Stonecircle and the Chiefs

Jennifer David with Chief Keith "Keeter"
Corston from her home, Chapleau
Cree First Nation.

Tis the season to hang out with friends and renew acquaintances. Jennifer David and Kory Goulais had a great time doing just that at the AFN Winter Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa last week.

Kory manned the trade show booth, drumming up business for Stonecircle, while Jennifer met with Chiefs, clients and participated in some of the panel discussion and sessions. "It was invigorating to see so much passion around the table, especially when the Chiefs got up to speak on behalf of their communities," Jennifer said. The issue in Attawapiskat became an emergency discussion but other vital issues such as treaty implementation, relationships with resource companies, education and health were also discussed. All of these impact on the work that Stonecircle is doing.

The ever dapper Kory Goulais and
Ron Ryan

The Assembly culminated in a gala dinner and dance, with Ojibway comedian Ryan McMahon and a 13-year old singer named Aurora Finkle, who was amazingly comfortable on stage, singing songs that were written decades before she was born :o)

Happy Birthday, Galin!

Multilingual, multifaceted, and multinational, our man Galin Kora celebrated his birthday yesterday. Know as the "Third Floor Ghost" for his mysterious ability to materialize within his office unseen by us lowly mortals, Galin in equally at home in Tirana or Arviat - as long as (a) there's at least one vegetarian item on the menu, and (b) he knows his beloved pooch is safe home. Happy birthday, Galin!

There's a New Sheriff in Town...

Newly-elected President Grosset (not exactly as shown)

In a marathon session, Consilium whipped through four corporate meetings yesterday. Apart from celebrating our best year of sales to date (for which many thanks, friends, readers, and clients!) we also elected a new Board of Directors. For the first time in eighteen years, Consilium will be led by a non-founding shareholder: Chris Grosset, a man who commands the respect of peers, partners and clients, who can drive a Bobcat, and whose chicken marbella was the talk of the Consilium Christmas Party.

Joining Chris at the helm will be Ron Ryan (Vice President), Greg Smith (Treasurer) and Patti Black (Secretary).

Kudos and another big thank you very much to outgoing Board members Fred Weihs and Leslie Sutherland.

Learning Online

Today wraps up the second week of online delivery for the Introduction to Northern Government program for Nunavut Arctic College and the Municipal Training Organization. We asked instructor Michelle Turpin to tell us what it's like to work with students right across Nunavut - through the screen of her laptop in Ottawa.

“Remember when you were little,  and you wondered what you'd be when you grew up? Maybe a truck driver, or a carpenter- perhaps a radio announcer, or even a teacher?

I remember a class trip to a radio station, and all the cool technology (this was in the early 1980s,  folks - it seemed cool to my 12-year-old-self at the time!) When I had a chance to go on air, I was so excited I could barely find the words to announce the next song.

Fast forward 25 (or so) years. I'm not in radio but I find myself sitting in front of cool technology, talking to people from all across Nunavut. And it's even better than radio - they're talking back! And laughing, and joking, and learning."

So what makes this course special?

"We've got 19 students, people from every region -eager, interested and smart adults, learning from the comfort of their own workplaces and homes without having to leave their community or take a couple of weeks off work. It's an incredible opportunity for anyone working for Municipal Government, or in other government offices, who wishes they had time to take some courses."


Who's putting it on?

"It's a partnership between Nunavut Arctic College and the Municipal Training Organization. They'll be offering five core courses between December 2011 and March 2012. The classroom version of these courses have been running for about seven years now."

Where do you think this kind of training is going?

"It's the future of training in Nunavut.  I know I'll look back on this in another 25 or so years and say “Wow, I remember where online course delivery in Nunavut all started.” It is a great opportunity to bring people closer together, even when they're separated by thousands of miles. I look forward to continuing to help our students through these five courses in the upcoming months.”

One last question. Was this really an interview?

"Naw. I just wrote it that way because I've always wanted to be in radio."

A Little Christmas Energy to Get You Through Hump Day

Grey, cold, and drizzly day here in Ottawa. We feel like a little Christmas cheer. So here, if you haven't seen it, is the best Christmas Carol to come of out of Winnipeg this year (so far!).

Aarluk Helps Another Dream Come True

Another long-running Aarluk project reached its fruition last week, and several of Iqaluit's residents - especially the four-footed ones - couldn't be happier.

That new blue and white van in town belongs to Dr. Leia Cunningham, Iqaluit’s first born-and-bred veterinarian.  It marks the culmination of life-long dream for Leia. For years she volunteered at local vet clinics hosted in Iqaluit by the Rotary club.  Following an undergraduate degree at Concordia University in Montreal, Leia studied veterinary medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. But her goal has always been to come home and provide much needed care for the community's pets and working animals.

For over a year, Aarluk's Chuck Gilhuly and Geoff Rigby worked closely with Leia to raise money to launch her new service. Support was obtained from the Nunavut Community Economic Development Organization, the Baffin Business Development Corporation, Kakivak Association, and Atuqtuarvik Corporation.

For the time being Dr. Cunningham will deliver service from the NunaVet van, which is fully equipped with kennels, an x-ray unit and an operating table. Within the next two years, she and her husband hope to supplement that service with a full, permanent clinic based in their home.

Full details of the story can be found here.  Aarluk is very proud of our support to the achievement of Leia's dream; she is a shining example of what can be achieved with a vision, hard work, and a love of community.

Getting Results

It's always nice to see the real world results of a consulting assignment.

In Iqaluit,  a week-long healthy living conference planned by Aarluk's Patti Black and Geoff Rigby and facilitated by Victor Tootoo attracted more than 50 participants from Qikiqtaaluk communities.  The conference provided a unique opportunity for people to exchange experiences, successes and learning, and go home with new energy and new ideas.

The Kivalliq/Kitikmeot wellness conference will be held in the new year in Rankin Inlet.

New Date for Aboriginal Virtual Recruitment Fair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Aboriginal Human Resource Council has a new date for its first ever Virtual Recruitment Fair! Mark your calendars for January 26 and 27, 2012.

 

Please spread the word about this interesting event. If you are an employer interesting in virtually 'meeting' with prospective Aboriginal employees or you're an Aboriginal student or job seeker interested to see what kind of employers are looking to hire, this could be the event for you. 

 

You can now visit the virtual recruitment fair site at: http://virtualfair.aboriginalhr.ca/ Click the More button to see the employers already registered.

Client-Focused Consulting

The most recent edition of Consult Magazine (published by the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, Fall 2011, p. 25).) featured an article about what clients really want from management consultants. It turns out that many clients feel their consultants are doing a poor job of determining their needs, and then delivering solutions to meet those needs. They don't want consultants to come in to their workplace, take over a whole project, and deliver a pre-set solution.

Rather, they need to 'think outside the box.' Considering this is what our three companies have worked hard to do for the past 25 years, we're happy to see this being recognized.

Here are the three key ways that we do business to differentiate ourselves from others, which echoes the article.

1. Involve the client more closely. Rather than coming in and bringing all the required staff members, consultants should propose to work closely with clients and leverage their expertise as well. At Stonecircle, we try to see if there is a way to include someone from the client organization as an active member of our team. This ensures buy-in to the project and helps build capacity.

2. Work at the Client's Pace. While no one likes to have projects drag out for many months, we have to be flexible enough to rethink our original timelines and provide enough opportunity for clients to review our work and comment appropriately.

3. Charge for Outputs not Inputs. Be very clear what the objectives of the project are, and commit to providing the very best product or service to meet that objective, rather than just charging by the day or hour for certain tasks.

4. Finally, listen to the client and adapt to your client's unique cultural and geographic position; don't offer a cookie cutter approach. As the article points out, don't "propose the same project structure to each and every client....firms that can re-invent themselves have an opportunity for differentiation."

Attawapiskat

As an Aboriginal consulting firm deeply committed to the development and health of First Nation communities across Canada, Stonecircle has followed recent developments in Attawapiskat with concern; we have friends in the community, and have had the opportunity to work with the First Nation on several projects in the past. We have also been dismayed to see so much misinformation and ignorance framing discussion of  the issues.

The challenges and issues facing Attawapiskat are too complex - and in some cases, too emotional - to discuss on this blog. But some very able commenters and leaders have made powerful statements addressing some of the misinformation surrounding recent events. You may want to check them out. It is our hope that all of this attention will finally bring about some long-sought, desperately needed positive changes in the way First Nations manage their affairs and strengthen their communities.

Jennifer David, Stonecircle Manager

Building Better Baffin Businesses!

We've been doing business in Nunavut for nearly twenty years now, and we can attest to the fact that starting a business in the Territory and keeping it running is no small task. New entrepreneurs face a wide range of challenges. Even with an excellent product or service, small businesses have to be equipped to handle their own marketing, book keeping, staffing, facilities management, supplies, among other key issues. Businesses in Nunavut must also deal with the highest shipping costs in Canada for key materials and supplies due to the isolation of the communities, and cope with a smaller, widely distributed target market.

The Baffin Business Develop Corporation (BBDC) can help. Serving businesses in the Baffin region, BBDC provides key business counselling, debt financing, grant financing, and equity investments for small and medium-sized businesses.

BBDC is continually trying to find ways to improve its efficiency in order to best serve its clients and operate as effectively as possible. Aarluk’s Ron Ryan will be meeting in early December with BBDC staff and management in order to conduct a two day strategic planning session, and will provide BBDC with a report including key recommendations for improving the organization once the session is complete.

h/t Geoff Rigby

Coral Harbour: Planning for the future

Suzie Angootealuk, Marla Limousin, Cindy Ningeongan

Aarluk's Chris Grosset and Marla Limousin have begun to work with the Hamlet of Coral Harbour on an updated five year Community Economic Development Plan (CED Plan). Chris and Marla travelled to Coral Harbour recently and spent four days conducting preliminary interviews for the project with hamlet staff, Aiviit Hunters & Trappers Associaiton, and Kivalliq Inuit Association. This input will frame the next round of community interviews and consultations in December 2011 and January 2012.

Special thanks to Economic Development Officer (and interim Senior Administrative Officer!) Leonie Pameolik and to Cindy Ningeongan for their assistance and interpretation skills during this initial CED planning phase.

In addition to the first round of CED Plan consultations, Marla had an opportunity to get re-aquainted with Suzie Angootealuk. Long time readers of the blog will remember that Suzie and her family hosted Marla and Chris at their cabin on Duke of York Bay back in August 2010. Suzie is an excellent seamstress and has been mentoring in traditional sewing techniques through the Pijunnaqsiniq (Somebody's Daughter) program, which is aimed at Inuit women, single moms, and those impacted by the residential school legacy. Under this program, a camp near Coral Harbour was funded in 2011 by the Kivalliq Inuit Association. During time at this camp, Suzie taught traditional clothing and animal skin tanning techniques.

h/t Chris Grosset and Geoff Rigby

On Being An Aboriginal Entrepreneur

As part of the Aboriginal Entrepreneurs Conference a few weeks ago, Jennifer David was invited to be part of a panel discussion called "The Pathway to Success". Jennifer, along with Derek Prue (Skyrider Developments) and Kevin Sebastian (Toolcom Technology) shared their experiences and thoughts on on what it takes to be an Aboriginal entrepreneur.

You can view the entire presentation here.  Some of Jennifer's excerpts:

Is there a difference between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal entrepreneurs?

Yes. I've seen big city consultants show up in remote First Nation communities and not have any idea about the context of what it's like to live and be part of a First Nation community, and provide reports and advice that are not helpful, not useful, not something that can be implemented. I wanted to see things done better, done in a cultural context, and that's why I was excited to start and lead Stonecircle, because I believe that is what we do.

Are mentors important to Aboriginal entrepreneurs? 

Yes! Mentors are important for everyone. As a consultant, I have a certain skillset and area of expertise; but being in business requires you to have knowledge of many different areas. For me, for example, the finance part of business is not my strong point, but I have mentors in this area who show me how to improve this part of my business. That lets me do what I'm good at while letting others do what they're good at and learn from different people.

Do you do annual business planning? 

Yes, this is a key part of our business. It really helps us focus. We are all on the same page and we know where we are trying to go in the coming year, so we can spend our time and energy on those things, and not get distracted by other things.

Would you encourage your children to become entrepreneurs?

Yes, as long as they as they don't mind living on the edge of chaos. Most days, anyway.

WildlifeToolkits

In August of 2008, an Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement (IIBA) was ratified covering National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in Nunavut. This IIBA, negotiated between the Government of Canada, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, and Nunavut’s three regional Inuit organizations, provides a framework for managing key areas used by numerous wildlife and bird species for feeding, migration, and reproducing across Nunavut.

An important feature of the IIBA is the establishment of Area Co-Management Committees (ACMCs) in the communities of Qikiqtarjuaq, Pond Inlet, Cape Dorset, Coral Harbour, Clyde River, Arviat, Grise Fiord, Resolute, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, and Omingmaktok. Aarluk’s Chris Grosset and Patti Black have been assisting the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) in Nunavut to develop toolkits for all of these ACMCs to help them with their work. The toolkits bring together all of the components of the CWS management planning process into a single reference document, ensuring that ACMCs have all of the necessary tools available for developing effective management plans for their respective areas. A draft toolkit has been submitted to CWS, and is currently undergoing a test run.

h/t Geoff Rigby

Happy Birthday, Geoff!

Congratulations and the merriest of birthdays to Geoff "Big Rig" Rigby, researcher, musician, camper and canoeist, guitarist, producer, ace doodler, scion of Bruce and Carol, and all-round nice guy. It is rumoured that to celebrate this momentous day Geoff may actually take a break from his rigorously ascetic lifestyle and partake of a small glass of beer.

Stonecircle in Wikwemikong

Welcome to Wiki!

Wikwemikong is a large (3000) First Nation community on beautiful Manitoulin island in northern Ontario. The community has a dozen departments within the band office, plus committees and boards that oversee the activities and initiatives within Wiki.

Two years ago, the community hired Chuck Peliter as a Comprehensive Community Planning coordinator. Wiki wanted to develop a plan that integrated all existing plans and set a clear vision for the community for the next 10 years; and to our delight they chose Stonecircle to do the job. 

Alex Ker and Jennifer David

Earlier this week Jennifer David and Alex Ker travelled to Wiki to meet with the CCP Working Group.

They discussed the workplan, process and were introduced to the Band Council by Chief Hazel Fox-Recollet at an evening meeting. 

Other team members on this project include Chris Grosset and Kory Goulais. The team will be travelling to the community several times over the next few months to meet with various stakeholders on this important project.

And of course, to dine once again at Way To Go Pizza, home of the world-famous Wiktucky Fried Chicken!

The Consilium Guide to Winter Denial: Reposted.

A seasonal reminder we always repost on the first snowfall.

November:
This is not winter. This is Late Fall. Everything could still thaw. Heck, I remember lots of winters without any real snow until Christmas. Whatever snow we experience is going to melt.

December (pre-December 21st):
Not officially winter yet. Not until December 21st. Anyway, a little snow heading up to Christmas is nice. Seasonal, kinda.

December (post-December 21st):
Yay! December 21st! From here on in, the days get longer. It’s not really the cold that gets you, it’s the dark. And now the darkest part is over. And hey, Christmas to distract us!

January:
Yup, you can really tell the days are getting longer. No, really! And anyway, every Canadian knows that REAL winter is December, January and February, and here we are halfway through already! And there’s ALWAYS a January thaw.

February:
Well, that’s it. Everyone knows that January is the worst month of winter, and we made it through. February - pffft. We can take this. Bring it on. Root for Wiarton Willy. And there’s ALWAYS a February thaw.

March:
This is actually Spring. Anything that happens now is just a fluke, a seasonal anomaly. It’ll melt. Winter’s over.

StoryKeepers: Stolen Life

(From a series of reflections by Jennifer David on contemporary Aboriginal fiction in Canada.)

So far, I have reviewed and recommended Aboriginal books of fiction. This time, I highly recommend a non-fiction book called Stolen Life, by Yvonne Johnson. It is a fascinating story - both the story itself, and the tale of how the book came to be written

Yvonne Johnson, a Cree woman, was serving a life sentence for the murder of a young man in Saskatchewan. While in prison, Yvonne wrote a letter to the award-winning Canadian author Rudy Wiebe. Years before, Wiebe had written a biography of Johnson's great-great-grandfather, the legendary Cree leader Big Bear. She reached out to him to ask if he would help her write her memoir. Stolen Life is the result.

"My name is Yvonne Johnson. I am currently an inmate at the Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario. I am thirty-one years old. I am a Cree from Saskatchewan, that is where my ancestors come from. We were accepted back into my grandmother’s rez after my mother was kicked out for marrying my father, who is a White from Great Falls, Montana. My grandmother Flora was a Baptiste, my grandfather was called John Bear, I lost him a few years back now; and my grandfather’s grandfather was the Cree chief Big Bear."

The book details Johnson's very troubled past of violence and sexual abuse, which led to her part in a drunken attack on a man who was rumoured to be a child molester. In part the book paints a grim picture of the dark underside of some contemporary Aboriginal lives. Yet it is ultimately  a story of hope and a journey of recovery.

I particularly recommend Stolen Life to people who know nothing of Aboriginal history - the people who see 'drunk Indians' on the street and pass judgement. This book is an eye-opener to the history of oppression, racism, lateral violence and generations of shame and injustice in the shadow of colonialism and residential schools.

Be warned, there are some very graphic scenes in the book that may be difficult for some people to read.

Johnson does not justify her crimes, but only tries to understand herself. In doing so, and with the skilled assistance of a sympathetic co-author, we, as readers also begin to understand a little bit more about the complicated and difficult lives of many Aboriginal people, and the ways in which redemption is possible.

Victor Does Mo Requests!!

Three weeks into Movember, and Aarluk's own Victor Tootoo is now proudly sprouting a luxuriant tasteful growth of moustache. As a member of the Iqaluit Motary Club, he has dedicated his upper lip to promoting Men's Health in a spectacular display of follicular philanthropy. Currently his website shows ten day's worth of growth: he is clearly saving his strength for the final push next week.

In anticipation of that glorious efflorescence, Victor has promised to trim the final product to the style chosen by his highest donor (growth permitting). Some suggestions...

The Dali, the Poirot, the Zappa, and the Euroweird.

If you haven't already done it, head on over to Victor's Page and toss a few bucks in the pot. It is said that his 'stache actually grows a milimeter for every five bucks contributed. And you'll be doing good.

Happy Birthday Scott!

Scott, out on the greens during the
 2011 Consilium Cup

Anyone who works the Monday to Friday gig can surely attest that Monday is the worst day of the week. Unless, of course, your name happens to be Scott Black and today just happens to be your birthday. From all of us at the CCG, Happy Birthday Scott! May this be the best Monday of your life.

From Desks to Desktop: Online Training to Support Municipal Employees

(Left to Right: Michelle Turpin-Jacquard, Matthew Ayres, Jason Brown, Fiona Buchan-Corey)

Training in Nunavut takes a giant leap forward this month as Nunavut Arctic College launches the first of five online courses in the Municipal Training Organization’s (MTO) popular Municipal Government Program (MGP). Building on the successful pilot computer training last winter, the “Introduction to Northern Government” will be delivered online to participants across Nunavut starting November 28th. The course covers the structure, history and operations of territorial and municipal governments in Nunavut.

“This is a course that used to take six days to teach in a classroom,” said Fiona Buchan-Corey, Director of the Kitikmeot Campus of Nunavut Arctic College. “The new desktop delivery model makes the program accessible virtually anywhere; and it uses new, digital approaches to learning and teaching that students are going to find very exciting.”

The MGP was launched by the MTO, in partnership with the Nunavut Arctic College in September 2004. A combination of five core courses and five specialty courses earns Municipal Government Certification for learners in their chosen profession. Over 1,000 Nunavummiut have participated in courses since the program started.

Last year an Aarluk team was asked to adapt five of the Program's Core Courses for online delivery. The Aarluk team, headed up by Chuck Gilhuly, includes Terry Rudden (instructional design), Neil Burgess (Moodle Wizardry), Scott Black (Curriculum Development) and Michelle Turpin Jacquard (Instructor).

Matthew Ayres, Executive Director of the MTO, sees the new approach as a critical step in the evolution of the Program. “One of our biggest challenges in Nunavut has always been time and travel,” he explained. “With an online course, participants can learn more, learn at their own pace, and can study from the comfort of their own community. It’s a win-win situation for everybody; more learners, better course materials, and lower costs.”

Jason Brown, Director of Customized Training for Arctic College, agrees. “We’ve known for a long time that distance delivery will be a key part of our training strategy,” he said “With recent improvements to the communications infrastructure in Nunavut, and some exciting new developments in the Moodle learning platform, we decided this was the time.”

Introduction to Northern Government will be delivered online from November 28 to December 16, with the remainder of the MGP core courses scheduled for delivery in the New Year. Michelle Turpin-Jacquard, a member of the Aarluk Consulting team preparing and delivering the course, is excited by the opportunity.

“It’s going to be an incredibly rich learning experience,” said Turpin-Jacquard. “We can use techniques and materials we’ve never had access to before – video lectures, online chats, guest speakers from literally anywhere, video and web clips – literally dozens of new ways to teach and learn.”

The Nunavut Municipal Training Organization (MTO) is a non-profit society formed as a partnership between the Nunavut Association of Municipal Administrators (NAMA) and the Government of Nunavut Department of Community and Government Services. The purpose of the MTO is to identify, develop and implement training programs to improve the performance of municipalities through training, education and professional development.

Kivalliq Inuit Association Commits $200,000 to the Nunavut Media Arts Centre

The Kivalliq Inuit Association announced a commitment of $200,000 to the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation for the construction of the Nunavut Media Arts Centre.

“KIA has always supported Inuit broadcasting, and IBC is an important part of today’s Inuit culture right across the Territory,” said Donna Adams, Treasurer of the Kivalliq Inuit Association. “We’re proud to join the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association in supporting the exciting Media Arts Centre project. It’s clear that Inuit everywhere in Nunavut want this to happen.”

The Kivalliq region has been an important part of the history of broadcasting in Nunavut, with two of the original Inukshuk project sites in Baker Lake and Arviat. The region is home to many of Nunavut’s most recognized and honoured broadcasters, from Super Shamou to Martin Kreelak. Lorne Kusugak was one of IBC’s founding directors, Jose Kusugak one of its most successful broadcasters, and the popular Charlie Panigoniak one of its first trainees.

Madeleine d'Argencourt, Chair of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation, is delighted at the unanimous show of support from all of Nunavut’s Inuit Associations. “We are grateful and honoured to receive this donation from KIA," says d'Argencourt. "For thirty years now, the Kivalliq has been a key source of talent, programming, inspiration and support for IBC. This generous contribution underlines the message that IBC is Nunavut’s public producer , serving and reflecting Inuit across the territory.”

Fundraising for the project is ongoing, and IBC is currently awaiting confirmation of Federal and Territorial commitments to the project. IBC plans to launch a website to chart the fundraising campaign and to enable on line secure donation. In the meantime, IBC is equipped to accept donations and will issue charitable tax receipts.

The Nunavut Media Arts Centre is scheduled to open in summer of 2013.

Aboriginal Engagement in Forestry

Despite the downturn in the economy and its devastating impact on the forestry sector, the housing market is rebounding, and the future is looking good. That matters to the Aboriginal labour market: employment in the forestry sector represents an important career option for the young and rapidly growing Aboriginal population.

The key question: how can the forestry sector recruit and retain Aboriginal workers?

Stonecircle's Jennifer David has been working for the past few months with Allister Hain at the Forest Products Sector Council (FPSC) on an extensive Aboriginal Engagement and Inclusion Report and Strategy. The first report profiled Aboriginal people in the forestry sector, and revealed some interesting trends:

• more people work in logging and support activities; 
• the most common occupations are laborers and forestry workers;
• more Aboriginal people are studying engineering as a way to enter the sector. 

The report also profiled more than 50 promising practices in forestry to engage Aboriginal people. Some of the most notable include ECOTRUST, Envirothon, BC First Nations Forestry Council, numerous joint ventures and First Nation forestry companies (like Two Feathers Forest Products and Niigaani Enterprises).

The Sector Council also held a number of regional sessions on the topic of Aboriginal engagement. Stonecircle amalgamated and consolidated the regional reports into a national synthesis report. And finally, the Sector Council held a national roundtable earlier this year. Jennifer David attended the session, spoke with many people working in the sector and prepared a strategic options and recommendations document for the Sector Council. A list of recommendations was presented to the FPSC Board of Directors earlier this month, for implementation later this year and next year.

Lei Gets Certified - In a GOOD Way!

Consilium, Stonecircle and Aarluk believe strongly in lifelong learning - and Lei Han is our Poster Boy.

Lei was among 900 proud new recipients of the prestigious Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation in Toronto on Saturday, November 12th. The event began with much pomp and ceremony with the awarding of the certificates, and ended with a gala evening at the Westin Harbour Front Hotel. Consilium Manager, Leslie Sutherland was proud to attend this event to help Lei celebrate his designation.

This designation was the culmination of four long years of work. CGAs are highly skilled accounting professionals who provide forward-thinking financial management and business expertise. Lei managed to support our group of companies, welcome his first child, buy a new home, and STILL found the time and energy to spend the countless hours on course work, studying and exams; by no means an easy feat. We know we’re in very good hands - and so are you!

There's going to be another important step in Lei's life soon. More on that at a later date. But for now - sincere congratulations from all of us to Canada's newest CGA!

Consinema Movie Review: The Immortals

2 of a possible 5 bags

Title: The Immortals

Director: Tarsem Singh (The Cell)

The Pitch: "If You Think Greece Is Messed Up Today, You Shoulda Seen Them Three Thousand Years Ago!"

Plot Summary: Hunky guys, scantily clad goddesses, magic weapons, slow-motion bloodletting, and lots of stuff blowing up and falling apart. What, you want a plot as well?

The Verdict: Combines the "huge gouts of blood floating in midair in the midst of mangled body parts" from the TV version of Spartacus, the strange washed-out ochre look of "300", the demented mythical revisionism of "Thor", the "evil legions attacking noble few" plotline  of pretty much every other fantasy movie for the last three decades, a soundtrack apparently recorded during an earthquake, and a cast that should be doing daytime TV trying to play gods and goddesses. 

What shines? Mickey Rourke, rapidly replacing Dennis Hopper as "Psychotic Villain of Choice", gleefully growling and hacking his way through the role of Hyperion, the Very Bad Guy.

What sucks? Pretty much anything to do with character, rhythm, storytelling, plot coherence, pace, drama, emotion, history, or mythology.

Watch For: Great abs. That's pretty much it.

Nunavut Wellness Conference: We Can Make a Difference

The upcoming Nunavut Wellness Conference (Nov. 28-Dec. 2) is shaping up nicely. The conference will feature two major training sessions for health and wellness workers across the territory - one in Iqaluit for residents of the Baffin region, and the other in Rankin Inlet for residents of the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot. Through plenary sessions and breakout groups, participants will be learning about and discussing key health matters that to all Nunavummiut, from preventing suicide to smoking cessation to promoting nutritious foods.

Aarluk’s Patti Black and Geoff Rigby have been working with the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to coordinate the conference, a project that has involved everything from creating an online database to invite and track attendees to consolidating to the translation of key files for the conference. There will be more to report soon, so stay tuned!

A Treaty Commission for Ontario?

In 2007, Justice Lindon released his report on the Ipperwash Inquiry, a look into the death of Dudley George, who was shot during the 1995 protest at Ipperwash Provincial Park. Several recommendations were made to improve relations between First Nations in Ontario and the provincial government. The key recommendation was the creation of a Treaty Commission of Ontario.

The Chiefs of Ontario created a Project Working Group comprised of representatives of various Provincial/Territorial Organizations to oversee the development of research papers and a process to solicit feedback on the idea of a Treaty Commission of Ontario.

Last week Jennifer David and Alex Ker met in Toronto with the Chiefs of Ontario to begin the critical process of  building engagement with First Nations across Ontario.

Stonecircle will be assisting the Project Working Group with a process organized by Sherry Antone, to conduct interviews with experts in treaty negotiations, various levels of government, legal counsel, plus representatives from more than a dozen treaty groups in Ontario. Alex, Jennifer and Kory Goulais will conduct interviews and facilitate group discussions.

A final report will provide perspectives on a potential mandate, structure, functions and operations of a Treaty Commission of Ontario.

Welcome Aboard, Jimmy!

While many of us here at Aarluk have had the pleasure of working with Jimmy Jacquard for quite some time now, we are pleased to announce that Jimmy has officially signed on as an official associate of the company.

Jimmy grew up in a small town just outside of Yarmouth in Nova Scotia, and is a member of the Confederacy of Nova Scotia Métis. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science with a major in biology at Dalhousie University, a Bachelor of Education degree at Queens University, and most recently an Executive Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Fredericton.

Jimmy has spent significant time in the north, primarily in Iqaluit, and served for four years as President of the Nunavut Teachers Association from 2005-2009. All three companies are delighted to add Jimmy's skills, experience, and good cheer to our team. As a trainer, facilitator, planner and consultant, he's already taken on challenging projects (including work with the Nunavut Housing Corporation, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Arctic College, and several others), and you'll be reading a great deal more about him in the months to come. 

Developing a local economy is a demanding process anywhere. It's especially tough in Nunavut, where small populations, big distances, and the high cost of doing business present challenges unlike any other region.

To date Aarluk has developed Community Economic Development Plans (CED Plans) for over half the communities in Nunavut. The most recent example of this work was a June visit by David Boult to the beautiful community of Kimmirut, south Baffin Island, to update a previous plan done by Aarluk in 2007. However, while this update is in its final phases and a revised CED plan for Kimmirut is almost complete, there's no rest for the Aarlummiut - we will soon be starting work with the Hamlet of Coral Harbour to update their CED Plan as well.

Aarluk’s Chris Grosset, Marla Limousin, and Geoff Rigby will be working with Coral Harbour’s CED committee, hamlet staff, and other key local stakeholders to update the previous Coral Harbour CED Plan (developed by Aarluk in 2007). Chris will be travelling to Coral Harbour the week of November 14th to begin initial community consultations. The community, located in Nunavut’s Kivalliq region on Southampton Island, often has country food available thanks to its proximity to some good hunting areas, so Chris is looking forward to getting his hands dirty in a number of different ways!

Strategic Planning in Atikameksheng

Stonecircle's Jennifer David is back from facilitating a three day planning session in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek this week. She had the opportunity to work with Chief, council and administration on their strategic plan, reviewing updates on staff work plans and helping to ensure that the community's long term strategies remain the focus of everyone's wok.

"Working at the community level is the most rewarding kind of work,' says Jennifer. "It's good to be reminded of what's important and how our work affects people at the grassroots level. I hope to get back another time."

She was particularly appreciative of the opportunity to work with with Craig Nootchtai, Atikameksheng's Chief Operating Officer. "He's organized and  thoughtful," says Jennifer. "And he has a real vision for his community."

Learning About The Belchers

The Belcher Islands, spread out over almost 3000 square kilometres (that’s 1,160 square miles, for our US readers), represent the southernmost region of Nunavut (actually further south than the northern border of Ontario!) This archipelago, located in Nunavut’s Qikiqtaaluk region, is home to Sanikiluaq, Nunavut’s most southern community.

As part of the innovative  Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) Office Administration Program, students in Sanikiluaq learn how to collect, compile and analyze information from various sources, sorting and entering data into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Aarluk’s Chris Grosset is currently supporting this course by working with students on a special assignment related to a pre-feasibility study for a proposed park in the Belcher Islands.

The students are heading out onto the land with local elders and NAC staff, collecting information on traditional place names found at several locations throughout the region.  Once they have finished collecting this data, it will be submitted in spreadsheet format to Aarluk, who will then use it to create maps of where the various traditional place names can be found across the islands.

Kudos to NAC. It's Hard to imagine a more effective, entertaining, and valuable way to master the Art of the Spreadsheet!

(The Team, pictured above: Johnny Manning, Frank Audla, Ann-Marie Arragutaina, Shoapik Emikotailuk, Sarah Tookalook, Elizabeth Novalinga, Alice Mickiyuk, Mina Inuktaluk, Annie Tookalook, Johnny Tookalook, Sarah Kudluarok, Deborah Thomas)

Our Movember Man

A Message from Victor Tootoo:

It's Movember, the month formerly known as November, now dedicated to growing moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men's health.

This will be my first year trying to raise funds and awareness about prostate cancer. I'll be donating my upper lip to the cause for 30 days. My Mo will spark conversations, and no doubt generate some laughs; all in the name of raising vital awareness and funds for prostate cancer.

Why am I so passionate about men's health?

I know people who have been affected by prostate cancer.

I have lost friends to prostate cancer.

And as a man in Canada, I know I'm at risk as well.

I invite you to support me by donating to me http://www.movember.com/m/2001192. You can even go old school and write a cheque payable to “Movember Canada”, reference my name and Registration Number 2001192 and send it to:

Movember Canada,
119 Spadina Avenue, 

PO Box 65, 

Toronto, ON 
M5T 2T2

If you'd like to find out more about the type of work you'd be helping to fund by supporting Movember, take a look at the Programs We Fund section on the Movember website: http://ca.movember.com/about

Thank you in advance for supporting my efforts to change the face of men's health. All donations are tax deductible.

Overheard at AANDC

This dialogue took place yesterday afternoon in the Eddy Street offices of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). The applicant's name has been changed to protect the Anonymous Stonecircle Employee.

Anonymous Stonecircle Employee: Hi, I'm supposed to come in and renew my status card.

AANDC Representative: Do you have your birth certificate?

Anonymous Stonecircle Employee: No, but here's my status card.

AANDC Representative: Sorry, you can't apply for a status card without your birth certificate.

Anonymous Stonecircle Employee: I have my status card right here. It has my picture on it. It's valid.

AANDC Representative: Sorry, you must have your birth certificate.

Anonymous Stonecircle Employee: Doesn't this prove I'm an Aboriginal person?

AANDC Representative: Yes, it does.

Anonymous Stonecircle Employee: A Canadian Aboriginal person?

AANDC Representative: Yes, it does. But I still need to see your birth certificate.

Anonymous Stonecircle Employee:Aboriginal person: To prove I was born?

And so forth.

h/t  Anonymous Stonecircle Employee

AHRC looking for Inclusive Employers

If you own or manage a company or organization and are interested in hiring Aboriginal people, then check out the Aboriginal Human Resource Council's upcoming Virtual Trade Show.

Registration is now open and Stonecircle's Kory Goulais is working with AHRC to help employers design their virtual trade show booth and promote their company or organization. You can contact him at virtualfair@aboriginalhr.ca to get started.

The event will be held in early December and all Aboriginal people looking for work are encouraged to participate (at no cost.) We'll post another reminder here as we get closer to the date.

Welcome Aboard, Marla!

Long-time readers of Our Times will be familiar with the name Marla Limousin. Many of you have had the pleasure of working with her since she began working with us in 2005. Well, after dating for six years, it's now official: the Consilium Consulting Group Inc. is pleased to announce that Marla has now signed on as an official associate of the company!

Marla the Explorer

Marla is a modern-day explorer, with a natural curiosity about her environment and the people that she meets, and a spirit that brightens every room and boosts the energy level of every project she's in.

Having immigrated to Canada from France at a young age, she subsequently lived in Ontario and then Manitoba. Marla spent over two decades in the North, starting in the 1980s working for the Government of the Northwest Territories in Yellowknife. In the 1990s she served as Senior Administrative Officer in Rankin Inlet and Kugaaruk. Since 2001 she’s been a Planning and Development Consultant, making her home on Vancouver Island with her family.

Marla has a Community Administration Certification from St. Lawrence College, a Diploma of Urban Design from Fanshawe College, and a degree in Planning from the University of Waterloo. She is a member of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) and the Nunavut Association of Landscape Architects (NUALA).

When not working with Inuit communities and First Nations, Marla and her husband operate an organic blueberry farm, Nature’s Way, and a winery specializing in organic fruit wines under the banner Blue Moon (www.bluemoonwinery.ca).

We here at the CCG are thrilled to have Marla's experience and skills at our (and your!) disposition. Welcome aboard, Marla!

h/t The Clootch

A Job Description for Your Board

If you work for non-profit organization, it's very likely that every staff person, from the CEO to the receptionist, has a job description. And yet some of the most important and influential folks on your team - the people who define your corporate vision and goals - probably don't. 

We're talking, of course, about your Board of Directors. They're ultimately, legally accountable for everything your organization does - but they frequently have to make their own assumptions about their powers, functions and authority - all the things that go into a normal job description.

So why not give them one?

Earlier this year we were asked to develop a job description for a national non-profit organization. If you're a member of a Board, or considering Board involvement, you may find it useful.  

The Back River - A Part of Our Heritage

Fr. Buliard's cabin, Back River, Nunavut (courtesy Missinfemmies)

It's been said that the rivers of Canada represent the nation's first highways, and defined our country's history.

That's recognized in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS), which recognizes Canadian Rivers of outstanding natural, heritage and recreational significance. In Nunavut there are three Designated Canadian Heritage Rivers (the Thelon, Kazan and Soper Rivers) and one nominated river, the Coppermine River.

Designation as a Canadian Heritage River requires a preliminary background study of the potential river identifying the characteristics that make it unique.

Aarluk is currently finalizing a background study, for the potential nomination of Nunavut’s Back River to the CHRS. The study collected data on the natural, cultural and recreational values located within the Back River watershed. In addition, Gjoa Haven and Baker Lake stakeholder consultations highlighted the significant community connections to areas along the river, areas used by the communities’ ancestors. A final report will submitted to the Government of Nunavut’s Parks and Special Places Division, who currently administer this heritage program and will decide whether to proceed with attempting to nominate Back River to the CHRS.

h/t Chris Grosset, Geoff Rigby

Ghosts of the St. Lawrence

Some Consiliumites golf. Valerie and I dive. But there's one site we don't dive anymore.

Bill at Burton's has asked me not to use the name of the wreck in this story. "We take a lot of first timers out there," he said. "They're nervous enough already." So I'll just say that this happened about ten years ago, at a St. Lawrence site familiar to every Ontario diver.

We were with a charter out of Rockport, run by a cheerful operator I’ll call Mike. It was a cold, miserable day, grey and threatening drizzle. But the river was still warm, and the first dive had gone well. After some discussion Mike decided to take the Zodiac downriver and do one more dive.

There was a boat moored to the buoy when we got there, a bright yellow boxy looking thing from Brockville with a load of boisterous, nervous beginners. It was growing late, and getting darker. We slipped quickly into our gear and into the water, followed the line past their boat to the buoy, and dropped below the swells.

National Aboriginal Health Conference

 
Next week First Nation community Health Managers and Directors from across Canada.will be converging on Ottawa for a discussion of issues surrounding one of the most critical areas in current Aboriginal policy - Health.

On November 7, 8 and 9 the Assembly of First Nations National Health Forum will address important matters such as the Federal Health Transfer and AFN's Health Plan. Special workshops will also be held on holistic health, non- insured health benefits, jurisdictional issues, mental health, community health plans and other relevant topics.

Stonecircle's Jennifer David and Kory Goulais will be participating in the trade show portion of the event.

For more information on the forum, check out their website.

He Is The Master

When addressing Stonecircle researcher Kory "Obiwan" Goulais, remember to treat him with respect - especially when he's holding a keyboard.

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification is a series of courses designed to give learners a solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office Products - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access.

Kory began his training with the IC3 (Internet and Computing Core Certification) covering computing fundamentals, online work, and the key Office applications. A compulsive but amiable overachiever, he followed up his IC3 program with four additional courses, and this week was certified as a Microsoft Office Master Specialist - the highest level that can be achieved.

As to nomenclature: well, those who know Kory personally or through a project realize that he is a smart, charismatic, intelligent, efficient, and, above all, modest individual (ok, Kory, enough - the Editors). Today, with his vast knowledge of the Microsoft Office products Kory is debating whether he prefers in future to be called "the Master," "Master Kory," "Korysoft Office Specialist,", "I'm better than Clootch," or simply "Koriwan". Until otherwise notified, you may continue to address him as "Kory".

Congratulations, Kory!

The Mummified Forest of the Arctic: Axel Heiberg Island

You may remember previous blog posts about one of Nunavut’s most fascinating places. Axel Heiberg Island, located next to Ellesmere Island in the highest regions of Nunavut, is home to fossils of ancient reptiles and various other animals, as well as mummified remains of 45 million year-old trees. Multiple fossil sites can be found across both islands, which have fascinated scientists since their discovery. However, fossils, along with all other landscapes and organic matter, are sensitive to disturbance and subject to erosion by natural processes. The Government of Nunavut has recognized this, and is interested in protecting some of the key fossil sites on Axel Heiberg Island.

Aarluk is currently formatting a final background study report regarding Axel Heiberg. The report, developed for the Government of Nunavut’s Parks and Special Places Division, contains all of the known data available on the fossil forest sites located on Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere Island. Data was collected and analyzed to compare options for creating a protected area for some of the key fossil sites. The final report contains five options for the Government of Nunavut to consider, and identifies one of those options as having the greatest potential for successful protection of the mummified fossil forest resources found at the Geodetic Hills location on Axel Heiberg Island.

h/t Chris Grosset, Geoff Rigby

The StoryKeepers: Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

Joseph Boyden first rose to prominence with his novel Three Day Road. It was not his first novel, but it got a lot of press, was nominated for several awards, two of which he won. This writer has an interesting background of mixed Irish and Ojibway roots which you can read on his website, but his writing comes from his Ojibway roots.

It was Boyden's followup novel, Through Black Spruce, that won the Giller Prize. It's a fine book, but I think Three Day Road is better. It's the tragic, enthralling story of a young Cree man who comes home to northern Ontario after witnessing horror in the front lines of battle in World War I. Xavier Bird hovers between life and death as his grandmother takes him by canoe on a three-day journey to her home. Along the way, this grandmother realizes the only thing she can give this boy to hold onto are her stories. And so the book is a story about stories: stories about the grandmother, about the land, about family, about roots, but also Xavier's stories about war, about bravery, about friendship, about tragedy.

Joseph Boyden captures the beauty and spirit of northern Ontario;  and from whatwar veterans have told me, he also does an excellent job of calling up the harsh realities of war, Xavier's life as a sniper, and the wounds carried by those who witness these horrors.

The book is well worth the accolades and seems to come from a very personal place. I have recommended this book to anyone who has relatives who fought in wars, particularly First Nation veterans. It's a rich and satisfying read.