Preliminary Program

Monday, May 10

4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Conference Registration Desk Open

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Welcome and Networking Reception, Airlane Travelodge Hotel

Tuesday, May 11

7:00 to 8:00

Conference Registration Desk Open

7:00 to 7:30

Breakfast

Morning Plenary Session

Session Chair: Jack Smyth, Chief, Forestry Development and Aboriginal Affairs, First Nations Forestry Program, Natural Resources Canada

7:30 to 8:00

Opening Prayer

Ann Wilson, Elder, Rainy River First Nation

Drummers from the Fort William First Nation

8:00 to 8:50

Welcoming Remarks

Nelson Toulouse, Deputy Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation – Union of Ontario Indians

Lynn Peterson, Mayor of Thunder Bay

Brian Wilson, Natural Resources Canada; Paul Landy, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada; Harry Bombay, First Nations Representative, National Management Committee, First Nations Forestry Program

8:50 to 9:30

Keynote Address: Creating a New Climate for Aboriginal Forestry

Chief Charles Fox, Ontario Regional Chief, Chiefs of Ontario

9:30 to 10:00

Witnessing Ceremony

10:00 to10:20

Break

10:20 to 11:30

Elders Panel: A National Perspective on Aboriginal Forestry

Speakers:

Ann Wilson, Elder, Rainy River First Nation

John Snow, Sr., Elder, Stoney Tribal Council

Richard David, Elder, Mohawks of Akwesasne

11:30 to 12:00

Visit Exhibits

12:00 to 1:15

Luncheon

1:15 to 2:45
Concurrent Workshops

Concurrent Session A

Cultural Research and Its Application to Forest Management

In order to protect Aboriginal values in forest management planning, a full understanding about those values and Aboriginal land use is necessary. Various cultural research approaches help communities and forest management planners inventory these values and land uses, assess the potential impact of forestry activities on them, and find solutions that will ensure their long-term protection. Find out more about the array of approaches and the challenges in applying this research to forest management.

Speakers:

Pamela Perreault, University of British Columbia

Marc Stevenson, Sustainable Forest Management Network

Michael Anderson, Manitoba Keewatinook Ininew Okimowin, Natural Resources Secretariat

Concurrent Session B

Provincial Policies

Forest managers are increasingly challenged to address issues of Aboriginal land use and rights in forest management planning. In response to concerns raised by Aboriginal communities and court decisions indicating the Crown’s responsibility to protect Aboriginal rights in resource development, provinces are beginning to develop policies and regulations to guide forest management planning. In this session, provincial government representatives will describe these evolving approaches.

Speakers:

Ron Loughrey, New Brunswick Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat

Tom Lee, Aboriginal Affairs Branch, Government of British Columbia

Concurrent Session C

Forest Management Plans at the Community Level

This workshop will discuss some of the details to consider in the development of a forest management plan for a community forest. Examples will be provided on the process several communities have implemented to develop their plan.

Speakers:

Brian Donovan, Forest Financial Consulting

Rhonda Oblin, Waswanipi Model Forest

Alec Chingee, McLeod Lake First Nation

Concurrent Session D

Who Are We?

Learn more about some key organizations in the forest sector, including private-for-profit, governmental and non-governmental, who have been developing relationships and policies to support increased Aboriginal participation in forestry. Industry organizations like the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), on behalf of their member companies, address economic development, consultation and certification issues related to Aboriginal peoples, among others. Capacity-building, especially the training needs of Aboriginal people, is addressed by the recently formed Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources (BEAHR). The Canadian Executive Service Organization, a non-profit organization, through Volunteer Advisors transfers technical and managerial expertise to Aboriginal businesses and communities. The National Aboriginal Forestry Association has for over 10 years promoted increased Aboriginal involvement through various policy fora, promotion of education and the provision of practical tools to Aboriginal communities active in forestry.

Speakers:

Andrew de Vries, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)

Tanya Tucker, Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources (BEAHR)

Allison Deer, Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO)

Lorraine Rekmans, National Aboriginal Forestry Association (NAFA)

2:45 to 3:00

Break

3:00 to 4:30

Concurrent Afternoon Workshops

Concurrent Session A

Traditional Craft Demonstration

This workshop will showcase a hands-on demonstration in the making of traditional crafts. Cultural approaches to crafting in many instances incorporate story telling and information transfer as part of the crafting experience.

Speakers:

Richard David, Mohawks of Akwesasne

Romeo Bissaillion, Elder, Anishinaabe

Concurrent Session B

Legal Developments — Duty to Consult

The Supreme Court of Canada heard the appeal of the Haida Nation vs. British Columbia and Weyerhaeuser Canada Ltd. case, March 24-25, 2004. In 2002, the BC Court of Appeal imposed a duty to consult and accommodate the economic and cultural interests of the Haida Nation on both the Crown and Weyerhaeuser. This decision implements the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Delgamuukw, in 1997, highlighting the need to protect Aboriginal Title and Rights and the need to work cooperatively to reconcile Aboriginal Title with Crown Title. This workshop will look at the need to accommodate Aboriginal rights and the legal duty to consult.

Speakers:

Martin Bayer, Weaver, Simmons LLP

Gerald Amos, Ecotrust Canada

Concurrent Session C

Parks and Protected Areas

An Elder was once asked “What areas do you want to see protected in your territory”. The Elder thought to himself that this was an odd question and replied “What do you mean protected? All our lands are protected; maybe you should be asking me what areas could potentially be developed.” A significant challenge facing Aboriginal communities today is finding a balance between protecting the land and industrial development, while at the same time having their Aboriginal and treaty rights respected. Learn about current developments in the challenge of finding a balance in parks and protected areas establishment and forest resource development.

Speakers:

Evan Ferrari, Wildlands League

Cathy Wilkinson, Canadian Boreal Initiative

Andrew Jourdain, Lac La Croix First Nation

Concurrent Session D

Certification

Forest certification — voluntary, market-based schemes whereby companies apply to have their practices assessed by third party auditors against a set of standards that promote sustainable forest management--has taken hold in Canada in a big way. Speakers in this session will give a general overview of certification, share the experiences of a First Nation community seeking certification, and provide a closer look at the auditing end of certification.

Speakers:

Martin von Mirbach, Sierra Club of Canada

Kathy Abusow, Consultant

Stephen Ginnish, Eel Ground First Nation

Peggy Smith, Lakehead University

Jean Paul Gladu, Aboriginal Strategy Group

4:30 to 6:00

Visit Exhibits

6:30

Buses depart the Airlane Travelodge Hotel for Fort William Historic Park

7:00 to 10:00

Evening Banquet at Fort William Historic Park

Guest Speaker: Diana Beresford-Kroeger, Author, Arboretum of America: A Philosophy of the Forest

Wednesday, May 12

7:15 to 8:00

Breakfast

8:00 to 8:45

Morning Plenary Session

Session Chair: Paul Landry, Director, Lands Directorate, Lands and Trust Services, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

Weyerhaeuser and Aboriginal Relationships in Canada

Stephen M. Smith, Weyerhaeuser Canada Ltd.

8:45 to 9:30

Strategies for Aboriginal Capacity Building

Andrew Popko, EnCana Corp.

9:30 to 9:45

Break

9:45 to 11:15

Concurrent Workshops

Concurrent Session A

Sustainable Forest Management

Sustainable Forest Management addresses environmental, economic, social and cultural issues in forest management planning. Speakers in this session will discuss how Aboriginal communities approach these issues in different ways.

Speakers:

Dr. Alan Thomson, Canadian Forest Service

Michel Mongeon, First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute

Clifford Hickey, Sustainable Forest Management Network

Concurrent Session B

New Directions in National and International Policy

Participants will hear about many national and international forestry initiatives and how they impact on regional approaches to forest management across Canada. From the National Forest Strategy, which sets forth a vision for sustainable forest management by a coalition of governmental and non-governmental groups, to the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers' Criteria and Indicators framework, to international commitments made to accommodate Aboriginal peoples' rights in the Convention on Biological Diversity, participants will hear how these efforts shape forestry approaches across many jurisdictions.

Speakers:

Harry Bombay, National Aboriginal Forestry Association

Rolland Pangowish, Advocacy Associates, Indigenous Policy Development

Lawrence Ignace, Assembly of First Nations

Concurrent Session C

Model Forests: Aboriginal Initiatives

The Canadian and International Model Forest Networks have a number of research initiatives underway on Aboriginal issues and concepts that relate to forest management planning and development. Presenters in this workshop will discuss their experiences associated with these initiatives and how they fit into the forest management planning process.

Speakers:

Richard Verbisky, International Model Forest Network Secretariat

Hugo Jacqmain, Laval University

Peter Douglas Elias, Consultant

Concurrent Session D

Making Forestry Services Viable

One of the major challenges Aboriginal communities face is gaining access to forest resources, another is to make their forestry services viable. Attend this workshop to gain a better understanding of how to create situations where Aboriginal organizations are able to effectively work with their resources to be successful as well as some out-of-the-box thinking in diversifying forestry services to benefit Aboriginal communities.

Speakers:

Jukka Heikurinen, Mamaweswen - North Shore Tribal Council

Jim Webb, Little Red River Cree First Nation

Peter Higgelke, KBM Forestry Consultants Inc.

11:15 to 11:45

Visit Exhibits

11:45

Buses depart for Confederation College

12:00 to 1:45

Luncheon

12:45

Education Session

Several speakers involved in forestry education will discuss new programming and approaches to encouraging Aboriginal youth to pursue forest management careers. The session will be hosted by David Archibald, Confederation College and Peggy Smith, Lakehead University, and will provide the context for the afternoon educational tours.

1:30 to 1:45

Bruce Beardy, Executive Director, Oshki-Pimanche-o-win

1:45 to 6:00

Educational Tours

All registrants will have the opportunity to participate in educational tours of both Confederation College and Lakehead University

Group 1

1:45 to 3:15

Tour of Confederation College