(HALIFAX, NS) – The Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief for NS and NL, Morley Googoo has enlisted Indigenous leaders Rhonda Knockwood and Shannon Monk to support his office’s vision and mandate to 2020.
Knockwood is in the process of relocating from British Columbia on the completion of a term with the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government (Ucluelet First Nation) as a Political Advisor and Chief Negotiator. She joins the NS-NL Regional Office as Chief of Staff and brings with her a robust career that includes working with Indigenous organizations across the country. Knockwood was Chief of Staff for Shawn Atleo’s term as AFN Regional Chief for BC from 2003-09. Following this, she performed consulting work with the Atlantic Policy Congress of Atlantic Chiefs and the Union of Nova Scotia Indians while living in Sipekne’katik. Knockwood returned to British Columbia to complete her graduate degree and worked as the Director of Operations with the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and will conclude her term as a key organizational advisor at the end of this month. Knockwood currently serves as the volunteer Board President of the First Nations Education Foundation and will complete her Executive MBA in Indigenous Business and Leadership from Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business this October. The program is the only accredited masters level program in North America that is centrally focussed on Indigenous business, economic development and governance.
Regional Chief Googoo announced at AFN meetings in Ottawa this week that Knockwood will be joining his office in Oct. “Rhonda’s commitment to creating a new narrative for Indigenous people is an invaluable asset to my office and to all First Nations.” He said adding, “Her experience in policy development and Indigenous governance will help to propel, guide and inform our dynamic discussions as we move toward a Nation-to-Nation government.”
Furthering his office’s role of community engagement Regional Chief Googoo has also recruited Shannon Monk, an accomplished First Nations community liaison who recently acted as the Indigenous lead on the Canada C-3 project. She has been engaged by the Federal and several Provincial governments, corporations and several non-profit organizations as an outreach facilitator with Indigenous communities. As part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s mandate she coordinated and hosted a series of 30 national conferences with Residential School survivors, service providers, and First Nations leaders. As a Policy Analyst with the Assembly of First Nations she has travelled to more than 150 First Nations communities across the country to assess and report on the impact of Residential schools. As CEO of Sakatay Global, Monk developed the Indigenous Circle Approach to Cultural Confidence™ as a framework for reconciliation and has provided extensive training to government and business. Monk holds a degree in Arts, Education and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from Queen’s University with a focus on Indigenous Policy and Governance from the School of Policy Studies.
Regional Chief Googoo praised Monk’s career and her addition to his office. “Shannon has an incomparable record for Indigenous community outreach across Canada. Her in-depth perspective will bring an innovative and strategic insight to working with communities in NS and NL as we work together to address their needs.”
About the Assembly of First Nations
First Nation leaders (Chiefs) from coast to coast to coast direct the work of AFN through resolutions passed at Chiefs Assemblies held at least twice a year. The AFN National Executive is made up of the National Chief, 10 Regional Chiefs and the chairs of the Elders, Women’s and Youth councils. Regional Chiefs are elected every three years by Chiefs in their regions. Chiefs, who are elected by the citizens and members of their respective communities, elect the National Chief every three years.
The role of the National Chief and the AFN is to advocate on behalf of First Nations as directed by Chiefs-in-Assembly. This includes facilitation and coordination of national and regional discussions and dialogue, advocacy efforts and campaigns, legal and policy analysis, communicating with governments, including facilitating relationship building between First Nations and the Crown as well as public and private sectors and general public.
The term Passive House – or Passivhaus in German – refers to any building typology with a low-energy construction standard that reduces heating and cooling energy through passive measures by up to 90% compared to standard construction. The objective of this design process is to drastically reduce energy consumption, while also creating excellent indoor air quality and thermal comfort levels. The methods employed to achieve this objective include:
careful consideration of the building orientation, building form, and glazing location;
use of high levels of insulation and high performance windows and doors;
elimination of thermal bridging;
assurance of building envelope airtightness; and
design of mechanical ventilation with a heat recovery system.
The premium for Passive House construction depends on building type and can range from 4% to 15%. The payback period this initial investment derives from energy savings, building durability and low maintenance costs. Government grants and utility incentive programs can also help recoup costs.
Passive house construction contains a number of qualitative paybacks such as increased thermal comfort, high acoustical performance and superior air quality. By decreasing the demand for offsite energy, there is also a significant reduction in the building’s greenhouse gas output. That combined with a healthier building environment and a more durable building, Passive House design strategy exemplifies a sustainable built future and takes a progressive stride in an uncertain energy outlook.
PHIUS Certification
Passive House certification is a two-step process. The first step occurs during design. The energy performance of the building is assessed through energy modeling software from information such as site-specific climatic data, assumed occupant behavior, appropriate envelope assemblies and building form. The second step happens during the construction. Third party verification, such as Passive House Institute of US (PHIUS), ensures the built form and building systems align with the pre-approved design.
Certification is not a necessary requirement to reduce a building’s energy consumption to Passive House standards, although it is a relatively small investment to certify that energy use expectations are achieved and increases opportunities for government and or utility incentive programs.
First Nations Simpatico with Passive House Approach
The Passive House approach to building construction exemplifies a common theme of First Nations vision statements – a focus on community, health and the environment.
From a community perspective, there are multifaceted economic advantages in this construction methodology. The robust building envelope and simplified mechanical system provides a durable and low maintenance building. The reduced energy consumption is an obvious benefit; significantly enhanced when fossil fuels need to be imported into remote communities. From a health perspective the innate superior air quality and thermal comfort characteristics of a Passive House building have a huge benefit for the multi-generational occupant use of the spaces.
Passive House construction methodology limits the carbon emissions through significantly reduced energy consumption and building longevity.
Iredale Architecture Expertise in Passive House Design and Construction
Founded in 1980, Iredale Architecture is a full-service architecture firm with offices in Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary. The firm’s areas of expertise include not only architecture, but also structural engineering, building envelope science, interior design, master planning, heritage rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and LEED and Passive House certification. Iredale Architecture has been incorporating sustainable design strategies in projects since the early eighties. The firm provides cost-effective measures in green design solutions that translate into significant long-term cost savings for Clients.
Iredale Architecture is currently working on two Passive House projects for First Nations in Northern BC – the Doig River Community Church and the West Moberly Health Centre. These projects will establish new precedents in their respective typologies. Doig River Community Church will be the northern-most PHIUS certified building in North America, and the first PHIUS certified building for a First Nations community. West Moberly Health Centre will become the first PHIUS certified health centre in North America. The outcomes for both projects will be a ninety percent reduction in energy consumption over the base building standard, with healthier environments for users. The team responsible for these projects – Peter Hildebrand, Partner and Stefan Walsh, Project Manager – was involved in the development of a new Passive House window design in 2016. Trained in Passive House, Walsh contributed to the organization of the CanPHI symposium at UBC in 2014. Walsh is a member of Canada Passive House, the International Passive House Association and CanPHI West.
Doig River Community Church, Rose Prairie, BC
(Image Credit: Iredale Architecture)
West Moberly Health Centre, Moberly Lake, BC
(Image Credit: Iredale Architecture)
Spoken word artist Rebecca Thomas will become the Halifax Regional Municipality’s sixth Poet Laureate. The municipality’s Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador and advocate for literacy, literature and the arts, and reflects the vitality of our community through appearances and readings of poetry at a number of civic events and other activities.
Rebecca Thomas, new Poet Laureate of Halifax. (Photo Credit: Matthew Madden)
“We’re very pleased to appoint Ms. Thomas as our next Poet Laureate, a position which will empower her to enhance our understanding of our region’s unique cultural tapestry through her work,” said Mayor Savage.
Rebecca will serve a two-year term as the municipal Poet Laureate, which will notably coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion and Canada’s 150th birthday.
Rebecca is the current Halifax Poetry Slam Master and also works as Coordinator of Aboriginal Student Services at the Nova Scotia Community College. Coming from an Indigenous background whose family has been greatly impacted by residential schools, Ms. Thomas has come to recognize the lack of prominence given to First Nations perspectives within the history of Halifax. As a Mi’kmaw woman, she embraces the opportunity to bring her cultural voice to the broader public discussion through the Poet Laureate position, and believes that the arts and poetry can help people heal in ways beyond traditional therapies.
“Poetry can give a voice to the voiceless. Poetry can make a powerless person feel powerful. This is why I speak,” said Ms. Thomas.
Rebecca is also an active supporter of youth engagement through poetry and the arts and has volunteered the past two years with the Halifax Youth Slam Team. Over the last several years she has organized a variety of workshops and poetry series’ with a focus on youth empowerment and diversity education.
Rebecca will officially assume the position of Poet Laureate on April 1, 2016, in time to celebrate National Poetry Month. The naming of the new Poet Laureate will also be marked in late April with a special reading at Regional Council and a public reception. The reception will celebrate the legacy of the outgoing Poet Laureate, El Jones, and introduce Rebecca and her work to the citizens of the municipality.
CODE is proud to announce the winners of its 3rd Annual Burt Award for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Literature and celebrate incredible indigenous authorship benefitting First Nations, Métis, and Inuit youth. The Burt Award was created and is managed by CODE, a Canadian non-profit organization promoting literacy and education for over 55 years, in collaboration and with the generous support of William (Bill) Burt and the Literary Prizes Foundation. This year’s winners, as selected by a jury of Canadian writers administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, are:
2015 Winning Titles
1. Skraelings by Rachel & Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley (published by Inhabit Media)
2. Grey Eyes by Frank Christopher Busch (published by Roseway Publishing)
3. Lightfinder by Aaron Paquette (published by Kegedonce Press)
CODE 2015 Burt Award winning titles.
Hundreds of young people, educators, and community leaders came to honour the winning authors at the 2015 awards ceremony hosted in partnership with the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Education and Indigenous Education Institute of Canada in the UBC Longhouse on October 22nd. The day’s events were emceed by veteran broadcast journalist Shelagh Rogers, host of CBC’s The Next Chapter, and last year’s first prize winner, author of Tilly, Monique Gray Smith. Events included words from Musqueam Elder Larry Grant and performances by Musqueam hip-hop artist Christie Lee Charles.
Addressing the crowd, Jacques Bérubé, Vice-Chair of CODE’s board of directors, remarked on CODE’s approach: “We have long recognized that a very important characteristic of engaging young readers is to provide them with stories that reflect their own culture, their own stories. Stories that have meaning for them. This is what inspired us to introduce the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Literature.”
Selected by a jury of Canadian writers administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, Mr. and Ms. Qitsualik-Tinsley receive the First Prize of $12,000. Mr. Busch received the Second Prize of $8,000, and Mr. Paquette won Third Prize of $5,000. In addition, publishers of these titles will be awarded a guaranteed purchase of a minimum of 2,500 copies, which will ensure that First Nations, Métis, and Inuit youth across Canada will have access to the books through their schools, libraries, and Friendship Centres. Last year’s winning titles were distributed to almost 900 locations, reaching every province and territory.
“I have no doubt these winning books will appeal to a wide range of readers right across the country, but in particular we’re promoting the books to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit youth” said CODE Executive Director Scott Walter. “Through engaging writing that reflects lived realities and contemporary issues of indigenous youth, we hope to provide the spark to allow more and more youth the chance to discover a love of reading.”
The Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature aims to provide engaging and culturally-relevant books for young people across Canada by recognizing excellence in English-language literary works for Young Adults by First Nations, Métis and Inuit authors. The Award is the result of a close collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the National Association of Friendship Centres, the Association of Canadian Publishers, the Canada Council for the Arts, GoodMinds, and Frontier College. CODE’s Burt Award is a global readership initiative and is also established in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and the Caribbean.
The housing problem among First Nations and Metis communities has been a sore point for years. Some First Nations Bands, such as the Osoyoos and Musqueam, have invested over the years in improving standards of the homes. Not all Bands have been able address the problems easily due to financial challenges, and in many cases there is little or no government support. The result is a lack of proper homes.
Native leaders have been looking for a housing solution that doesn’t bankrupt the community. Knotty Pine Cabins could be part of the solution. Since 2007, Knotty Pine Cabins has been selling beautiful pre-fabricated cabins at affordable prices. A family-owned and operated business, their primary goal is to develop strong relationships with clients by providing them with the highest quality cabins and friendliest service in Canada.
Knotty Pine Cabin interior.
With Knotty Pine Cabins pre-fabricated options, assembly is simple. A majority of Knotty Pine customers build their own cabins. If clients prefer assistance, Knotty Pine has excellent teams of professional and friendly installers who would be more than happy to help. They can also work with you to custom-design a pre-fabricated cabin that fits your needs.
Cabin sizes start at 12 ft wide and go up to 24 ft wide. The cost for a 12’x12′ starts at an affordable $9,700 and up to $17,400 for a 12’x24′ plan. The 12’x16′ design starts at $11,900. The 12’x20′ begins at $15,200. The roomy 20’x20′ starts at $26,800 and up to $43,400- for a 20’x40′ floorplan. The most luxurious layout starts at 24’x24′ for $38,200 and peaks at $64,800 for a 24’x48′ cabin.
Knotty Pine Cabin interior.
Knotty Pine wants their customers to feel they have been treated well, and they want you to have a unique and personalized cabin home. No matter what size cabin you choose, you can add your choice of windows, lofts, floors, and more with their comprehensive list of customizable cabin options. Your new cabin can be designed with a purpose in mind. It could be your new family home, become a vacation destination, or serve as guest quarters. The cabins are beautiful and practical, in addition to being affordable, and there is no company selling houses that offer everything that Knotty Pine does. Fashionable, yet not pretentious, your home can be comfortable and practical and designed exactly the way you wanted.
Blaine Mc Donald is only a phone call away to help make your dream home come true, and he can bring it right to you. His motto is “Shipping Homes to First Nations across Canada.” He will explain to you all the advantages of owning a Knotty Pine Cabin and how to maintain your new home. Ask about custom sizing packages. To purchase a cabin or get more information, contact Blaine McDonald at (778)-878-0689 or e-mail [blaine@knottypinescabins.ca].
Dr. Vianne Timmons is the seventh President and Chancellor of the University of Regina. She took over in 2008. Dr. Timmons has dedicated her life to education. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979 from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. A year later, she received a Bachelor of Education in Special Education from Acadia University in Nova Scotia. She began her teaching career in Alberta and British Columbia and earned a Master of Education at Spokane University in Spokane, Washington. In 1993, Dr. Timmons received her PhD in Education Psychology from the University of Calgary.
Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor at University of Regina.
Over the years, her accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. She was named one of the “Ten Most Influential Women in Saskatchewan” and chosen as one of Canada’s “Top 100 Most Powerful Women” four years in a row (2008 to 2011). In 2009, Dr. Timmons was honoured with the Canada Post Literacy Award, and the following year she received the Canadian Association for Community Living’s National Inclusive Education Award. In 2012, the Canadian Association for Education Psychology gave her the Carole Crealock Award, and she received a Humanitarian Award from The Red Cross in 2013. In 2014, she received the Senior Women Academic Administration of Canada Recognition Award for her leadership in promoting and supporting diversity within Canadian Academic institutions.
Vianne Timmons has always stood up for Native education. “Historically, Canada’s Aboriginal people have been underserved in terms of post secondary education,” Dr. Timmons explains. “That’s a sad and undeniable fact, but something that I have been changing—albeit more slowly than it should since the 1970’s. Many things have contributed to enhanced participation rates across Canada: better access, better funding, better supports. And something I would argue has helped was the creation at the University of Regina in 1976 of the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, now First Nations University. FNUniv has played a leading role at the University of Regina, and indeed across Canada, in promoting and delivering post-secondary education for Aboriginal people. And just as importantly, FNUniv and the ReginaU have worked together to educate non-Aboriginal students about indigenous art, history, and culture. This has made our campus a more inclusive and diverse place, and I think it has set an example for other institutions in Canada.”
As president of the University of Regina, she made changes which have resulted in increased Aboriginal student enrolment. “In 2009, my first full year as President of the University of Regina, we launched a strategic plan that focused on many areas, including community partnerships, stabilizing enrolment, internationalization, and Indigenization of our University. In subsequent years, we had a great deal of success in these areas. Our strong focus on student success has resulted in consistent growth in enrolment over the past five years, including increasing our Aboriginal student population by 50% and doubling the number of international students on campus over that time.”
In 2014, Dr. Timmons implemented the peyak aski kikawinaw (Cree for “we are one with Mother Earth) strategy. “Our new 2105-2020 strategic plan, entitled Peyak Aski Kikawinaw, came together as a collaborative plan that was developed through extensive community engagement and inclusiveness. At it’s core, the plan is designed to support our vision for the University of Regina as a national leader in developing educated contributors, career-ready learners, and global citizens, and in generating meaningful, high-impact scholarship. Within the plan, we have identified three strategic priorities: Student Success, Research Impact and Commitment to our Communities. These will be crucial to the University’s success over the net five years and beyond.”
Dr. Timmons maintains active and wide-ranging research programs, with particular emphasis on literacy, learning, and inclusive education. Some of her research initiatives include developing a Canadian Research Network on Disability and Inclusion Indicators, studying the factors that affect the retention of Aboriginal students in university, and developing family literacy programs for rural families, Aboriginal communities, and newcomers to Canada, as well as exploring the connections between inclusive education and children’s health.
Under her direction, the number of Aboriginal students attending the University of Regina is possibly the highest in the country. “The demographics of our province certainly play a role in this, because Saskatchewan has a high population of Aboriginal people compared to many other provinces. At the University of Regina itself, we’ve worked very hard to ensure that the right supports are in place to foster the success of our Aboriginal students. In recent years, we have dramatically increased the number and value of scholarships and bursaries for Aboriginal students, developed mentorship programs for first-generation Aboriginal university student success, and created an Aboriginal Advisory Circle as well as an Executive Lead (Indigenization) position to further Indigenize our campus for the benefit of all students. So I would say there are many factors that have contributed to the fact that Aboriginal Students now make up 11% of the University of Regina student population. But in my mind, these factors all come together in one thing: acknowledging, respecting, and celebrating the fact that the University of Regina is situated on Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 lands.”
Chiefs from every First Nation in Canada will be gathering in Winnipeg December 9th-11th to select a new National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Surprisingly, lawyer Pam Palmater and Manitoba Grand Chief Derek Nepinak are not campaigning for National Chief. This year there are three candidates: Chief Ghislain Picard, Chief Leon Jourdain, Chief Perry Bellegarde.
Candidate Perry Bellegarde was elected National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations in 2014.
Chief Ghislain Picard is Innu from Pessamit, Quebec. Between 1976-1989, he was responsible for communications and media relations for the Conseil Atikamekw Montagnais (CAM), serving as VP in 1989 and publishing Tepatshimuwin for the Atikamekw and Innu communities. As president of the Centre d’Amitié Autochtone de Québec, he helped develop a community radio network within his Nation and co-founded the Société de Communication Atikamekw et Montagnaise (SOCAM), which produces Aboriginal language radio broadcasts. Mr. Picard is a Knight in the National Order of Québec and was awarded the insignia of Knight in the Legion of Honour from the Consul General of France. He has held his current position as Regional Chief of the AFN of Quebec and Labrador since 1992.
Chief Picard Since was chosen to serve as Interim National Chief after the resignation of National Chief Shawn Atleo. Under Picard’s leadership, the AFNQL launched a judicial review to overturn the federal government’s Aboriginal education bill. He recently denounced the government’s decision not to call a national public inquiry into the case of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, calling it “disrespectful.” Picard opposes the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, which requires expenses and salaries of chiefs and councillors to be posted online. He supports accountability but not disclosure beyond the requirements for other levels of government.
Chief Leon Jourdain is former Grand Chief of the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3 and is the current Chief of the Lac La Croix First Nation in Ontario. Leading a progressive band council as a councillor and chief for 15 years, Jourdain recognized his community’s struggle with addiction and successfully maintained laws banning alcohol from his community. He negotiated a unique coexistence agreement between Lac La Croix and the Province of Ontario allowing co-management of Quetico Provincial Park and management of Crown Land for development, forming a lasting social and economic partnership.
Chief Jourdain became Grand Chief of Treaty #3 in 1999 at Naicatchewenin First Nation during a traditional selection ceremony, receiving the endorsement of all participating chiefs and councillors. He managed the Grand Council responsibly and converted a $1 million deficit to 5 years of surplus. His long-term vision of nation rebuilding moves away from the Indian Act and rebuilds the Anishinaabe Nation using traditional forms of governance.
Chief Jourdain believes that as long as the AFN continues to allow First Nations to exist under a corporate status and accept government subsidies through contribution agreements, the inhumane conditions will continue to be a way of life for our First Nations people. “Government policy will continue to rob indigenous peoples and nations of their identity and respect,” he writes in an open letter to Chiefs. “No more can we allow our political representative entities to be used as justification for symbolic consultation processes without any consideration or accommodation of our rights, interests, issues, and needs. Identity, respect, and inherent responsibility are vital to the rebuilding of our nations.”
Chief Perry Bellegarde has experience, vision, and an executable plan that will work for all First Nations communities. He served as a Tribal Council Representative for the Touchwood-File Hills-Qu’Appelle Tribal Council and was instrumental in returning the old “Indian hospital” in Treaty Four Territory to First Nations control and establishing the All Nations Healing Hospital in Fort Qu’Appelle, serving First Nations and non-First Nations people alike. He served 5 years as Chief of the FSIN and Saskatchewan Regional Chief for the AFN and was elected to the Council of Little Black Bear First Nation in 2007, serving as Chief of Little Black Bear until 2012 and leading it back from the financial brink.
During his first year as chief of the FSIN, he negotiated a 25-year gaming framework agreement that resulted in six First Nations casinos run by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) creating 2,000 employment opportunities, additional funding, and long-term financial stability. Chief Bellegarde accomplished this during his first year of leadership as FSIN Chief. He also served as Vice President, Labour and Aboriginal Initiatives for the Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan and implemented GradWorks youth internship program.
Chief Bellegarde will establish processes for self-determination that include revenue sharing, environmental sustainability, and consulting and accommodating with prior and informed consent. He is committed to revitalizing indigenous languages and upholding indigenous rights as human rights in international forums. Chief Bellegarde also plans on immediate action for an inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. “It is absolutely essential and in the interests of all Canadians that we address and finally begin to close the long standing and unacceptable gaps between First Nations and non-First Nations people in Canada. First Nations do not seek better education; we seek the same. First Nations employment opportunities need to match those of other Canadians. First Nations health resources need to mirror those available to non-First Nations people while being culturally-based and appropriate. And First Nations must be economically self-sufficient based upon our inherent Aboriginal and Treaty rights.”
Pacific Future Energy’s commitment to build and operate the world’s greenest refinery on British Columbia’s north coast is motivated by their belief that it is in Canada’s national strategic interest to gain access to international markets for Alberta’s oil, especially the fast growing Asian markets. They are firm in their beliefs it shouldn’t be done at the sacrifice of BC’s coast or broader environment, and that it must be done in full partnership with First Nations. In regards to building those partnerships with First Nations, their beliefs attracted Jeffrey Copenace to join their team as the Senior Vice-President of Indigenous Partnership.
Jeffrey Copenance has had a career promoting and serving the needs of Aboriginal peoples throughout Canada as public servant, including a job as the lead negotiator and advisor to Prime Minister Paul Martin, during the 18 months that it took to negotiate the over $5 Billion Kelowna Accord. He later joined former AFN Grand Chief Shawn Atleo as his lead advisor. So, when Copenace joined the private sector with Pacific Future Energy, First Nations Drum took notice. I had the opportunity to sit with him for a one on one interview.
The first thing I noticed was that he was very tall and had a very friendly demeanor. He has a very nice charm to him that is very engaging, yet somewhat relaxing at the same time. I could tell that he has an understanding of those who sit on the other side of the negotiating table. He is genuinely a good man and he is clearly motivated to advance Aboriginal peoples and their rights.
Copenace, who is 36 years old, is an Ojibway born on the Onigaming First Nation (Treaty 3) in Northern Ontario. He and his family moved not too far away to Kenora just after he was born. Although racial tensions in Kenora were high, his father, who he views as a trail blazer and a role model, took on a job at the local pulp and paper mill. “My mother told me repeatedly that the education system on the reserve was failing the students, and she wanted us to have a better opportunity,” he said. “They made the sacrifice to move away from their family to a town that had a difficult history in terms of race relations. I am really proud of that.”
Copenace grew up with an older brother, Darren, and a younger sister, Jennifer. They would spend their weekdays in Kenora going to school and their weekends and summers playing with cousins on their Northern Ontario First Nation, which he calls “beautiful”. There is nothing he loves more than visiting and being with his family, including his six year old niece, Leah. His mother, who he says has a big and warm heart, worked as an emergency crisis and social worker. He grew up with “dozens and dozens and dozens” of foster children in his home. “It gives you an appreciation for our young people and what they go through,” said Copenace. “To be able to achieve through struggles…People take for granted in Canada how difficult it is for First Nations children, particularly those who bounce from house to house. I have seen some great outcomes from it, but, at the same time I have also seen some difficult circumstances that they go through. I have been really blessed to have so many other children in my life.”
We moved on to talk about how he got started and involved in politics. While in Grade 7, his school principal, Mr. Toner, encouraged him to apply for the Legislative Paige Program at the Ontario Legislature. He spent two months at Queen’s Park as one of the first Aboriginal people to become a Legislative Paige. “I hated it,” Copenace stated. “I absolutely hated it. I found it really phony. There was a headline in the newspaper (The Kenora Daily Miner). I don’t know if it was the headline or the sub-headline, but, the interviewer came to meet me after I got back from my experience. The headline read ‘No Political Future for Copenace!’ “While at Carlton University, Copenace flunked out of Accounting and was told that he had to change his major. He decided to go with his best grade, which was Political Sciences. His room-mate was a vice-president of the Carlton University Young Liberals, and invited him to events and meetings. At his very first event he met John Manley, Allan Rock and Sheila Copps and was a little star stuck. “Because, I saw them on TV all the time-it was like Canadian Hollywood.” In 2000, he was acclaimed to the Liberal Party of Canada’s National Executive. That night he had dinner with Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his hero, Elijah Harper. “All I could think was that I was 20 years old-what I am doing here?”, he said while reminiscing of that night. “I was really passionate on behalf of my nation, my peoples.”
“Out of the blue, a year later, I get a call from (then Finance Minister) Paul Martin, asking if I would be interested in joining his office after meeting some of his staff,” said Copenace about his job offer with the former Prime Minister. “We met about a week later. I was honoured to serve him for five years, including his two years as Prime Minister. Sometimes, the harder you work the luckier you get. I think that this an example of it.”
At age 21, Copenace traveled with Paul Martin across Canada. In 2003, he was part of the Prime Minister’s national campaign team. When asked about his two years working for Paul Martin the Prime Minister he said, “I was really really fortunate to lead the team in negotiations; eighteen months of negotiations that lead to the Kelowna Accord. And I still view it as the model for negotiations. A respectful approach that Indigenous communities, (First Nations, Metis and Inuit), define their own priorities. We work with them, (the Government doesn’t define their priorities for them), in an open and transparent manner.”
Copenace continued on to explain the process. “We set goals and we set milestones. In the end, after eighteen months, we came to a $5.1 Billion agreement that had a consensus of every Province and Territory, and five national Aboriginal organizations that included leaders from First Nations, the Metis Nation and Inuit communities. It was really a unique moment in Canadian History, and still might be one of my proudest achievements. To this day Mr. Martin and I stay in touch. He has been an incredible mentor to me. I am appreciative that a young First Nations person would get that opportunity at the highest level. I’ll never forget it.”
When I asked him about anything interesting that he would like to share about the Prime Minister, he said “he’s not a bad golfer,” sharing a good laugh knowing what I was after.
Jeffrey Copenace spent four and half years as Deputy Chief of Staff to former National Grand Chief Shawn Atleo. As a new resident, Copenace states that he doesn’t have many friends in BC and he feels that it is nice to have Mr. Atleo nearby, who he views as a close friend. “I am very proud of those years. He (Atleo) is an incredible leader, maybe the best public speaker I have ever seen. He is a guy with the biggest heart. I don’t necessarily think that it is conveyed in the media, but for anyone who’s had the chance to spend any amount of time with him would agree with me. I’ll say, hopefully all of our leaders, not just First Nations and Indigenous, but all Canadian leaders will be like Shawn Atleo, who is incredible in terms of his integrity.”
“We spent four and a half years visiting nearly 200 First Nations across the country, coast to coast to coast, everywhere,” he continued. “When I was 16 years old I told my religion teacher that my dream job was to travel across Canada to see all the different Nations, meet all the different elders and learn the different teachings. For four and a half years I got to do that. There’s nothing prouder than working on the ground with your own communities. I learned so much, it was an incredibly valuable experience. I worked for government, both Federal and Provincial, and it gives you a new perspective to work with a First Nations organization. You learn all perspectives. It was a fantastic experience. That is something I will never forget as well.”
When asked about his new career at Pacific Future Energy, why he chose this position as his first in the private sector, he said, “I really believe from the bottom of my heart that Indigenous peoples have been fighting to have their rights recognised for decades; for centuries. They have been fighting on the land and they have been fighting in the courts. They have been asserting their title. We all know the tragedies of Oka and Ipperwash where Indigenous rights and title were overridden, their constitutionally protected rights. They stood and they fought for them so that future generations would have a better life. We all recognise the atrocities of the residential schools, and there are so many reasons for mistrust in this country. But, I really believe that in this day and age, in 2014, we have the opportunity to really revolutionize and reconcile Indigenous peoples with Canada. It’s amazing to consider that during those residential school years there was a lot of hurt and a lot of pain our people suffered, and our people still want to reconcile. It’s inspiring. Part of the reason why I joined Pacific Future Energy is because I believe industry has a role in that and I think they can become leaders.”
“I am excited at Pacific Future Energy because our management team, our board of directors, and our advisors all share the same vision that those days of running rough-shot over First Nations’ title, over their rights and over their land is over, and there’s a new way of doing business. I am really excited about that. Letting communities define their own priorities and not going to them with pre-conceived or pre-determined notions of what an agreement should be.”
“I am really lucky to be invited by major academic institutions and major industry players to come and speak to their leadership and their students on how to engage with First Nations. It’s kind of surprising to me because they are all lessons you teach your children in terms of respect, in terms of fairness and in terms of sharing. Being able to apply that to industry in a major way, hopefully, at the end of the day will provide a better future for a community we partner with. Again, taking the approach that we are only going to build our project wherever we are welcomed, and that’s unique.”
Doig River Community Church, Rose Prairie, BC
West Moberly Health Centre, Moberly Lake, BC
Passive House Diagram
