Concurrent Speakers and Presentations

A1 - Young Entrepreneurs Session

Presenter(s)
Mr. Colby Delorme
ImagiNATION Cards Inc.
Alberta, Canada

Presenter Background
Involved in the conception and creation of imagiNATION, Colby officially joined the company as the Vice President of Marketing and Sales in 2003. imagiNATION represents the work of Aboriginal artists through art cards and gifts in corporate and retail markets. His vision led to an expansion into corporate gifts, promotional products, and the introduction of imagiNATION Cards into hundreds of retail stores across Canada, the US, and Europe.

Colby launched and operated two successful companies prior to joining the imagiNATION Team. He owns Authentically Aboriginal Inc., an online Aboriginal Artist registry and database company started in March 2007. 

He has served on the board of Aboriginal Resource Centre and volunteers his time to the Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation and the Métis Nation.

A2 - Sustainable Partnerships for Economic Success in ICT

Presenter(s)
Mr. Balgovind Pande
Director, Business Development
Lynx Mobility
Quebec, Canada

Presenter Background
Balgovind Pande (BA Economics) has 10+ years' experience consulting on policy analysis and development for First Nation communities. He specializes in project development and management; fund raising; community development; policy analysis; capacity-building; human resources development; health and social services program implementation; small-business development; ICT implementation; management operation systems analysis and procedures; software conceptualization, testing, and training.

A3 - First Nations Trade and Commerce: Reconciliation of Aboriginal Rights and Title Interests

Presenter(s)
Chief Steve Wilson
Haisla Nation
British Columbia, Canada

Presenter Background
Steve Wilson has been the elected Chief Councilor for 8 years. He led a team that designed an economic development model that reconciles Aboriginal Rights and Title Interests with Third Party Interests in Impact Benefit Agreements to address training, development, and financial barriers. 

A4 - Advancing Aboriginal Economic Inclusion through the Use of E-Learning Technology in the Aboriginal Community

Presenter(s)
Mr. Martin Sacher
Program Administrator / CEO

Mr. Nelson Daychief
Chairman

Sunchild E-Learning
Sunchild First Nation
Alberta, Canada



Session Description
Learn how Sunchild E-Learning uses technology to deliver high quality, interactive, synchronous, and culturally-based education to Aboriginal communities. Through sound education principles, Sunchild E-learning has increased retention and graduation rates thereby helping to develop the economic capacity of Aboriginal communities.

Presenter Background
Martin Sacher has been active in the education field for the past 30 years, 19 as a public high school principal, and the last 10 years as Principal for the Sunchild First Nation and Program Administrator/CEO for the Sunchild E-learning Program. Recognized internationally, federally and provincially as a leader in education, Martin Sacher has lead a team of instructional technology visionaries to create a successful on-line learning community after identifying the need and challenge of improving Canada’s First Nation’s education.  As a result, multiple corporate sponsors have stepped forward to join Martin and his team in developing, implementing and delivering the successful and unparalleled Sunchild E-learning model.

Nelson Daychief is a former Chief of Sunchild First Nation, and currently the Director of Education for Sunchild First Nation school. He has been actively involved in, and passionate about, the education of Aboriginal peoples for many decades. With the support of his Chief and Council, and the Sunchild community, Nelson is  an active voice locally, provincially and federally towards educational reform to overcome the plight of Aboriginal peoples to achieving their educational goals.

A5 - The E-Index: An Essential Planning Tool

Presenter(s)
Mr. Bruce Hardy
President
Function Four Ltd.
Manitoba, Canada



Ms. Mary Jane Loustel
National Aboriginal Program Executive
IBM Canada
Manitoba, Canada

Presenter Background
Bruce Hardy is President of Function Four Ltd., an innovations company that develops innovative solutions using technology for community processes. His company has developed a number of long term, collaborative relationships with rural, urban, northern and international communities over the past ten years. Bruce's involvement has been in a variety of capacities, including: business development; management; program development and promotion, project management and implementation; professional consulting; program analysis and design. He has volunteered extensively in capacity development organizations over the last ten years.

Mary Jane Loustel is a National Aboriginal Program Executive with IBM Canada. As Program Executive, Mary Jane leads IBM Canada's National Aboriginal Strategy. This Strategy supports Aboriginal IT skills development through training and scholarship and seeks to increase employment and business opportunities through recruitment, partnership and procurement. In her career, Mary Jane was CEO of an economic development agency and has worked in the post-secondary education, finance, and business services sectors providing leadership in strategic, financial and operational planning. A chartered accountant, holding a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Mary Jane is now working on a Masters degree in Native Studies.

A6 - Development, Partnership & Independence: Lessons from the Global Village

Presenter(s)
Mr. Paul Blais
Partner
Mr. Brock Dickinson
Partner
Millier Dickinson Blais Inc.
Ontario, Canada

Presenter Background
Brock Dickinson began his career with the United Nations, working in more than 50 countries and ultimately becoming Secretary-General of a UN development conference. He returned to Canada to head the Western Valley Development Authority in rural Nova Scotia, before serving as Director of Economic Development for the City of St. Catharines and Director of ICT for the Toronto Region Research Alliance. Now a partner with Millier Dickinson Blais, the largest economic development specialist consultancy in Canada, he has worked with indigenous and traditional communities globally for more than 20 years. He is Assistant Director of the University of Waterloo’s Economic Development Program and a member of the Board of the Economic Developers Association of Canada.

B1 - Young Entrepreneurs Session

Presenter(s)
Mr. Nathaniel Arcand

Presenter Background
Nathaniel’s career began 17 years ago. His big break came (after starring in a few smaller roles for local independent filmmakers) when he auditioned for the role of William MacNeil in the hit CBC TV series “North of 60”.

The North of 60 role was a stepping-stone for Nathaniel, landing him guest appearances in other such popular television shows as “Due South”, “Incredible Story Studio”, “Caitlin’s Way”, “Shoebox Zoo”, and “Smallville”. Nathaniel's television career soared, and he found himself co-starring with the likes of Luke Perry and Malcolm Jamal-Warner (“Jeremiah”), as well as veteran actor Nicholas Campbell (“DaVinci’s City Hall”, “DaVinci's Inquest”). He even had the chance to work with his son Griffin Powell-Arcand in Hallmark Entertainment’s 2-part TV mini-series, “Dreamkeeper”. One of his most memorable roles was the role of Tonto in the television movie “The Lone Ranger”.

In addition to CBC’s mini-series “Northern Town”, Nathaniel also starred in the APTN Pilot “Clean Fight” as the lead role of Trevor, a native kickboxer struggling with diabetes, and his determination to defeat this disease. Other TV appearances include the Nora Roberts’ movie of the week “Montana Sky” (Lifetime Network), Showcase’s “Moose TV” (as Clifford) and most recently as Scott Cardinal in CBC’s newest TV series “Heartland”. Aside from his first major film role as Ned White Bear in the 1999 film “Grey Owl”, his other notable film credits include “Elektra”, “Black Cloud”, “Ginger SnapsBack”, “American Outlaws” and 20^th Century Fox’s “Pathfinder”.

Nathaniel has won many awards during his career, including the award for Best Supporting Actor in Shirley Cheechoo’s film “Johnny Tootall”, which was screened at the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco in November 2005. He was also the recipient of the Performing Arts Award at the Aboriginal Role Models of Alberta awards ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta in November 2006.

B2 - Changing the Face of Leadership for Indigenous Maori People of New Zealand 

Presenter(s)
Dr. William Manaia 
Manukau Institute of Technology
New Zealand

Ms. Anita Vlesic
Manukau Institute of Technology
New Zealand

Dr. William Manaia & Ms. Anita Vlasic's Presentation 

Presenter Background
Dr. Manaia is Maori with tribal affiliations to Ngati Maniapoto (Ngati Apakura) and Ngati Awa (Nga Maihi). He has been working in various areas of Maori education and Maori development in New Zealand for 20 years. He has worked as a teacher, a policy analyst, senior policy analyst, and a strategic projects manager at various levels of the New Zealand health sector. For the last ten years he has been an academic, as a Research Fellow at Massey University, and as a Lecturer at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Community Development at Unitec, New Zealand. Dr. Manaia has degrees in education, management, social science & health science. In 1998, he completed a Masters thesis on Maori health management from a tribal perspective. In the same year, he was awarded a Doctorate Training Fellowship from the New Zealand Health Research Council (NZHRC) and wrote a PhD thesis on “The Changing Management of Maori Health Development (1991 to 2001)".

B3 - Aboriginal Participation in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Presenter(s)
Ms. Vanessa Mountain
Aboriginal Procurement Specialist
VANOC
British Columbia, Canada

Ms. Rosi Niedermayer
Director, Economic Development
Four Host First Nations
British Columbia, Canada

Presenter Background
Vanessa Mountain is a member of the N’quatqua First Nation in BC. She has spent the majority of her career in the financial industry.  Her most recent position prior to working with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games was as an Economic Development Programs Officer with INAC. She has also had experience as Band Manager for a First Nation on northern Vancouver Island, as General Manager for Tale’awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation, and has worked her way up in one of the larger Canadian trust companies.

Rosi Niedermayer is on an executive interchange to the Four Host First Nations Secretariat from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa. She has degrees from the University of Denver, as well as Sorbonne Nouvelle and the Chamber de Commerce in Paris. She has over 20 years of international investment and trade experience and was a member of the Canadian National Alpine Ski team.

B4 - Aotearoa-New Zealand Maori: The Next Ten Years

Presenter(s)
Mr. Wayne Tamerangi Mulligan
CEO
FOMANA Capital Limited & Federation of Maori Authorities
New Zealand

Presenter Background
Wayne Mulligan is the Chief Executive of FOMANA Capital Limited, a company which is the commercial arm of the Federation of Maori Authorities Inc (FoMA). FoMA is a non-government entity, fully owned by Maori.

Wayne holds a Master of Management specializing in strategy and systems thinking. He is a director and trustee on a number of Maori commercial and community businesses. Wayne's tribal affiliations are Taranaki, Te Atiawa and Ngati Maniapoto. FOMANA Capital specializes in mergers, acquisitions, assisting export businesses, capital raising and investment. Wayne has researched and written 30 case studies on Maori businesses.

B5 - Creating functioning economies and building communities in Indigenous homelands

Presenter(s)
Professor Robert J. Miller
Lewis & Clark Law School
Oregon, USA

Presenter Background
Professor Robert J. Miller is a Chief of Justice, Grand Ronde Tribe, Citizen, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Native American Business & Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN) since 1998, and has written four law review articles on American Indian economic development.

B6 - Respecting Traditions: Shaping the Future through Operation Management System

Presenter(s) 
Gary Oker
Artist and Program Director
Doig River First Nation
British Columbia, Canada

Presenter Background
Mr. Oker comes from a long line of Dreamers who use prophecies and wisdom from Elders to guide and direct leadership in decision-making. He continues to use songs and stories to build visions that strengthen the community.

He has traveled throughout North America and Europe to study and work as a film director/visual artist. His world-acclaimed short film, "Contact the People", has had international attention, and he is currently completing a short film story about the ancient Dane-zaa Dreaming tradition ("They Dream About Everything"). Mr.  Oker continues to use the symbolic messages of the past as a way to connect with the present and future, and he does this through leadership and the visual arts.

Mr. Oker finished his Master of Arts in Leadership and Training at Royal Roads University in 2005. Since his first election as Chief in 2001, he has led the community through structural administrative changes and the development of new governance policies. His vision is to ensure quality of life for all First Nation members through economic independence and management of their own information and territorial lands. He has developed partnership agreements with multinational oil and gas companies and has driven policy development and changes within sectors of government to ensure Aboriginal and Treaty rights are protected and addressed by all levels of government.

C1 - Young Entrepreneurs Session

Presenter(s)
Mr. Scott Ward
Alberta, Canada

Presenter Background
Scott Ward is a proud Aboriginal person, born and raised in Selkirk, Manitoba. Upon completing high school, Scott moved to Alberta and has made the Edmonton area his home for over 15 years. After attending the University of Alberta and graduating with a Bachelor of Education degree in 2000, Scott worked within Alberta, teaching, counseling and assisting Aboriginal students to stay in school. 

Since performing his first hypnosis show for co-workers at a staff wellness conference, Scott has gone on to perform numerous entertaining shows all across Canada. He has quickly risen to become one of Canada's busiest and most energetic Stage 
Hypnotists. In addition to this, he was the recipient of a 2005 Alberta Aboriginal Youth Achievement Award for his volunteer service. In January 2007, Scott Ward was awarded the prestigious Alberta Business Awards of Distinction in the Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneur category.

Scott is actively touring the country with his educational presentations and entertaining stage shows; he enjoys sharing his hypnotic knowledge, healing, and laughter with communities!

C2 - Tuaropaki: Stand Face Challenge

Presenter(s)
Ms. Nachelle Griffiths
Trustee
Tuaropaki Trust
New Zealand

Tuaropaki Trust Presentation 

Presenter Background
Nachelle Griffiths, Dip Tch, MInstD, CCD, is a trustee for Tuaropaki Trust, which is a Maori land trust in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The company has investments in the energy, communication, and food and fiber production sectors. Nachelle is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and holds a "Certificate of Company Directorship". She has been involved in education for the past 17 years and has responsibility for the social benefits delivered by the trust.

C3 - Dim Lipgyathl huwilphl Gitxsan: The Freedom to be Ourselves

Presenter(s)
Mr. William Derrick
Business Analyst
Office of the Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs
British Columbia, Canada

Presenter Background
William Derrick has a degree in business from the University of Northern British Columbia. With a background in banking and working with other First Nations entities, Mr. Derrick works with the Chief Forester and Co-coordinator in business strategies. This includes funding procurement, project feasibility, and organization modeling.

C4 - Global Economic Opportunities for Indigenous Peoples

Presenter(s)
Mr. Shane Jaffer

Director, International Financial Institutions and Africa and Alberta

Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations

Ms. Tara Scheurwater

Senior Advisor

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

Presenter Background
Shane Jaffer has been with Alberta Government for just over ten years.  In his current role as Director, International Financial Institutions (IFI’s) and Africa he works with Alberta firms pursuing international projects funded by international financial institutions like the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and others.  He also works with Alberta firms pursuing energy related projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.  With respect to IFI’s, some of the activities undertaken to increase Alberta’s success with IFI’s include trade missions, identification of business opportunities, outreach programs for Bank staff and company counseling on projects.  Shane is also part of the World Bank’s and Inter-American Development Bank’s Private Sector Liaison Network.

Prior to his role with international financial institutions and Sub-Saharan Africa, Shane was the Manager of the Business Immigration Program, which sought to assist business immigrants coming to Alberta.  Also, he spent four years working in the community futures program in High Level and Slave Lake.

Shane is a graduate of University of Alberta with degrees in commerce degree specializing in finance and a recreation administration degree.   He is currently working on a Masters in International Trade from the University of Saskatchewan.

Tara Scheurwater is the Senior Advisor, Innovation for the Prairie and Northern Region of the Trade Commissioner Service which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. As a member of the Canadian Foreign Service, Tara serves both in Canada and at Canadian Embassies and Consulates abroad, working with organizations and companies that are seeking international contacts, customers, or partners. Her most recent overseas assignment was as Senior Trade Commissioner in Osaka, Japan.

C5 - Indigenous Empowerment: Issues of Leadership, Self-Governance, and Culture

Presenter(s)
Dr. Manley A. Begay, Jr.
Faculty Chair, Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy
Senior Lecturer, American Indian Studies Program; and
Co-Director, Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
United States

Presenter Background
Dr. Manley A. Begay, Jr. is faculty chair of the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy in the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy. He is also a senior lecturer/associate social scientist in the American Indian Studies Program at The University of Arizona. He teaches courses on nation-building, curriculum development, and Indigenous education. He is also co-director of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. His research and work experience has focused on projects about and for Native nations in the promotion of strong and effective institutions of governance and leadership. He has presented on a variety of topics, from leadership to Indigenous nation building, from curriculum development to pedagogy, and from historical and contemporary Indigenous issues to education. He has also worked closely with Native nations in the US, First Nations and Bands in Canada, Aborigines in Australia, and Maori in Aotearoa (New Zealand).

C6 - Passion, Entrepreneurship and the Rebirth of Local Economies

Presenter(s)
Dr. Ernesto Sirolli
President
Sirolli Institute Canada Ltd.
Canada & United States

Ms. Yvonne Fizer
Executive Director
Sirolli Institute Canada Ltd.
Canada & United States

Presenter Background
Italian-born, Dr. Ernesto Sirolli is a highly sought after presenter and economic development authority, focusing on enterprise development and its impact on communities and the economy.

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Sirolli has worked in Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom in the field of local economic development. He first implemented what has become the uniquely successful development process of Enterprise Facilitation^® in Esperance, Western Australia in 1985. Since that time, the process has created thousands of new jobs and infused millions of dollars into local economies. The number of projects has grown to include several countries, including the USA, which launched its initial project site in Lincoln County, Minnesota in 1990.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Yvonne Fizer acquired her degree from the University of Alberta with a major in Home Economics. She worked in the field of community development for Alberta's provincial government for several years. After attending an Enterprise Facilitator training course in 1996, Yvonne convinced the Sirolli Institute that there would be a strong market for its services in Canada. She subsequently headed the formation of Sirolli Institute Canada. She presently serves in the dual capacity as Executive Director for Sirolli Institute, Canada, and Director of Business Development.

D1 - Young Entrepreneurs Session

Conversation with Minister Zwozdesky

D2 - Key Lessons from What’s Working in Indigenous Economic Development from Down Under

Presenter(s)
Mr. Peter Kenyon
Director
Bank of I.D.E.A.S. (Initiatives for the Development of Enterprising Action and Strategies)
Australia

Bank of I.D.E.A.S. Presentation

Presenter Background
Peter Kenyon is a social entrepreneur and community enthusiast. Over the last two decades, he has worked with over 1000 communities throughout Australia, New Zealand and 50+ other countries seeking to facilitate fresh and creative ways to stimulate community and economic renewal. He is motivated by the desire to create healthy, caring, inclusive, sustainable and enterprising communities.

D3 - Working in Canada’s North With Strong Joint Venture

Presenter(s)
Mr. George Lidgett
Senior Vice President, Operations
ATCO Frontec
Alberta, Canada

Session Description
ATCO Frontec has found success in Canada’s North by forging strong joint venture partnerships with Aboriginal communities. In some of the most remote geographical locations and under challenging weather conditions, ATCO Frontec has found a business niche providing facilities maintenance, logistical and technical services, and managing airport facilities and operations for the northern defense industry.

The company's joint venture partnerships allow it the credibility and trust to work at these facilities, largely located on Aboriginal land. Its partnerships with Aboriginal communities and companies are successful because of their foundation based on trust, respect, a shared business purpose, and a commitment to be open and direct in the face of hurdles. After decades of working collaboratively with Aboriginal communities across Canada’s North, the company has developed a reputation that allows it to open more doors and pursue additional joint venture contracts as opportunities arise.

Presenter Background
George Lidgett is Senior Vice President, Operations for ATCO Frontec, and responsible for the company’s overall corporate strategy and worldwide day-to-day operations.

George began his career with ATCO in 1985 and has held a series of progressively senior roles for a variety of companies in the ATCO Group. Before taking on his current role, George held the positions of Vice President of Operations for ATCO Pipelines, Vice President of Calgary Operations for ATCO Gas, and Vice President of Commercial and Construction for ATCO Frontec.

George is originally from Grande Prairie, Alberta and holds a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta. He is an active member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists (APEGGA). He lives in Calgary and is married with three children.

D4 - Does Education Compensate for the Absence of Social Capital experienced by Indigenous Entrepreneurs?

Presenter(s):
Dr. Dennis Foley
Research Academic
Indigenous Studies
University of Newcastle
Australia

Presenter Background
Dr. Dennis Foley is a Fulbright Scholar and an Endeavour Fellow. His publications cross several disciplines, from Indigenous literature, history, and Indigenous studies, to business management, entrepreneurship, and Indigenous education. His award-winning PhD on Indigenous Entrepreneurship (Gold Medal Best Doctoral Thesis Award, World Business Institute 2006), received the Dean of Research Commendation placing it in the top 10% of the University of Queensland’s research degrees. His principal areas of research are Indigenous entrepreneurship, and Indigenous epistemology. Dennis is Australian Aboriginal: his matrilineal connection is Gai-mariagal of the Guringah language group, and his father is a descendant of the Wiradjuri Capertee/Turon River people.

D5 - Building indigenous capacity in health services and its’ contribution to economic development

Presenter(s)
Ms. Piri Robinson
Director and Senior Consultant
Kahui Tautoko Consulting (Canada) Ltd.
British Columbia, Canada