Chalifoux Award presented at NAIT

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Major energy company TransCanada PipeLines Limited has received an award from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology that recognizes 14 years of support for Aboriginal education at NAIT and an annual $3,500 scholarship.

On Feb. 8, members of the Aboriginal Student Club presented the third annual Senator Chalifoux Award to TransCanada during the college's celebration of Aboriginal Awareness Day at the main campus. The senator was on hand to witness the presentation.

The award named after her was started in 2000. It goes to an individual or organization that has provided outstanding encouragement and support for the advancement of Aboriginal education at NAIT.

"With the Aboriginal cultural day we wanted to highlight people who contributed to the society," said Eva Stang, Aboriginal liaison co-ordinator at the school. Stang personally chose to name the award after the senator.

"When she became a senator, I was just ecstatic to think that here's . . . a Metis woman who has contributed so much to this city as well as to this nation . . . I chose her because of her special qualities . . . she never forgets where she comes from."

In 1988, the predecessor of TransCanada PipeLines, NovaGas Transmission Limited, donated $35,000 to develop an annual scholarship program. To date more than $40,000 has been awarded to Aboriginal students pursuing post-secondary studies.

Stang said, "We recognize TransCanada today because they have provided thousands of dollars to Aboriginal education and we wanted to make sure that they are aware that the students at NAIT are very appreciative of their donation towards the education."

"The $3,500 annual scholarship has made a difference in the lives of the students and their families ? and that I can attest to. Scholarships are so important because we all come pretty well from poor backgrounds and the struggles are great," Chalifoux said.

"The TransCanada PipeLines I remember as Nova . . . and a leader in Aboriginal participation within the oil and gas industry," the senator added.

The TransCanada fund generates yearly interest, which is given as a scholarship to one of Aboriginal students at NAIT, said Victoria Sedgwick, who came to accept the award on behalf of the company.

Any Aboriginal student who is enrolled at NAIT and who wants to give his knowledge back to his community after graduation can apply for this scholarship, she said.

"We ask questions about school grades. We need to see that there is a potential for the students to stay in school. We ask about community involvement and financial need," Sedgwick said about the application procedure.

"Not as many (apply) as we would like. I think that within Aboriginal students there is still a misconception on them having to have a really high grade point average (GPA) to even be considered.

"We don't look at GPA; we just look at the amount of effort that the student has put in. We do personal interviews," said Sedgwick. "The scholarship decision is usually (made) on individual basis."

Sedgwick added, "We do business within their (Aboriginal) communities. Part of doing this effectively in the community is to create partnerships . . . Having scholarships is one opportunity to create a partnership with the community."

Scholarships also encourage students to stay in school, she said.

"So the more people there are available for employment, the better it is for TransCanada.

"Anything that we can do to help these students realize their potential and become full contributing members in the community is just an honor."