strengthening development finance partnerships across Africa, including in natural resource development.
And the Canada-Africa Chamber of Businesses’ calendar reflects this acceleration.
Ahead of the programs in South Africa, we will host a financing forum in April with the President and leadership of the African Development Bank here in Toronto - by invitation to all members and industry leaders.
We will be bringing together key players from pension funds to private equity, and new partners for our companies to explore the many opportunities.
We are also hoping to announce the 6th Canada–Africa Business Conference in Lagos, Nigeria officially. Our High Commissioner Pasquale Salvaggio in Abuja, Nigeria is here with us.
And all of this builds towards our annual Africa Accelerating program — to be held in Toronto, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo in October — working closely with Minister Louis Watum Kabamba and senior leadership from the DRC, where we look forward to our program in Kinshasa and Kolwezi.
Minister Watum, it is not by design, but you join a growing list of members who have gone on to serve as Ministers and Prime Ministers across the continent! After speaking at our Africa Accelerating conferences!
Governor Fifi Masuka Saini, who was delayed like so many others due to the situation at Dubai International Airport — in absentia, thank you for your leadership in Lualaba Province.
This relationship is important for Canada — strategically, economically and diplomatically. The Chamber is focused on helping Canada diversify its trade partnerships.
And we are proud to serve as a platform for our continued expansion of trade and investment between Canadian and African markets.
We are also advancing discussions regarding upcoming engagements in Ghana, Mauritius and other high-growth markets in the weeks ahead. In case any of you thought we may be slowing down.
The direction is clear.
The partnerships are deepening.
And the opportunity before us has never been greater.
Je veux remercier tous nos partenaires pour nous accompagner, e também quero que saibam que Angola e Moçambique são países muito importantes para nós… e queremos fazer algo por lá!
Thank you! Merci! Obrigada!