Session / Speakers

12:00–4:00 pm

Tour: CanmetENERGY National Clean Energy Research Centre
Meet in Hilton Lac-Leamy Lobby · Bag lunch provided · Advanced Registration Required

6:00 – 8:30 pm

Welcoming Reception/Early Registration – Suzor-Côté Meeting Room
Cash Bar · Hors d’oeuvres · Sponsored by First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun

Session / Speakers

8:00–8:45 am

Hot Breakfast

8:45 am – 9:00 am

Elder Welcoming Prayer

• Elder Verna McGregor (Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg)

9:00 – 9:10 am

National Aboriginal Forestry Association (NAFA) Opening Remarks:

• Raymond Ferris – Chairperson, NAFA (Aroland First Nation)
• Bradley Young – Executive Director, NAFA (Opaskwayak Cree Nation)

9:10 – 9:30 am

Strategic Trajectory for Canadian Natural Resources Development and Considerations for the Indigenous Forest Sector

• Glenn Hargrove – Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada

9:30 – 9:50 am

50 Million M³ by 2050 – Transforming the Indigenous Forest Sector: Crossing the
Threshold Task Force Submission and the 6th Report on Indigenous-held Tenure

• Bradley Young – Executive Director, NAFA

9:50 – 10:10 am

Health & Networking Break
Project development side room available

10:10 – 11:00 am

Tenure, Manufacturing & Biomass Conversion: Building Indigenous Industrial Capacity

• Chris Cooper – Senior Project Manager (Cree First Nation of Waswanipi) & Geoff Schimmel – Mishtuk Corporation: “Cree Lumber and Lessons Learned: Manufacturing, Talent Development, and Institutional Capital Formation”
• Roger Wesley – Manager, Lands & Resources (Constance Lake First Nation) “Smart Power Node Project: Biomass Conversion and Integrated Energy Development”

11:00 – 12:00 pm

Indigenous-led Regional Bio-utilities

• Jordan Hatton – Director of Economic Development (Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek); Director, LNFMI“ Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc.: Tenure Repatriation Innovations, Community Manufacturing and District Heating, and Advanced Biochar Development”
• Cara Sanders (Curve Lake First Nation) – Askii Environmental Inc. – “Lessons Learned and Strategic Approaches to Working in Remote Communities”

12:00 – 1:00 pm

Lunch, Networking & Project Development Session
From Forest to Wire: The Evolution of the Biomass Cogeneration Plant Project in Opitciwan (Video)

1:00 – 2:00 pm

The Next Generation of Indigenous District Energy Projects
Yukon and Northwest Territories Projects

• Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation
• First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun
• Liard First Nation
• Ł́ı́ıdl̨ı̨ı Kų́ ę́ First Nation

Moderator: Jason Collard – CEO, Gonezu Energy Inc. & Doug Van Bibber – Yukon Director, NAFA
(Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation)

2:00 – 3:00 pm

British Columbia Tenure Walkaways & First Nations

• Lennard Joe – RPF; President & CEO, BC First Nations Forestry Council (Shackan Indian Band)
• Len Apedaile – RPF; General Manager, Tiičma Forestry LP (Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations)

Moderator: Lori Wilson – RPF; UBC PhD Forestry Student & NAFA Fellow (Tla’amin Nation)

3:00 – 3:15 pm

Health & Networking Break
Project development side room available

3:15–4:00 pm

Ancestral Territory, Forest Management Innovation, and Natural Resource Development

• Chief Derek Nepinak (Minegoziibe Anishinabe / Pine Creek First Nation)
• Seth McDonald – RPF; Forestry Department Lead (Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick)

4:00 – 4:30 pm

Forestry, Trade and Our Macroeconomic Socio-political Cycle

• Don G. Roberts – President & CEO, Nawitka Capital Advisors Ltd.

4:30 pm

Closing Comments

6:00 – 9:00 pm

Networking Reception – Mozart Ballroom Foyer Janet Pronovost Festschrift • Cash Bar • Hot Hors d’oeuvres

Session / Speakers

8:00–8:45 am

Hot Breakfast

8:45–9:15 am

Federal Funding to Support the Indigenous Forest Sector

• Laura MacKenzie – Director, Indigenous Forestry and Bioheat Division, Canadian Forest Service

9:15–10:15 am

Indigenous District Energy in Operation – Lessons, Results and Expansion
Yukon and Northwest Territories Projects

• Etzǫ (Edzo) demonstration
• Teslin Tlingit Council

Moderators: Jason Collard – CEO, Gonezu Energy Inc. & Doug Van Bibber – Yukon Director, NAFA

10:15–10:30 am

Health & Networking Break
Project development side room available

10:30 – 11:00 am

Innovation, Equity & the Pulp Mill Walk-Away: Canadian Civil Society Solutions

• Arnie Bercov – Former President, Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada

11:00 – 11:30 am

Making It Happen: The Project Finance Stack

• Don G. Roberts – President & CEO, Nawitka Capital Advisors Ltd.

11:30 – 12:00 pm

The Indigenous Forest Homeland, AI Datacentre Hosting, Power Generation & National Sovereignty in the Age of Skynet

• Bradley Young – Executive Director, NAFA
• NAFA Fellows: Lori Wilson – RPF & Keewatin Nepinak (Minegoziibe Anishinabe)

 

12:00 – 12:10 pm

Closing Prayer
Elder Verna McGregor (Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg)

12:10 – 12:50 pm

Lunch, Networking & Project Development Session

12:50 – 1:00 pm

Closing Remarks, Safe Travels

• Bradley Young – Executive Director, NAFA

1:00 – 2:00 pm

National First Nations Caucus Plenary for Policy and Budget Recommendations