Our “Learning from One Another” series continues …

The National Aboriginal Energy and Power Association is pleased to announce that registration for our next Vancouver 2011 Power Breakfast is now open.

Hosted at the Terminal City Club, this year’s series of four breakfast meetings brings together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal speakers to share best practices, personal experiences, key learnings as well as the tangible results of their relationship- and business-building activities. Our fourth and final Power Breakfast of 2011 takes place on Tuesday, November 29.

Join us to hear Leonard George, Director, Tsleil-Waututh Nation Economic Development Department and Marc Soulliere, President and CEO, TWN Wind Power Inc. describe how an urban First Nation partnered with and invested in Surrey-based Endurance Wind Power Inc. to become a distributor of wind turbines to First Nations businesses, communities and Aboriginal groups throughout North America … and their plans for the future.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW.

We fully expect another Sold Out event so purchase your tickets early !!

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The winners of our “Win a Free Pass to the Energizing Communities for Success Conference and Expo are:

@peacebrokerjeff

@Hesquiaht

They each won a free delegate pass to the 2nd Annual National Aboriginal Energy and Power Association Conference and Business and Employment Expo in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Congratulations and see you in Calgary !!

Contest Closed and Winners Announced

I want to win a free pass to the Energizing Communities for Success Conference and Expo in #Calgary. #freenaepatix http://bit.ly/ostiNl

You can tweet up to two times per day. Each tweet is an entry to win. We’ll randomly draw the winner of a free ticket. All tweets must include the above statement in its entirety to be eligible to win.

What you need to know:

1. Tweets must conform to the above sample
2. The deadline to enter is Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 4:00 pm Pacific
3. The winners will be announced shortly thereafter ON THIS PAGE.
4. Winners must arrange their own travel and lodging.
5. No purchase is necessary to win.
6. The decision of the winners is final.
7. Non-transferable
8. No cash value

Our third Vancouver 2011 Power Breakfast takes place on Wednesday, September 21 and features Kekinusuqs, Dr. Judith Sayers and VanCity’s Stewart Anderson as they share their insights and experiences on the creation of the China Creek Run of the River Project in Hupacasath territory on Vancouver Island.

Constructed in just one year and operational since December 2005, this hydroelectric project serves as a model of how individuals, communities and corporations can come together and get things done.

Click here for complete information and to register for the event.

Our second Vancouver 2011 Power Breakfast takes place on Thursday, June 23 and features co-presenters Haisla Nation Interim Governance Committee Chair Ellis Ross and Kitimat LNG Project business manager David Calvert speaking about the unique partnership between the Haisla Nation and Apache Canada Ltd to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility on Haisla traditional territory.

Ellis Ross is a Haisla Nation member and has been on Haisla Nation Council since 2003. He has held many portfolios including finance, community development and Treaty.  Nowadays, the bulk of his work is done for the Economic Development Committee (EDC) for which he has been the chairman in the 2009-2011 term.

Economic development has three main components that the EDC is tasked with: Economics (through Haisla Business operations), Aboriginal Rights and Title, and Environment (arms-length). Ellis has worked on the water for sustenance, employment and as a business owner. It’s this experience that he draws on as most of the bigger projects involve marine aspects.

David Calvert was appointed business manager for the Kitimat LNG Project in January 2010. Previously he served as Coordinator, Surface Land and Public Consultant from 2001 to 2004, Senior Advisor, Surface Land – Regulatory, Aboriginal and Community Affairs from 2004 to 2007, and Manager, Surface Land – Aboriginal and Community Affairs from 2007 to 2010.

Prior to joining Apache Canada Ltd. in 2001, he worked with Fletcher Challenge Oil and Gas, Shell Canada Limited and Star Fire Resources Ltd. as a manager or in senior roles in various oil and gas projects.

Concurrent with his oil and gas career, from 1983 to 1988 he served as elected official of Council for the Town of Innisfail, Alberta. Mr. Calvert holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with a concentration in Petroleum Land Management from the University of Calgary. He is also a member of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen.

The National Aboriginal Energy and Power Association is pleased to announce the launch of the Vancouver 2011 Power Breakfast Series.

Hosted at the Terminal City Club, this year’s series of four breakfast meetings brings together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal speakers to share best practices, personal experiences, key learnings as well as the tangible results of their relationship- and business-building activities.

“Learning from One Another”

Join us for our very first Vancouver 2011 Power Breakfast on Tuesday, April 19 featuring co-presenters Sts’ailes Nation Chief William T. Charlie and Donald McInnes, Vice Chair and CEO of Plutonic Power Corporation.

Chief Charlie and Mr. McInnes will share information on their recent exchange program; their personal experience of working in each others’ community and environment; and how their learnings continue to inform and guide their own relationship and their relationships with others.

The dates and location of the 2011 Aboriginal Energy and Power Conference have been confirmed.

Our 2nd Annual Conference and Trade Show takes place from Tuesday, October 18 to Thursday, October 20, 2011 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The event will feature a Working Effectively With Aboriginal Peoples TM pre-conference workshop in addition to a delegates’ welcoming reception, two full days of presentations and keynote addresses, all combined with a stellar tradeshow packed with exhibitors. A preliminary conference agenda and registration information will be posted shortly.

For more information on the Association, contact NAEPA president and CEO Bob Joseph toll-free on 1 888 986-4055, on 1 604 619-4720, or by email to bob@naepa.ca

For sponsorship information on the 2011 Conference, contact NAEPA director of communications Ian Tait toll-free on 1 888 986-4055 Extension 3, on 1 604 290-3971, or by email to ian@naepa.ca

We look forward to seeing you in Calgary !!  Click here to view the preliminary agenda.

Congratulations to NAEPA senior vice president Jerry Asp as the 2011 recipient of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada “Skookum Jim Award: Promoting and Supporting Aboriginal Participation in the Mineral Exploration Industry” for his work to promote mining’s benefits to Aboriginal communities in British Columbia.

The Skookum Jim Award recognizes Aboriginal achievements in the mineral industry. Recipients of this award will have demonstrated exceptional achievement and/or service in an Aboriginal-run service business for the Canadian mining industry or a Canadian Aboriginal exploration or mining company, or have made a significant individual contribution to the mining industry.

As former Chief of the Tahltan Band Council, Asp established the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation to provide construction and maintenance services to northern BC mines. The company became the largest Aboriginal owned and operated heavy construction company in Western Canada.

Jerry negotiated two mining impact and benefits agreements, the first for the Golden Bear mine that set the template for later Tahltan projects, and the second for the Eskay Creek mine.

Jerry is a founding member of the National Indian Businessman’s Association and the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association, of which he serves as vice president. He was a major contributor to the award-winning Mining Information Toolkit for Aboriginal Communities.

Well done, Jerry !!

Click here to download the Mining Information Toolkit (2.36 MB – opens in new window).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vancouver, BC – October 25, 2010 – The Aboriginal Energy and Power Conference welcomed a total of 150 speakers, session chairs, delegates and exhibitors from across Canada and the United States to the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel to take part in its inaugural conference from October 12 to October 14, 2010.

Conference delegates came from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon in Canada; and from New York and Oklahoma in the United States.

“Judging by the strong attendance and tremendous interaction between speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and delegates we certainly achieved what we set out to do,” said National Aboriginal Energy and Power Corporation (NAEPA) president and chief executive officer Bob Joseph. “The conference did indeed Set the Tableand our theme definitely resonated with delegates who actively participated in all aspects of our inagural event.”

“Setting the Table” was the theme of the 2010 inaugural conference and sessions featured best practices and positive examples of Aboriginal Peoples, governments and the power- and energy-related sectors working together with a common vision.

“There has already been considerable interest expressed in our second annual conference,” reports NAEPA chairman and corporate secretary Dan Jepsen. “Planning is already underway for the 2011 annual conference and news on the dates and location will be posted to our website, and on our Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, in the near future.”

“We would like to acknowledge and thank our conference co-chairs - Serpent River First Nation Chief Isadore Day and Kinder Morgan Canada president Ian Anderson – for their valuable insights, guidance and recommendations,” added NAEPA senior vice-president Jerry Asp.

“Our sponsors and supporters contributed in many ways to the success of our inaugural conference too and we sincerely appreciate their support and involvement,” said Jerry. “We look forward to an ongoing and positive relationship with our entire Sponsor Family.” 

Conference Sponsors included Hydro One Networks Inc, Kinder Morgan Canada, Northern Ontario Heritage Development Corporation, Ontario Power Generation, TD Bank Financial Group, Terasen Gas and TransAlta Corporation. Organizing Supporters included Breakthrough Communications, Clean Energy BC, NationTalk and Plutonic Power Corporation.

Click here to view the 2010 Conference speaker and session chair biographies (opens in new window).

Click here to view the list of communities, companies and organizations that attended the 2010 Conference.

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For more information on the Association, contact Bob Joseph toll-free on 1 888 986-4055,  or on 1 604 619-4720, or by email to bob@naepa.ca

For sponsorship information on the 2011 Conference, contact Ian Tait toll-free on 1 888 986-4055 Extension 3, or by email to ian@naepa.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toronto, Ontario – October 13, 2010 – Chief Patrick Waddilove of the Munsee-Delaware First Nation brought the whole tree with him and handed out five-year-old “cookies” to delegates attending the Aboriginal Energy and Power Conference at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel today.

Chief Waddilove brought a 6.4 m (20 foot) genetically modified poplar tree to the conference to demonstrate how fast the trees grow in their capacity as a carbon sink. The five-year-old poplar was cut into slices and handed out to delegates and passersby.

Pictured (L to R): TD Bank Financial Group Chief Environmental Officer Karen Clarke-Whistler, Chief Patrick Waddilove and Luke Waddilove hold poplar cookies.

Click here to view a press release on the Trees for Biomass project.

Photo courtesy of Ming Pao Daily News (Toronto).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Nation Plants Fast Growing Hardwoods As Carbon Sink and for Biofuel

Toronto, Ontario – October 11, 2010 – Most presenters bring pages of speaking notes with them when they arrive at a conference.  But Chief Waddilove of the Munsee-Delaware First Nation is bringing the whole tree with him when he arrives at the Aboriginal Energy and Power Conference on Wednesday, October 13th at 3:00 pm at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.

Chief Waddilove, and forester Horst Lein of Tree Logic, will bring a 6.4 m (20 foot) genetically modified poplar to the conference to demonstrate how fast these trees grow in their capacity as a carbon sink. They will cut the poplar into slices outside the conference and hand them hand out to delegates and passersby to raise awareness about the important role trees play in sequestering  carbon dioxide to fight global warming.

The Munsee-Delaware First Nation is planting 77,000 fast growing hardwoods to be harvested for biomass. This carbon forest is the first in Canada to be developed under Tree Canada’s “Forest and Urban Tree Carbon Project Protocol.” It is estimated that these trees, in a mere 31 years, will sequester 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide after which they will be harvested for biofuel production. The trees, a hybrid poplar, will also cleanse the soil of pollutants and repress the spread of the invasive hawthorn tree.

The carbon forest initiative is a partnership between the Munsee-Delaware Nation, TD Bank Financial Group and Tree Canada. “We congratulate the Munsee-Delaware First Nation and Tree Canada on demonstrating the foresight and leadership to put this thinking into practice,” says Karen Clarke-Whistler, Chief Environmental Officer, TD Bank Financial Group.

Chief Patrick Waddilove and Ms. Clarke-Whistler will speak about the Trees for Biomass initiative at the Aboriginal Energy and Power Conference on Wednesday, October 13th at 3:00 pm at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Osgoode Ballroom, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Click here to view the Conference speaker and session chair biographies (opens in new window).

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For additional conference information, media registration and to schedule intereviews, please contact: Bob Joseph at 1 604 619-4720 or Dan Jepsen at 1 604 818-7878.