In this episode of Minerals Matter, Todd Stone, President and CEO of the Association for Mineral Exploration, based in British Columbia, discusses the key mining aspects of Canada’s critical minerals sector with APF Canada's former Vice-President Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla.

Their conversation covers the very beginnings of Canada's critical minerals supply chain with the geoscience of mineral deposit exploration. Todd emphasizes the role of risk capital in kick-starting new mining projects, expanding government incentives to drive new projects, such as financing, updating provincial permitting timelines, and civilian/military "dual-use" designations for new mines that align with Canada’s defence sector needs.

Todd also discusses why allied overseas governments are increasingly investing directly in Canadian projects, how Canada can reduce dependence on a single dominant supplier, and why building the workforce at home matters as much as finding the deposits. 

In this episode of Minerals Matter, Pascale Massot, APF Canada's Canada–Indo-Pacific Critical Minerals Hub advisor and our 2025–26 John H. McArthur Research Fellow, sits down with Saga Williams, an advisor with the First Nations Major Projects Coalition and a member of Curve Lake First Nation, to discuss the intersection of Indigenous rights and Canada's critical minerals development.

Williams explores Canada’s resource governance by framing the industry around a critical dichotomy: the urgency to build a domestic critical-minerals value chain and the necessity of building it thoughtfully and inclusively with Indigenous communities. She explains how this dichotomy can function as an opportunity for communities to engage industry leaders and government to remove long-standing barriers to infrastructure development. She also looks at the governance structures that have moved communities from bystanders to proponents in major projects, "territorial development" as a frame for asking whether development brings lasting value to a region or just to its investors, and what lessons Canada's experience may hold for resource development across the Indo-Pacific.

You can access the First Nations Major Projects Coalition report on Indigenous engagement in Canada’s “Critical Minerals Value Chain” here. 

In this episode of Minerals Matter, the Hon. Erin O'Toole, former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and a member of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations, speaks with APF Canada's Vice-President Research & Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla, about Canada’s critical minerals advantage.

O’Toole brings his insights to bear on how Canada can convert its resource endowment into genuine strategic capability – from fixing regulatory approval timelines and using tools such as the Canada Growth Fund to close the "risk premium" gap on refining and processing to leveraging critical minerals and metals as one of Canada's strongest cards in resolving tariffs with the U.S.

They also explore proposals for a "NORAD 2.0" that would build energy and resource security into the North American defence partnership, opportunities to deepen Canadian critical mineral ties with Japan, South Korea, and other Indo-Pacific partners, and the growing role of Indigenous-led resource development in the Arctic.

In this episode of Minerals Matter, Pierre Gratton, President and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), a national voice for the Canadian mining industry working to promote the industry internationally, sits down with APF Canada’s Vice-President, Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla. Together they discuss global co-operation initiatives on critical minerals and domestic labour hurdles facing Canada’s mining industry.  

They touch on the critical mineral's diversification initiatives coming out of the G7 leaders' summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, earlier this year, including a target to reduce reliance on any single rare earths supplier — widely understood to mean China — to below 60 per cent by 2030. Gratton assesses the feasibility of diversification measures from both Canada and G7 partners, from mining and refining to EV battery recycling, while also reflecting on domestic developments including regulatory reform, shifting public perception of mining, technological advances, and the industry's acute labour shortage.

In this episode of CIAC Conversations, APF Canada's Communications Director, Michael Roberts, sits down with Mark Daley, Chief AI Officer at Western University, on the sidelines of APF Canada's fourth annual Canada-in-Asia Conference (CIAC2026) in Singapore in February.

Mark explores how post-secondary institutions are approaching artificial intelligence and digital transformation from both a teaching and an institutional perspective. He also explores the larger strategy of global engagement by Canadian universities in the Indo-Pacific region, the importance of developing strong research partnerships to facilitate sustainable growth, and how these universities can play a role in developing a network of partners across value chains in sectors like emerging technology and energy security.

This podcast was originally recorded in February 2026.

In this episode, APF Canada’s Canada-Indo-Pacific Critical Minerals Hub’s key advisor and John H. McArthur Research Fellow, Pascale Massot, sits down with Muhammad Imran, Chief Technical Officer and Vice-President of the Rare Earth Element Division at the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). Imran is leading the development of the first fully integrated, commercial-scale rare earth processing facility in Canada, and North America, which is expected to be fully operational by early 2027. 

Together, they unpack why domestic rare-earth processing capability is critical to Canadian and foreign supply chains. Imran discusses SRC’s research on Canada’s critical mineral base, and strategies for divesting from China's rare-earth dominance while navigating the environmental challenges that continue to hold back partners and allies from scaling up their own processing.  He also sheds light on what the success of SRC-developed processing tech could mean for Canada's downstream manufacturing, particularly its burgeoning EV industry, and the broader supply chain resilience of Canada and its partners.

In this episode of Asia Pacific Conversations, Dr. Lizzi C. Lee, a Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, discusses China’s geopolitical and economic outlook with Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada’s Vice-President, Research & Strategy. 

Lizzi explores how China is implementing its new "constructive strategic stability framework” for partnership building and what it means for middle powers like Canada. The conversation also explores the outcomes of U.S. President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May, the two nations’ dramatically different approaches to negotiations, and what the meeting signals for the future of U.S.-China relations. Lastly, Lizzi and Vina unpack Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Canada last month, the first in over a decade, and the necessary steps required for Canada to rebuild a secure, sustainable working relationship with China amid concerns over national and economic security and democratic values. 

Please enjoy this episode of Asia Pacific Conversations!

In this episode of CIAC Conversations, APF Canada's Communications Director, Michael Roberts, sits down with Bart Édes, a policy analyst, commentator, and author, on the sidelines of our fourth annual Canada-in-Asia Conference (CIAC2026) in Singapore in February.

Bart, who also serves as a Distinguished Fellow for APF Canada, uses strategic foresight, a forward-looking approach to exploring future scenarios, to assess Canada's evolving geopolitical relationship with the Indo-Pacific region. He explores necessary updates to Canada's development assistance programs and strategies for building more sustainable, impactful relationships in the region that focus on big picture issues like climate change, upskilling, and tech development. Finally, Bart discusses the impact of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy and potential improvements to the strategy that could help expand Canada's reach and co-operation in the region.

This podcast was originally recorded in February 2026.

In this episode, Kakehashi Senior Program Manager, Siân Jones, and i-LEAD Program Manager, Mari Naganuma, sit down with Franco Ng, serial entrepreneur, youth mentorship professional, King Charles III Coronation Medal awardee, and proud Kakehashi alum. 

Franco discusses how Kakehashi not only opened his eyes to the wonders of Japan’s culture and people but also reminded him of the diversity of culture we share as Canadians. He outlines how early experiences with different leadership styles ignited his commitment to help young people build confidence, find their true potential, and realize their creative impact. Franco explains what motivated him to achieve so much by age 30 and what continues to drive him as he continues his entrepreneurial journey.   

We hope you enjoy this episode of Kakehashi Conversations.  

In this episode of Asia Pacific Conversations, Dr. Raja C. Mohan, Distinguished Fellow and Republic of Korea Chair at the Council for Strategic Defense Research and APF Canada’s inaugural Indo-Pacific Visiting Scholar, sits down with Vina Nadjibulla, APF Canada’s Vice-President, Research & Strategy, for an in-depth conversation on Canada–India relations and the Indo-Pacific security landscape.

Together, they examine the evolving geopolitical dynamics in Asia, focusing on India's role in balancing China's rising influence and the rebalancing of India's strategic partnerships against an unpredictable U.S. administration. They also dive into Dr. Mohan’s new book, India and the Rebalancing of Asia, to unpack evolving security dynamics in the region. Dr. Mohan also touches on India’s expanding military and economic capabilities, the importance of dynamic multilateral partnerships, and what India can do to strengthen its relationship with Canada.