Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias

University student leader named to national youth panel

By Sam Laskaris
Cando Contributor

Aubrey-AnneAubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias is proving it’s not only those from major centres that can make a huge difference.

The 20-year-old member from Saskatchewan’s Canoe Lake Cree First Nation has already achieved quite a bit in her young life.

And Laliberte-Pewapisconias has plenty of other lofty goals she’d like to achieve.

Thus, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise to find out the highly-motivated Laliberte-Pewapisconias has also been named to the six-person national youth panel, which will participate in the 2019 Cando Conference.

The event, organized by Cando, the organization which promotes Indigenous economic development across Canada, is scheduled for Oct. 27-30 in Gatineau, Que.

Laliberte-Pewapisconias, who began her Business program studies at the University of Saskatchewan in 2017, believes it’s significant she’s been chosen for the national youth panel.

“I think it’s meaningful, especially coming from a small Saskatchewan community where you hear about bigger places like Toronto and Vancouver,” she said. “It’s hard to imagine that you too can make a big difference.”

Shortly after the Cando Conference, Laliberte-Pewapisconias will head to England to complete the third year of her university studies. She’ll be on an exchange, studying at the University of Essex beginning in January.
She’ll remain overseas to work in a London-based public relations firm next summer before returning home for her fourth year at the University of Saskatchewan.

Laliberte-Pewapisconias has already made vital contributions name at the Canadian school.

For example, she founded the Indigenous Business Students’ Society (IBSS) last fall. This group, open to all Indigenous students at the school, is intended to make all feel welcome.

The IBSS, which had about 50 members in its inaugural year, also hosted a gala featuring Indigenous community leaders where students were encouraged to network for some possible future work positions.

As for Laliberte-Pewapisconias, after she completes her University of Saskatchewan degree she’s hoping to attend the University of Victoria to earn her MBA.

Ideally, she’d like to return to her home province after that and get a job with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA). She’s worked as a SIGA summer student the past two years.

Laliberte-Pewapisconias said she’d welcome the chance to work for the non-profit organization on a full-time basis because of how it operates, investing its profits back into communities.

Half of these profits are distributed among the 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan.

“For me to work for what is unlike any other organization in Canada really means a lot to me,” she said.

                                                                

 

2019 National Youth Panel

2019 - National Youth Panel 

Alexandra Jarrett
Canoe Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan

Alexandra Jarrett is a young Indigenous woman from Eagles Lake First Nation & Canoe Lake Cree First Nation. Alexandra was born in Meadow Lake, SK, and currently resides in Saskatoon, SK. 

Read Alexandra's story

Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias
Canoe Lake Cree First Nation, Saskatchewan

Aubrey-Anne Laura Laliberte-Pewapisconias is a 20-year old Cree woman from Treaty 10 Territory with Canoe Lake Cree First Nation and Treaty 6 Territory with Little Pine First Nation. She is a third-year commerce student at the University of Saskatchewan currently pursuing a major in Finance at Edwards School of Business.

Read Aubrey-Anne's story 

Nipâwi Kakinoosit
Sucker Creek First  Nation, Alberta

Nipawi Mahihkan Misit Kakinoosit is a Nehiyaw (Cree) from the Sucker Creek Frist Nation in Northern Alberta and was born and raised in Prince George, BC. He is also an adopted member of Musqueam Indian Band (Coast Salish) and Elsipogtog First Nation (Mi’kmaq).

Read Nipawi's story

Ryan Oliverius
Okanagan Indian Band, British Columbia

Ryan Oliverius is a member of the Okanagan Indian Band in Vernon, British Columbia. Ryan is the youngest member on council for the Okanagan Indian Band. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and is the first in his family to graduate from post-secondary. Ryan double majored in Marketing and New Venture while at TRU.

Read Ryan's story 

Destinee Peter
Carry the Kettle Nakoda First Nation, Saskatchewan

Destinee is the current owner and operator of Tangles Hair and Beauty Salon.  Tangles is a full-service Hair and Beauty Salon. She has a full line of hair and beauty products to address every clients’ needs. She started doing her own accounting to pay all bills and track all revenue and also did her own payroll and made sure all deductions and taxes were submitted on time, but since she has expanded, she now contracts all accounting services.  Destinee is responsible for 7 female employees and make schedules for adequate coverage for Tangles.  

Read Destinee's story

Chanelle Smoke
Alderville First Nation, Ontario

Mnidoo Migizi Chanelle Smoke, Bear Clan, of Alderville First Nation, as a National Youth Panelist. Chanelle has shown herself to be a leader not only within our school board here at Kawartha Pine-Ridge DSB, but also within her community. From an early age, Chanelle has had the wellbeing of others foremost in her mind. She is currently enrolled in the paramedic program at Loyalist College.

Read Chanelle's story