By Sam Laskaris  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto. Freeland, who is also the minister of Finance, took part in the “Ministerial Panel On Indigenous Loan Guarantees And Economic Growth” on that final day, April 23. Freeland touted the $5 billion Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program, which she announced April 16 as part of the 2024 federal budget. The program provides affordable capital for Indigenous equity participation in natural resource and energy projects. Freeland said the concept of the program had been in the works for several years. “It’s a really big deal,” she told the Indigenous leaders, businesspeople and government representatives gathered. “I think this is one

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