Issue #2 - February 2013
National Energy Business Centre of Excellence (NEBCE)
Canada’s First Nations Energy Publication
Wind Power Tsleil-Waututh Nation Invest in Wind Energy
Women in the Industry
5 Part Q & A Series
Northern Ontario’s
RING of
FIRE This Month’s Profile: Onion Lake Cree Nation
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Issue #2 - February 2013
National Energy Business Centre of Excellence (NEBCE)
Table of Contents
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Focus On Elements
Ring Of fire Northern Ontario’s Vast Wealth Of Chromite And Other Natural Resources
wind power Saving Natural Resources Through Wind Energy
Profile Onion Lake Cree Nation
mentorship
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Towards Sustainability Through Mentoring Cheryl Cardinal Director National Energy Business Centre of Excellence Indian Resource Council Lynn Calf Robe Manager of Business Development National Energy Business Centre of Excellence Indian Resource Council Nathan Elliott Contributing Editor David Blondeau (Maxpo Communications Inc.) Design and Layout Floyd Blackhorse / Marc Soulliere Curtis Comeau / Indspire Photos Nathan Elliott / Deanna Burgart Cheryl Cardinal / Lynn Calf Robe / Eileen Hopkins Marc Soulliere Writers
women in industry 5 Part Q & A Series
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NEBCE Mandate
“Supporting First Nations in their efforts to attain greater management and control of their energy resources.” Elements© is a monthly publication distributed by National Energy Business Centre of Excellence (NEBCE) and IRC Inc. Any use of content or duplication without written consent is not permitted. For any information, please contact Cheryl Cardinal at cherylc@fnet.ca.
message
from the director
Hello again Elements readers! describe the ongoing First Nation and non-First Nation dynamics in the region today. Finally, we are thrilled to include the story of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in British Columbia and its recent foray into developing wind to power the future of the community.
I am so very pleased to introduce to you our second issue of the National Energy Business Centre of Excellence publication - Elements. We could not be happier about the feedback we have received from our readers about last month’s inaugural issue. Since the release of our first issue, our office has been flooded with requests for copies, inquiries about advertisements, and feedback about the stories we featured. Your support and encouragement have only pushed us even harder in this issue to provide you with stories that capture the true essence of ongoing energy and resource developments as they affect First Nations across the country today.
The primary goal of our publication is to provide a wide perspective on what First Nations from coast-to-coast-to-coast are doing in the areas of energy and resource development. Our mission is to share these stories with you. In our publication, we employ the elements of Earth, Fire, Wind and Water as common themes of understanding and as frameworks for categorizing the energy and resource development, both on and off reserve in Canada today. Earth includes mining as its main focus. Fire includes stories in the oil and gas sectors. Wind, a main focus in this issue, highlights a number of First Nations wind energy activities currently underway. Finally, Water includes information on protection and understanding of development on water.
In this issue we are covering a number of compelling stories, including a look at women in industry, a piece detailing that important role that mentorship and current leadership programs play in creating the next batch of First Nations leaders in the energy and resource sectors. We also dig deep into a Saskatchewan First Nation, the Onion Lake Cree Nation, who is pushing the envelope in what can be achieved in the areas of oil and gas as well as community development. In one of our feature pieces, our lens shifts to the Ring of Fire mining development in northern Ontario, and uses the lyrics of the legendary Johnny Cash to help
Elements provide critical information as it pertains to understanding the needs and motivations of First Nations engaged in the energy and resource sectors. It is important to make clear that our publication is unique in the fact that it takes a national focus on development, it is First Nations focused and includes ongoing success stories from which other First Nations may draw inspiration. There are so many great First Nations-led economic development stories across our expansive country today. Read vigorously, share widely and most importantly, enjoy what we have in store for you. Thank-you for helping make our vision a reality and for propelling our movement forward, making each issue better than the last. Respectfully,
Cheryl Cardinal
Director of the National Energy Business Centre of Excellence
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NORTHERN ONTARIO’S
by Nathan Elliott
On January 11, 1964, Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash became the number one record on Billboard’s new Country Album Chart. The collection featured some of Cash’s best material and its title track would become the biggest hit of the “Man in Black’s” career. The album, however, was more than a one hit wonder. Several of its songs would also climb the charts and connect with listeners worldwide. For example, Cash rewrote what became the iconic television score for Bonanza, but its central messages remained the same – the pursuit of fortune, and the thrills of striking it rich. In the anti-war classic The Big Battle, Cash’s social conscience is front and centre, as is the old adage that a fight is not over until it’s over. (There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me) concludes the album. Its message is one of hope and possibility, rising from the ashes of conflict.
With the 50th anniversary of the Ring of Fire album release around the corner and the 10 year commemoration of Cash’s passing next year, it is timely that the northern Ontario geological discovery that bears the album’s name is front page news today. It is also fitting that the universal themes of hope, desire, war and peace that define the album can be used as frameworks for understanding the Ring of Fire mining developments, as well as the motivations of First Nations, industry, government and environmental groups with vested interests in the region today.
ore. Chromite is not an expensive commodity – it currently trades at about $1.50 (CDN) per pound. Nonetheless, China and India have an insatiable hunger for it. It is also the key ingredient in stainless steel, the status symbol and musthave kitchen covering amongst homeowners who covet its durability and aesthetic quality. Stainless steel is not just for the style savvy, it is also a major component in construction and transportation materials for which there is currently no substitute.
“Bound by wild desire, I fell into a ring of fire.” (“Ring of Fire” - 1963)
“We chased lady luck, ‘til we finally struck Bonanza…. With a houseful of friends where the rainbow ends, how rich can a fellow be?” (“Bonanza” - 1962)
About 540 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ontario, in the river-laden terrain of the James Bay Lowlands, sits a mining exploration area nicknamed the Ring of Fire. Five industry men have been credited with the discovery, including Richard Nemis and John Harvey, veteran prospecting oracles and lifelong Johnny Cash aficionados, who named the region over dinner one evening. The Ring of Fire is remote – about 300 kilometres from the nearest railway line and the closest road seemingly light years away. Area infrastructure is practically non-existent.
Described by analysts as the most promising mining development in Ontario in over a century, the Ring of Fire has generated more buzz than any other Canadian mining boom in years. While figures vary, Ontario’s Ministry of Northern Development and Mines estimates that the value of the area’s known chromite reserves could be worth as much as $50 billion (CDN) during its lifespan. It is more difficult to gauge the combined value for all the commodities still in early stages of exploration in the region, but according to mining consultant, freelance journalist and blogger Stan Sudol, deposits could exceed $1 trillion (CDN).
Speculation is that the mining region contains a rich mix of copper, zinc, nickel, iron, gold, magnesium, platinum and kimberlite. One element not listed has been the centre of hope and even controversy – chromite. If estimates are correct, the area is thought to have the richest deposits of chromite in the world. Currently South Africa, Kazakhstan and India account for more than 80 percent of global production of chromite
The potential for the chromite find is clear, but it is only that, potential, until construction begins. Ontario’s governing Liberals have made no secret that they want to see the reserves developed to usher in a new generation of prosperity for a province currently Photo by Jamie Angus saddled with a job crisis and a $19 billion (CDN) deficit. (con’t on pg. 6)
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( Photos by Curtis Comeau )
Several First Nations leaders have sought, in different ways, to slow down the pace to activity in the Ring of Fire. In July, 2012, six northwestern Ontario First Nations issued a 30-day eviction notice to all companies with exploration and development camps in the region and threatened a peaceful blockade on the land to prevent operations from taking place. The same month, the Neskantaga First Nation filed a petition with the Ontario Mining and Land Commissioner demanding to be thoroughly consulted before a 340-kilometre road is built through their traditional territory, to gain access to a proposed chromite mine in the Attawapiskat River watershed.
If industry activity in the region is any indication, then the financial prospects for the province are bright. The website for the Government of Ontario notes that, to date, roughly 30,000 claims have been established in the region, with close to 40 active mining and exploration companies undertaking work. Of these companies (including the Toronto-based junior development company Noront Resources Ltd. which discovered a large chromite deposit in August 2007), American diversified miner Cliffs Natural Resources stands out for its ambitious plans. In May, 2012, Cliffs announced a $3.3 billion (CDN) investment in a project that would include the construction of two open pit mines, a tailings impoundment area, as well as ore and chromite processing facilities. The project also includes plans for cutting a 200 kilometre-long roadway through thick boreal forest to transport both materials and people in and out of the site. At the time of the announcement, Cliffs made it clear that a final decision on the project would depend on environmental assessment approvals, on agreements with First Nations communities, on addressing existing infrastructure concerns, and on the completion of commercial and technical feasibility studies. Initial project optimism was recently dampened somewhat when Cliffs announced it had extended chromite production timelines from 2015 to 2017 or later.
Other First Nations have turned to courts to confirm their jurisdictional claims. Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI), a remote northern Ontario First Nations community, recently won the first stage of a legal battle when the Ontario Superior Court ruled that no award of damages could compensate KI for losses of cultural values if development proposed by Platinex Inc. (exploring platinum deposits) were to occur. The Court granted KI an injunction, preventing the company from working KI’s traditional territory. Not all First Nations affected by the Ring of Fire development are determined to oppose development. During a recent annual meeting of chiefs, a delegate from the Marten Falls First Nation opposed a moratorium and told the assembly that his community, situated on territory where most of the mining activity will take place, has already spoken to, and was working closely with, both Cliffs Natural Resources and the Ontario government to establish a framework to discuss appropriate strategies to move forward.
“No son, the battle’s not over, the battle has only begun. The rest of the battle will cover this part that has blackened the sun.” (“The Big Battle” - 1962) So far, intense exploration and staking activity in the Ring of Fire has proceeded in an old school, open season sort of fashion. The lack of regulation to-date has led to industry confrontations with some First Nations who, among other issues, express concern over land claims, damage to land and river systems and the adverse effects on their traditional ways of life in an area covered by Treaty 9.
“The bear will be gentle and the wolf will be tame. And the lion shall lay down with the lamb….” (“(There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)” - 1962) The Ring of Fire is poised to become one of the largest mining hubs Canada has ever seen. The lands hold tremendous meaning and potential for industry, government, First Nations, and for all Canadians. This potential can only be realized through building lasting relationships. Relationships rooted in consultation (engaging early and often), recognition of First Nation and Treaty rights, protection of the environment, and participation of all stakeholders committed to principles of open dialogue and wealth sharing.
First Nations have been particularly vocal over what they consider inadequate consultation and accommodation, charging that Canadian resource companies and government agencies are disregarding their constitutionally-entrenched right to be consulted in development projects that impact, or have the potential to impact, Aboriginal and treaty rights.
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It is no secret that the current regulatory systems in place in the region are in need of modernization. Positive steps, however, are being taken. Federally, the government has allocated new money to increase consultations with First Nations in the area of resource development. Provincially, the government has set up an administrative body, the Provincial Ring of Fire Secretariat, to handle matters related to mineral and infrastructure development, and to heighten engagement of First Nations leadership in the James Bay Lowlands.
barriers to development (distance, isolation, improper consultation) remain; nevertheless there are signs that industry, government, environmental groups and First Nations are willing to look beyond past transgressions, and walk the line together towards a more prosperous future. And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire... (“Ring of Fire” - 1963) The ring of fire. Nathan Elliott is President of Insightwest Research (based in Regina
If the prospects for development and the resulting tensions in the Ring of Fire have taught any lesson, it is that most First Nations in the area are not opposed outright to resource development, but they do not want development to come at the expense of their people and of their homeland. In the past, the mining camps that helped define northern Ontario were the result of haphazard planning and inadequate government involvement. No longer are these approaches tolerable.
Saskatchewan), a research, corporate strategy and legislative compliance firm focussed on the energy and resource sector. He is founder and Vice President of the newly-formed Insight Inkd, a firm dedicated to changing the way reports, press releases and advertising are conceptualized, understood and shared in the new information age. Elliott has recently been named Director of Business Development for Haztech, a company providing medical, safety, fire, rescue, security and training services to industrial worksites across western Canada.
The Ring of Fire has presented a transformative opportunity – to industry and to government obviously, but also to First Nations committed to improving their socio-economic conditions. Ontario’s north is far more than a direction on a compass. It is a magnetic pole attracting international business to traditional First Nations lands. Long-standing
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Elliott specializes in oil, gas, renewable energy, mining and health policy, and is a regular commentator in the media on energy and resource development in Canada, particularly as it affects First Nations.
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Multiple Benefits of Wind Energy by Marc Soulliere, President & CEO of TWN Wind Power Many of us have seen wind turbines as giant, spinning, picturesque backdrops while driving through the countryside. While often appreciated for their aesthetic quality, it is easy to forget that wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the country, with major spin-off benefits for Aboriginal communities nation-wide.
Energy Generation [DEG], in other words, using the electricity where it is generated.” Not to be confused with large utility-scale wind farms, these small-scale wind projects vary in size from 5kW to 100kW, and generate electricity to directly power schools, offices, health centers and up to 30 homes in a community. Overall, the vision behind small wind is to provide Aboriginal communities with options to meet longterm energy and sustainability goals.
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) is one such community that is reaping the early rewards of the green energy movement. In 2011, TWN invested $2 million in the Surrey, British Columbiabased wind turbine manufacturer Endurance Wind Power. As one of the Four Host First Nations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, TWN has quickly established itself as a leader in the effort to help First Nation communities generate a renewable supply of energy, reducing overall energy costs, as well as enabling investment in economic and social development initiatives. Tsleil-Waututh Chief Justin George has lent his full support to the wind energy initiative, recognizing the need for balance between economic and environmental sustainability. He notes, “With Endurance Wind Power’s innovative technology, we are striving to help First Nations reduce their dependence on nonrenewable sources of energy, while preserving the environment we so depend on.”
The opportunities for wind energy in First Nations communities do not stop there. Today, wind energy also offers much-needed alternatives for remote communities. Many of these communities are powered by on-grid or off-grid (diesel generator) sources. In truth, both of these sources can be replaced by small wind energy
TWN Wind Power Inc. is owned by Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and develops “small wind” with First Nation communities in Canada and the United States. Marc Soulliere, CEO of TWN Wind Power notes that, “Small wind is commonly referred to as Distributed
“There are proven alternatives to reduce diesel consumption through cleaner energy sources using wind.”
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TWN Wind Power has completed two wind projects at White Earth Nation, located in Northwest Minnesota. The two sites, Ojibwa Building Supplies in Waubun and White Earth Community Service Center in Naytahwaush, are now both benefiting from wind energy.
operations to generate electricity locally. Communities relying on diesel for power generation have shown keen interest in the technology. “Remote communities using diesel generators for power are locked into high costs, and negative environmental and health impacts,” explained Soulliere. “There are proven alternatives to reduce diesel consumption through cleaner energy sources using wind,” he said. Recent projects completed by TWN include a wind powered elementary school at the Lower Similkameen Indian Band in Keremeos, BC and two separate wind projects with the White Earth Nation in Minnesota. When describing ongoing development, Erma J. Vizenor, White Earth Nation Chairwoman, speaks with enthusiasm, “White Earth Nation is thrilled to have our two new wind turbines fully commissioned and adding to our alternative energy efforts. We, as Native American people, continue to strive to be stewards of the earth and White Earth is proud to have completed this project in partnership with TWN.” In addition to renewable energy generation, small wind energy projects can offer direct employment opportunities during the construction of the project, and training courses needed to maintain the turbines long-term. If you have a steady wind resource in your community, small wind energy is a step in the right direction for renewable energy development.
TWN Wind Power Inc. - 700 Apex Avenue North Vancouver, BC Canada V7H 2R7 TOLL FREE: 800-930-1782 LOCAL: 604-200-0079 Email: info@twnwindpower.com
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PrOFILE ONION LAKE CREE NATION
by Nathan Elliott, President, The Insightgroup
The
Many Layers
About 50 kilometres north of Lloydminster, straddling the AlbertaSaskatchewan border, sits Onion Lake Cree Nation. Onion Lake is a deeply-layered community – rich in both natural and human resources. It is one of a growing number of First Nations who are moving ahead through innovative economic development initiatives and cutting-edge partnerships in various sectors of the economy.
While oil production has ignited the Onion Lake economy, the Nation is far more than a one hit wonder. With an intense focus on long-term planning, capacity building and keeping money in the community, Onion Lake leadership believes that economic diversification represents a key to sustainable development. As Onion Lake Chief Executive Officer Jeff Ross recently remarked, “We know some day this oil will be gone. We’ll need other things to fall back on, so we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket.” Balancing economic development with maintaining cultural identity, language, customs and traditions also remains top priority.
Home to over 5000 members, Onion Lake is one of the country’s most notable First Nations leading the charge in the oil sector, currently producing 14,000 barrels per day from its more than 400 wells. Partnerships with industry are creating opportunities for Onion Lake membership and for future generations. This success has fuelled hope and growth at a time when First Nations success stories and models for emulation are needed most in this country.
Given the girth of on-reserve economic activity underway, proper management of this development is required. Through the years, Onion Lake leadership has crafted a number of business structures to foster transparency, accountability and strategic decisionmaking. The Board of the Business Development Corporation, for example, provides governance for all Onion Lake businesses and has overseen the creation of several ground-breaking initiatives in the energy and resource sectors, among other developments.
“I think it’s time First Nations, especially in this sector, come to the table with no less than 50/50 with any joint venture.”
One such business is Onion Lake Energy, an oil and gas venture owned and operated by the First Nation. In the follow-up to a successful Treaty Land Entitlement vote in 2003, Chief and Council signed a joint venture agreement with Pan Global Energy Ltd./Tennax Energy Ltd. to create this limited liability company, holding oil and gas permits on roughly 160,000 acres of Band lands.
of Onion Lake Cree Nation
Engagement in the energy sector does not stop there. In addition to working with Canadian National Resources Limited (CNRL), a partnership with Black Pearl Resources provides Onion Lake with a 34.5 per cent royalty on each extracted barrel of oil, with a portion of the money directed into a trust fund to back capital projects. The remaining proceeds are re-invested into business development. A recent joint venture (eight years in the making) with the Calgary-based oil and gas exploration company Fogo Energy is also noteworthy. In addition to oil royalties, the Nation receives 50 percent of the money from each barrel of oil sold. Onion Lake also retains the option to buy out. This joint venture is unique as the community reached the agreement on its own terms and did
If the recent successes in economic and community development are any indication, then Onion Lake appears to be well-positioned for continued growth.
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not engage Indian Oil and Gas Canada (IOGC), the organization usually tasked with negotiating with Canada on behalf of First Nations. Describing the deal, Onion Lake Chief Wallace Fox asserts, “I think it’s time First Nations, especially in this sector, come to the table with no less than 50/50 with any joint venture.” Other businesses that have also left their mark include: Onion Lake Gas Cooperative (OLGC), the first community-owned and operated natural gas utility in the Saskatchewan; the long-established Beretta Pipeline Construction Ltd., devoted to building pipeline and supporting facilities for gathering systems, compressor stations and pipeline rehabilitation; Askiy Apoy Hauling GP Ltd., a trucking company which hauls water and crude oil throughout the region; as well as All Nations Building Supplies which provides building materials to a very active housing market in the Onion Lake community. Future plans involve corporate real estate, as well as multi-million dollar housing and road construction projects. Behind each of these economic and community development success stories is the visionary Chief Wallace Fox. On the home front, Chief Fox’s vision has been expansive. He has been tireless in his fight for recognition that federal and provincial governments are obligated to consult, accommodate and compensate when the Crown allows developers to explore and extract resources from Indigenous traditional territories. As well, his calls for resource revenue sharing (based on the notion that sub-surface rights were never ceded or surrendered under Treaty) have been made loud and clear. Another product of his vision, the Treaty Six Embassy (being built entirely by using First Nations money), is scheduled to open in the fall of 2013. The Embassy will become the meeting point for chiefs, historians, lawyers, financiers and students
who will discuss topics of central importance to First Nations people. As well, Chief Fox was instrumental in negotiating an economic treaty between his nation, Sucker Creek Cree Nation, Driftpile First Nation and Ermineskin Cree Nation; their new partnership to form Wanska Energy Alliance finalized in March 2012.” On the international front, Chief Fox recognizes that opportunity for economic development goes far beyond the borders of his Nation, and even beyond the borders of Canada. The Chief has travelled to the United States and to China in search of viable partners and business opportunities to further drive economic development for his people. As well, Chief Fox’s recent mission to United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland is a symbol of a renewed vigor to fight for “First Nations Rights” through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. If the recent successes in economic and community development are any indication, then Onion Lake appears to be well-positioned for continued growth. Propelled by visionary leadership, this upstart community remains firmly-committed to seeking innovative business partnerships with the goals of creating jobs, fostering longterm employment and enhancing community prosperity. While oil and gas development will serve as key drivers of the Onion Lake economy moving forward, the Nation’s focus on diversification will provide a muchneeded balance in an ever-changing economy, where the only thing predictable, is unpredictability. ONION LAKE ADMINISTRATION Box 100, Onion Lake, SK, S0M 2E0 SK - (306) 344.4200 | AB - (780) 847.2200 Toll Free: 1.888.217.8625 | Fax: (306) 344.4244
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Sustainability through Mentoring mentoring and exposure to role models to whom youth can relate. There are an increasing number of valuable programs in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields, or STEM, for youth today. Some programs are based online. Sustainability. We hear this word so all the time, but the word takes on many different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Often, sustainability issues are categorized in the framework of the “Triple Bottom Line” or “The three P’s” (People, Planet, Profit). Activities and initiatives are then organized under the framework of whether they are focused on sustaining environmental, economic or social issues. We are in the midst of a transition, where the lines between these endeavors can no longer be looked at separately. Organizations are asking themselves, “What more can we do to incorporate a sustainable philosophy in the way we do business? How do we then measure progress?” The road to answering these questions is a long one. Finding answers will take communication and work from all sides. In the meantime, what can you or I (we) do to build a future around sustainability? One solution is active mentoring of Indigenous youth.
by Deanna Burgart, CET EIT
KNOWLEDGE
For instance, Cybermentor, in conjunction with the University of Calgary, enables girls to participate in the program from any location in Alberta with an internet connection. It is a free online mentoring program for 11 to 18 year old women who are curious about careers in science and engineering and want to make a difference in the world. Participants are matched with professional female scientists and engineers, who guide their mentees through the career opportunities for women in STEM fields, and provide them with insight into university and industry. Cybermentor works with many community partners to ensure a diversity of mentors are available to participants, including First Nations women. Power to Choose works with Indigenous youth to match mentees who aspire to working in the field of science with mentors. The hosting groups in Calgary, Alberta are the Alberta Women’s Science Network (provides the mentors and transportation), Let’s Talk Science (camp program, workshops and staff), Minds in Motion (camp program, workshops and staff), and Aboriginal Health, Faculty of Medicine.
Today we face many issues with respect to environmental and energy concerns. Innovation can be found by employing diverse ways of thinking. Unfortunately, recent history tells us that diversity has not been a top-of-mind in the energy sector. Groups such as women and Indigenous people are still widely underrepresented. It has also been suggested in various studies that the younger generation is much more in tune with the principles of sustainability. Millennials (youth born after 1980 and before the year 2000) are seeking careers that incorporate environmental awareness and corporate social responsibility. Combining these desires with the traditional views of Indigenous people could enable youth to provide a solid foundation to the world’s toughest challenges in energy.
Other organizations, such as APEGA’s Aboriginal Mentoring Program, bring engineers and geoscientists into the classroom environment to introduce science and technology in hands-on ways. APEGA is also hosting a wonderful online initiative called EnGenious which is an online game and activity program designed to introduce kids to the engineering and geoscience professions. GoEngGirl, an initiative of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, focuses on increasing diversity in the engineering profession via a one day event which allows girls from grades 7 to 10 to visit their local Ontario University to experience the wonderful world of engineering through activities and presentations organized by female engineering students.
It is no secret that baby boomers are retiring in large numbers and, in turn, the availability of qualified technical professionals is decreasing. One recent report “Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2020” predicts that 95,000 professional engineers in Canada will retire by 2020. On July 22, 2010, Engineers Canada signed a historic partnership agreement with the Assembly of First Nations with a goal of “increasing the awareness of, and access to, careers in engineering for Indigenous youth.”1 Provincial engineering associations such as Association of Professionals in Engineering and Geoscience in Alberta (APEGA) followed suit with a business plan in 2010 to “increase Aboriginal representation in engineering” with a goal to “increase the participation of Aboriginal people in the professional engineering workforce to 2% by 2030,” which would increase the number of Indigenous professional engineers in Alberta from less than 100 in 2010 to 1200.2
There are also professional networking groups like Women/Indigenous LifeLong Leaders. A National online and occasional face-to-face group which seeks to connect professional women and Indigenous mentors, the community and the various programs and resources that need them.
WISDOM
Indspire’s mentorship program, Rivers to Success: Mentoring Indigenous Youth, also recently launched a national pilot program of 24 matches in fields including education, medicine and engineering. According to Indspire, “… we know mentorship is an effective way to help students gain invaluable insight beyond their own education and experience, which strongly positions them for success.”
I have been honoured to be involved as a mentor in all of these programs, and have recently been matched with a new mentee
One of the best ways to increase the representation of Indigenous youth in science and technology is by early introduction through elements
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with Rivers to Success. Nikita Desjarlais, a second year Petroleum Engineering Technology student at SAIT is now working with me on an internship at WorleyParsons Canada where she will have the opportunity to work on a “real world” engineering and sustainability project. I am excited to be working with her and look forward to the next few months.
of underrepresented groups can play an important role in eventually increasing the participation of these groups in creative solutions. More diverse views in the energy and environmental world can lead to solutions we have never thought of before. These young innovators could be serving the companies that research and develop new environmental innovations, the companies that engineer and design these discoveries or the corporations that implement the solutions. As both a formal and informal mentor and mentee, I invite you to join us in building a sustainable future together. Deanna Burgart is a Cree/Irish speaker, engineer, technologist and mentor with 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in Calgary, AB. She is the Manager of Pipeline Sustainability at WorleyParsons Canada. She is also the founder of Women/ Indigenous Lifelong Leaders and is committed to making sustainability and diversity everybody’s business. You can find her on Linkedin at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/chemengdee.
References: Engineering Outreach – Partnering with the Assembly of First Nations, August 2010, Retrieved February 05, 2013 from www.engineerscanada.ca Photo provided by Indspire
Mentors can be of all ages and all skill levels, as can the mentees. Mentoring is not specific to any one industry or profession, nor is it dictated by age, gender or ability. Mentoring is the perfect environment for both diversity and inclusion. The philosophy of mentoring, as I see it, is the willingness to share with another that which one has learned throughout their life’s journey. Just as with leaders, mentors need not be formal or appointed. The relationship just requires fostering a willingness to share wisdom with someone who is interested in gaining new insights. Diversity also does not simply refer to race, gender or culture, but includes perspectives, work styles, communication styles, and personality. The mentoring
Increasing Aboriginal representation in Engineering, APEGGA Business Plan, July 2010, Retrieved February 5, 2013 from www.apega.ca Indspire’s mentorship program makes impressive matches, News Release, Dec 2012, Retrieved Feb 5, 2013 from http://indspire.ca/news/4572 Alberta Women’s Science Network http://www.awsn.com/
JOURNEY Let’s Talk Science - www.letstalkscience.ca Cybermentor - www.cybermentor.ca
Minds in Motion - http://www.ucalgary.ca/mindsinmotion/
GoEngGirl - http://www.ospe.on.ca/?page=eng_comm_geg EnGenious - http://www.engenious.ca/
INDUSTRY | PHOTOGRAPHY | IMAGES | DIGITAL | PROFESSIONAL
Photographer
WOMEN Industry
in the
by Lynn Calf Robe
This month the National Energy Business Centre of Excellence sat down with Valerie Plamondon, a second year Instrumentation Technician Apprentice at Rio Tinto’s Diavik Mine located in the Northwest Territories, Canada and asked her a series of questions about her training, her career and her exciting life.
Valerie Plamondon 2nd Year Instrumentation Technician Apprentice Diavik Diamond Mine
5 Part Q & A Series - Part 1 Q: How long have you been working for the company? A: 8 years. My first six years were as a Security Officer. Q: Why did you choose a career in the mining industry? A: I chose a mining career because it offered an opportunity to learn a trade that could take me around the world. The possibilities truly are endless. Q: What kind of training is required for your occupation? A: My choice of profession requires a full four year apprenticeship and is offered at training institutes NAIT or SAIT. I attend eight weeks each for the first three years, and finish with 12 weeks of training for my fourth year. During my time at camp, I am continually learning from Certified Journeymen to prepare myself for school and my future. Q: What qualities do you bring to the job? A: The qualities I bring to the job are my strong work ethic, my attention to detail and my drive for trouble-shooting. I love it, it truly is great motivation. I also love to laugh as it’s great for moral and I carry this to work every day. Q: What is a typical day like for you? A: My job is two weeks on, two weeks off, working 12 hours each day. I work from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In the morning, the Electricians and Instrumentation Technicians gather for a toolbox meeting. After the meeting, we all go off to different areas of the mine and complete work orders from our schedules. It is not uncommon to be called away from those work orders to troubleshoot and fix unexpected breakdowns during the course of the day. My work day is usually pretty busy, with never a dull moment. At the end of the day we all gather again to debrief. Q: The energy and resource sectors are often perceived as maledominated, what has been your experience been like? A: My experience in this male-dominated industry was tough at first. There are the typical men who do not believe women belong in the trades and they are not sure what to expect from you. Still, respect has to be earned and I am privileged to work with a great group of guys who respect me for who I am and what I can contribute to the team. I rarely feel uncomfortable and I have no problem speaking my mind. Q: What things do you love about your job? A: The satisfaction of accomplishment. At the end of the day I can stand back and measure what I’ve achieved. • I love the feeling of satisfaction that comes from accomplishment. At the end of the day I can stand back and measure what I have achieved. • I love that fact that my job offers the opportunity to work independently. • I love working with people who care about their company and do a good job. It is difficult to find that environment in today’s workplace because so many people simply do not care about honesty, hard work and integrity. Further, my job in particular gives me a good amount of leeway to choose my own projects, instead of just doing whatever comes down from above. I also work with a really strong, close-knit group of people who all genuinely like and respect each other–that is pretty rare today! Q: What have been some of the greatest challenges associated with your line of work? A: There have been a few challenges, most recently at school. I have not attended school in over 20 years and I have had to teach myself how to “learn” again.I must say, it was tough to take in all the information they try to cram into eight weeks. Q: How did you overcome these barriers? A: I have had to channel all my focus on studying and try not to think about what is happening back at home in Hay River, or even back at work.
Photo provided by Valerie Plamondon
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- Issue #2 / February 2013
Q: What advice do you have for other women who are interested in pursuing a career in the industry? A: I want to tell woman that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. Accomplishments can come at any age. I just want women to know that knowledge is currency. Never stop learning!
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National Energy Business Centre of Excellence (NEBCE)
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SUCCESS SAIT’s Aboriginal Oil and Gas Land Administration Program by Eileen Hopkins the students with living allowances as well as personal guidance throughout the program.
Every October for over 12 years, 14 people from all corners of Calgary, Alberta have strapped on their backpacks, hopped on to the C-Train or bus and headed to the school on the hill SAIT Polytechnic. These 14 individuals share a common goal and a common heritage - all are ready to jumpstart a new career in petroleum land administration and all can proudly trace their ancestry back to the First Nations or Métis of Canada.
Success also depends on our training place host partners - people just like you - who will step up to champion them by recommending participation in the 6-week practicum placement starting in late April or even a first job with the company you own or work for. We have many alumni of this program who make an effort each year to influence this decision in their employer’s land department .We can always use others who believe in the power of education and are willing to step up and provide what they can to keep opening the doors to opportunity in other companies across the petroleum industry.
The Oil and Gas Land Administration program is launched each fall with a welcome circle at Chinook Lodge, the hub of activity for all SAIT aboriginal students. Starting in the middle of October, 31 weeks of training prepares these students with hands-on skills: lease record keeping in mineral, surface and contract documentation, as well as software training in CS Explorer and MS Office.
If you or someone you know are interested in discussing this possibility, you could be that key contact to ensure another hard working student from our aboriginal land administration program gets the start they have been working hard to obtain. For more information, you can contact the Program Coordinator at (403) 284-8818.
But, this program is so much more than an academic education - it is a key that often unlocks the door to a new life which not only increases the students earning power, but provides insight into how they want to live their life; how they can help their people through employment and knowledge; or how they can be a role model for their friends, family, children and grandchildren - an inspiration that is celebrated each May with personal testimonies and words of encouragement at the SAIT graduation celebration held in their honour. The success of the program, with close to 100% of the students completing the academic and practicum portions of their training, is due to their own desire to achieve this certificate; the insight provided to SAIT coordinators and instructors by the staff at Chinook Lodge; and, the important aboriginal partners supporting them every minute of their journey. Treaty 7 Community Futures and Rupertsland Institute – Métis Training to Employment Services provide
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- Issue #2 / February 2013
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National Energy Business Centre of Excellence (NEBCE)
National Energy Business Centre of Excellence 235 - 9911 Chiila Boulevard Tsuu T’ina Nation AB, Canada T2W 6H6 Tel: (403) 252-1702 Fax: (403) 252-3226 E-mail: cherylc@fnet.ca First Nations Website: www.fnresources.com Oil & Gas Website: www.nebce.com
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