Speakers & Descriptions
Conference Presentations
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Download the individual presentations by clicking on the headings below.
| Speaker |
Presentation Topic |
| Vern Bachiu - Meadow Lake Tribal Council Rosi Niedermayer - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada; Don Clarke - Black River First Nation | “Export: Expanding Sales from Your Community to the World Market†The biggest challenge for remote community businesses is to find buyers for their products and services. This workshop gives a first-hand account from 3 Aboriginal businesses on how they grew from selling to their local market to outside their province and internationally. The biggest challenge for any start up entrepreneur or proposed community-owned business is to know the sales opportunities for their products outside their province or territory and outside Canada. This workshop will allow for some interactive sharing of ideas on how to find this information and how some other companies have succeeded. The panel will be made up of one government person that can speak to programs and services available to get the information required; and representatives from 3 Aboriginal companies. |
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Chief Helen Ben, Meadow Lake Tribal Council | "The MLTC Forestry Story" The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) is comprised of nine First Nations in northwest Saskatchewan. Driven by a business strategy of becoming involved in business opportunities in our own backyard, MLTC has become a major player in the resource industry generally and the forestry industry specifically. MLTC’s flagship business is NorSask Forest Products, a 110 million board foot stud mill. NorSask owns 50% of Mistik Management, a forest management company that manages a 1.8 million hectare forestry license, which has the responsibility of harvesting fibre for the NorSask and local pulp mills. MLTC also has an option to purchase up to 10% of a new oriented strand board plant established in 2003. MLTC also owns and operates its own trucking and fuel companies that serve the forestry industry. The forestry sector has provided a substantial financial and employment return for the Meadow Lake First Nations and for northwest Saskatchewan. After many prosperous years in forestry, the industry is experiencing a downturn, but MLTC is confident that the need for forest products will continue to grow and expand into the future.New Cell |
| Dale Booth & Holly Cooper Partnering First Solutions Inc. |
The objectives of this session are:
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| Barbara Calderone Pabineau First Nation |
Comprehensive community planning builds on the past, seizes the moment and looks into the future. Choices are made each day in our communities about social policy, health delivery, educational strategies, economic initiatives, environmental management, resource allocation, land use, housing, etc. It is important to have a strategy about each of these aspects within the community, at the same time realizing that they’re interrelated. Each is critical to sustaining and improving local quality of life. Each affects the whole and needs to be seen as part of it. Many threads need to come together to weave a community plan that moves the community ahead holistically, at the same time respecting our rich cultural heritage and values. |
| Brian Calliou The Banff Centre |
“Aboriginal Leadership, Vision, and Strategic Focus in Transforming Our Communities†Aboriginal leaders today are struggling to deal with the legacies of colonialism, the imposition of foreign institutions, and the loss of traditions and culture. Their communities are linked to and part of a rapidly changing world that is highly technological, global and knowledge-based. Aboriginal leaders need to explore ways to lead transformation of their communities toward healthy, productive, and self-sufficient nations. There are many challenges, but also many opportunities. Some Aboriginal communities have set long-term visions, taken strategic action and been very successful in their stability and growth. This session will explore how leaders can transform their communities by practicing visionary, strategic level leadership. We will utilize Burn’s concept of “transforming leadershipâ€, where leaders excite their followers with a bold vision, organize resources on key strategies, and motivate others to take action as leaders in their own right for the common good of the community, along with the nation-building model of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. |
| Anna Hunter Isobel Findlay & Louise Clarke University of Saskatchewan | “Building Regional Alliances for Women’s Community Development†The purpose of this session is to describe the work of our group comprising Indigenous and non-Indigenous, community-based and academic women who have been working for over a year to build alliances among grassroots women engaged in community development, including economic and business development for well-being and sustainability. This is a story of both, success - a well-received roundtable to women from across western Canada held last October - and continuing challenges from many sources. We want to build on the success by engaging workshop participants in developing an understanding of the challenges and respectful protocols for further regional and international work. |
| Solomon Cyr George Gordon First Nation, SK Helen Ward-Wakelin, Eel Ground First Nation, NB Alexander Sauvie, Red Pheasant First Nation, SK Jason Robertson, Lytton First Nation, BC Jerry Cunningham, High Prairie, AB & Caroline VanEvery-Albert, Six Nations, ON | Second Annual National Youth Panel |
| Walter
G. Deagle Millbrook First Nation |
“Leveraging Technology to Pursue and Enhance Economic Development Initiatives" Values and ethics are important issues for
everyone and take on a special importance for Aboriginals. This session will
explore through case study situations, where Aboriginal communities and
organizations have dealt with ethical challenges. |
| Carole Delion Aamjiwnaang First Nation |
“Minding Your Own Business†The presentation will give participants an overview of Aamjiwnaang First Nation’s band owned corporations: Chippewa Industrial Development Limited (CIDL); Aamjiwnaang Development Corporation (ADC); Ojibwe Legends Trading Company; Ojibwe Filters and Industrial supply; and Aamjiwnaang Trust. The participants will gain insight into the challenges faced in the development of various Aamjiwnaang corporations to be inspired by shared lessons learned by way of practical application. It will allow participants to appreciate the importance and gain a better understanding of leadership and management and the distinct roles each play. While leadership provides vision to guide the development process and the necessary political support and resources when required and whereby management conducts the day-to-day business affairs, working together in balance toward a common goal. |
| Michael Fox Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund |
“First Nations Collaboration in the Regional Context†Resource-based sectors as it relates to First Nations' opportunities in Ontario’s Far North are becoming the recent ‘enablers’ for community leadership to emerge. Current First Nation regional economic initiatives as well as future business and partnership potential have triggered regional, national, and global firms to start to discuss and negotiate commercial arrangements with First Nations in northern Ontario as well as mutually learn from each others’ interests and imperatives. Cultural insights on and sensible approaches to partnership arrangements and joint ventures with First Nations will be crucial to any project success. Resource development sectors continue to be a critical part of northern Ontario’s economy and, therefore, decisive leadership by all stakeholders will be crucial in making the vision of northern prosperity materialize for all to be beneficiaries. This presentation will outline key opportunities for First Nations in remote areas of northern Ontario, Canada, and provide a case study of community-based capacity building, enterprise development and partnership formation. |
| Flo Frank Common Ground Resource Group | “The Art of Advocacy†“The Art of Advocacy†is an interactive session on advocacy – what is it, how it’s done and with what results – based on examples and experiences from the group and facilitator. |
| Miljenko Juricic Nicola Valley Institute of Technology |
“How Can We Mix Indigenous and Western Approaches to Development?†This is a workshop about how language and storytelling create who we are as a people and how we think. Are there such things as different ways of knowing? What are the connections between the natural world and the modern money economy? What can science tell us about these relationships? What do our traditional teachings have to say about this? Mil will explore these questions through a presentation on the relationship between English and traditional Indigenous languages. Participants will experience a “hands on†activity using “a language of stones.†|
| Tony
Kuchapski Whitecap Dakota First Nation |
"First Nations Land Management Act" The First Nation Land Management Act (Bill C-49) has contributed to Economic Development of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation. A summary of the framework Agreement supporting the Bill will be presented as well as a summary of the Whitecap First Nation Land Code. The presentation will highlight the benefits operating under the legislation.New Cell |
| George E. Lafond Special Advisor to the President on Aboriginal Initiatives, University of Saskatchewan |
Master of Ceremonies |
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Lester Lafond Lafond Insurance & Financial Services Ltd. | “Muskeg Lake
Cree Nation TLE Selections & Strategy†The Lake Cree Nation TLE Selections & Strategy presentation is made up of the following broad areas: the TLE strategy, the need for urban development, and some specific examples and locations. Further, there will be outlines of the successful negotiating strategy utilized by MLCN as well as the development & services agreements, and a look at how relations are going with the city of Saskatoon. Lastly, there will be an outline of goals, present status and future of Muskeg Lake, followed by a brief summary. |
| Kelly Lendsay President and CEO, Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada | Master of Ceremonies |
| Marylou Linklater Abormedia | “Leading Change: What it will Take to Bring First Nation Communities into the 21st Century Economy?†The old economy will not bring self-sufficiency. Rather it is creating social havoc within the communities. Leaders will be inspired and motivated to continue the drive for enhanced governance by using the tools available in today’s New Economy. Whereas Aboriginal peoples were excluded from the Industrial Revolution of the 1900’s, they need not miss the current Information and Technology Revolution which is creating local, national and global Economic Development opportunities available to all communities. Come and build a New Vision for the Nation with the Power of the 21st Century, the Substance of the Vision. |
| Collette Manuel Syilxw Development Corporation | “Planning for Success - Lessons from CANDO Economic Developer Award Winners†Collette is currently in the process of completing a thesis for her Masters Degree, entitled Integrating Decentralization and Community Development Planning to Create Optimum for First Nations in Canada. Her thesis involves examining the past winners of CANDO’s Economic Developer of the Year Award, to determine what common indicators were present to create the atmosphere for success. Thus far, a total of eight of the past CANDO winners have participated in this research. In her presentation, Collette will provide overview of findings of her research and present a holistic planning approach that integrates decentralization and community development that can provide the optimum for First Nations to “move forwardâ€. |
| Dawn Mills, PhD Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering |
“Legacy of Missed Opportunities†Limited access to land and resources (whether this is capital or a percentage of the resource itself), discriminatory legislation and an administrative goal of assimilation has drawn circles around many attempts by Canadian First Nation, Inuit and Métis people to achieve parity. Although there are success stories, in this presentation I outline several historical conundrums that continue to play out in Federal/Provincial policy preventing meaningful reconciliation. In response to this current situation of missed opportunities I also propose a conceptual model that may be initiated to broaden the options of the Crown and First Nation, Inuit and Métis people in order that we may start to hear each other. |
| Dwight Percy President, Percy Communications Inc. | Master of Ceremonies |
| Lorraine Rekmans National Aboriginal Forestry Association | “Impacts of Forest Industry Trends on First Nation Communities†This presentation will provide an overview of the key issues and major trends influencing forest management and forest sector activities in Canada. The purpose is to explore the impact, on Aboriginal communities and their aspirations, of the changes occurring in the sector resulting from major initiatives designed to address the underlying issues. As well, this presentation will provide a commentary on the challenges inherent in addressing Aboriginal participation as a fundamental element of sustainable forest management and in ensuring that Aboriginal people derive an equitable share of the benefits |
| Donna Roth grafikom.Speedfast Ltd. | “Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) & Chain of Custody Certification†This presentation will provide delegates with understanding of:
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| Russell Roundpoint Mohawk Council of Akwesasne | “Separating Business / Administration from Council†The community of Akwesasne has been recognized as a leader among First Nations in its formal separation of politics from administration and business. The management of our structure, including Economic Development, consists of an annual operational plan and Economic Development Strategic Plan. We are able to include Chiefs in the direction in which we take, but at the same time there is a formal separation between the Chiefs and Economic Development staff. The Chiefs of the Mohawk Council are bound by an Oath of Office and a Code of Conduct which prevents them from micromanaging and getting involved in the daily and weekly management of our organization. We also have a series of protocols which define how our communication occurs within the organization. This system of management allows our MCA staff to perform their annual functions and empowers the staff to carry out their duties with respect and a fair amount of authority in the implementation of our planning. The Chiefs lead in direction, but not on daily management issues. |
| Vaughn Sunday CANDO Co-President & Director - Ontario | Master of Ceremonies |
| Ray Wanuch CANDO Executive Director | Master of Ceremonies |