Meet the Links to Learning Series Hosts/MCs
Michelle Nieviadomy
Michelle Nieviadomy is Nehiyaw Iskwew (Cree woman) with a passion for wellness, social justice & community development.
She is a member of Kawacatoose First Nation and while her roots are in Saskatchewan, she has called Edmonton home for the past 20 years.
She is the Assistant Director at the Edmonton Native Healing Centre.
She is an entrepreneur with her own business called Iskwew Health promoting health & wellness in various capacities! (Zumba, meditation, bootcamp, fitness kickboxing, wellness retreats) She believes movement is medicine & connection is everything!
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Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias
Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias is a Cree woman with roots from both Canoe Lake Cree First Nation on Treaty 10 Territory and, Little Pine First Nation on Treaty 6 Territory. Currently, she is pursuing her Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Finance at the Edwards School of Business. Within her campus community, Aubrey is the Vice-President of Charity with the Edwards Business Students’ Society, the co-founder of the Indigenous Business Students’ Society, and previously held positions on the Edwards JDC West Not-For-Profit Academic Team and the Finance Students’ Society.
Aubrey also brings her experience working with Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority in Procurement and Corporate Affairs, Indigenous Clean Energy in the Communications and Strategic Partnership area and sits on the Board of Directors with CANDO as the National Student Director. She is also an advocate for Indigenous rights and her passions include Indigenous economic development and the empowerment of women in leadership.
Aubrey’s involvement with CANDO began just over a year ago when she began learning more about all that this organization does. She was a delegate at the 2nd Annual Cando Economic Development Youth Summit in Edmonton, Alberta and went on to be part of the 15th Annual National Youth Panel in Gatineau, Quebec.
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Keith Matthew - Co-Host BC Links to Learning
Keith Matthew
President & Director - Southern British Columbia
Keith Matthew is a member of the Simpcw First Nation and is a former chief of the Simpcw First Nation. He served for five years as chief and five years as Councilor up until December 2010. As a Councilor and Chief with his community he was responsible for economic development and was instrumental developing a business relationship with Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing and helped negotiate ownership in a $7 million heli‐skiing lodge. He was the chief negotiator with Kinder Morgan Canada and Canadian Hydro Developers and delivered impact benefit agreements to his community with those companies. He also led discussions on a forest and range agreement that provides fibre and resources for the Simpcw First Nation and its legal entities. More importantly these agreements have provided employment and training opportunities in major projects that the community members wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to compete for and work with companies that were formerly beyond their capacity. As chief he also was responsible for negotiations but also oversaw the successful delivery of the impact benefit agreements referendum and benefits to his community. In order to take advantage of the opportunities there was also the creation of Simpcw Resources Group Ltd. and the creation of Simpcw Heritage Trust to manage own source revenues into the future for the upcoming generations of Simpcw youth and their grandchildren. This legal instrument will allow the building of wealth for the children of our community well into the future and will eventually be the main reve‐nue generator of own source revenue for future generations. The vision to create opportunities for Simpcw First Nation was understanding the Haida and Taku River Supreme Court of Canada decisions on the duty to consult First Nations communities. Shuswap Nation Tribal Council was instrumental in helping draft consultation and accommodation policies with the assistance of the West Coast Environmental Law. The building block for this was started with a consultation and accommodation framework that was passed by a majority of the Simpcw membership in a community referendum. Additional pieces to this policy framework were later developed with a map of the traditional territory and a heritage and culture policy addendum.
He has his own company Seklep Business Services and works with First NaƟons’ communities to negotiate agreements with companies that require certainty of tenure from major projects on unceeded traditional territory. As well he has two joint venture companies and is a principal with both Skeetch Arrowhead Contracting Ltd. and Skowtum Services Ltd. Skeetch Arrowhead is involved in mine heavy construction and was awarded a major contract with New Gold Inc. and have finished their second season and has successfully delivered the contract on time and on budget. Skowtum Services specializes in survey, road and bridge design contract work and is currently working on Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project.
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Shawna Morning Bull - Co-Host Alberta Links to Learning
Shawna Morning Bull
Director - Alberta
Shawna Morning Bull is a member of the Piikani First Nation located in Southern Alberta. Shawna is presently employed as the Manager Business Development at Community Futures Treaty Seven (CFT7) in Calgary, Alberta. In this capacity she is responsible for the overall direction, evaluation, and operations of the various development initiatives which the Community Futures Treaty Seven is currently involved in or wishes to pursue. Shawna has been employed by Community Futures Treaty Seven for the past 9 years.
Prior, she was a Business Loans Manag-er with Alberta Indian Investment Corporation and a Business Support Officer with Indian Business Corporation, but her career in business began with Peace Hills Trust in 1997. She is a graduate of Lethbridge College with Busi-ness Management and Criminal Justice. Presently, she is the Secretary for Piikani Resource Development Limited Board of Directors, an entity operating on the Piikani Nation to develop, design and implement projects, pro-grams and services for the benefit of her First Nation economy. In 2015, Shawna joined the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Indigenous Opportunities Sub-Committee.
Shawna, also is on the Board of Directors on her second term with CANDO as the Alberta Representative and is the 2018 recipient of the Chief David Crowchild Award, she was presented this award by Mayor Nenshi in June 2018 for her efforts to build bridges in and around Calgary between indigenous and non-indigenous people and entities.Shawna is married to Wade and together they have 5 children and 2 grandchildren. She enjoys attending her chil-dren’s activities such as college basketball, hockey, mixed martial arts, wrestling and they all enjoy hitting the powwow trail, where Shawna is a traditional dancer.
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Tim Daniels - Co-Host Manitoba Links to Learning
Tim Daniels
Director - Manitoba
Tim is a proud Anishinabe from the Long Plain First Nation located on Treaty 1 Territory. He is currently Chief Operating Offcer with Treaty 1 Development Corporation responsible for the Master Plan and development of the 160- acre former Kapyong Barracks in Winnipeg.
Tim has a wealth of experience in property and business development and is devoted to projects that help First Nations strive for economic success and sustainability. His accomplishments include development of Long Plain First Nation Urban Reserves in both Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie which have established Long Plain First Nation an economic force in Canada.
Tim has won many awards including Economic Developer of the Year, Spirit of Growth and Visionary Indigenous Business Excellence awards to mention just a few.
