Leadership and accountability focus of forum

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The Indigenous Peoples Leadership Conference will take place Sept. 17 to 20 in Edmonton. Intended to be the first in a series of international Indigenous-led forums, IPLC 2002 will bring together experts to focus on how cultural perspectives impact leadership and accountability and how, in turn, leadership and accountability impact the social and economic well being of Indigenous peoples, their communities, and their business partners around the world.

Maori scholar and treaty negotiator Dr. Hirini Moko Mead will serve as the keynote speaker for the gala banquet. Mead is the author of Maori Art on the World Scene. He also is a curator and was closely associated with the exhibition of cultural treasures, Te Maori.

"The conference is a response to calls from our diverse client base and from our business partners," said Charles Wood, chair of the IPLC steering committee. "We wanted to stage a meeting of Indigenous peoples and their public and private sector partners so that we can all work together towards economic stability and accountable leadership. The knowledge, experience, and insight shared at this conference will be invaluable to Indigenous communities worldwide."

The Saddle Lake First Nation will host this year's event.

"It's important for Indigenous peoples to debate and decide the form of government best suited to their individual communities and their respective organizations. A cookie cutter approach simply has not worked and will not work. We need to focus on innovations that enhance the quality of leadership and the quality of life in Indigenous communities around the globe," said Saddle Lake Chief Eddy Makokis.

The keynote address will be delivered by Matthew Coon Come, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations and AFN Alberta regional chief, Wilson Bearhead.

Three senior national leaders of Aboriginal banking (Ron Jamieson of the Bank of Montreal, Jim Richardson of the Business Development Bank of Canada, and Keith MacDonald of the Royal Bank of Canada) will contribute to a panel discussion aimed at exploring leadership and maximizing financial resources.

Leaders will share successful stories during afternoon sessions. Among them will be Bernd Christmas, CEO of the Membertou Band, Canada's first band to receive ISO certification. Dr. Leona Makokis, president of Blue Quill's First Nations College, will present on the topic of colonialism and its impact on Indigenous people in North America. Project Self Discovery, a multi-cultural, self-expressive approach that has recorded remarkable success with youth-at-risk in the United States will be explored in detail in an interactive workshop by Dr. Harvey Milkman and Cleo Parker from Denver Colorado.

For more information about the event, visit the conference website www.iplc.ca or (780) 415-5510.