Award recipients announced

Page 4

The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation has announced the names of the 14 outstanding individuals who will be receiving National Aboriginal Achievement Awards during the 14th annual awards gala to be held in Edmonton on March 16, 2007.

This year's recipient in the arts category will be Joane Cardinal Schubert. The Calgary-based writer, curator, lecturer, poet, artist and activist has had her artwork exhibited across the country and in 1986 was elected to the Royal Academy of Art.

The award in the business and commerce category will go to Jack Poole. Born in Saskatchewan, Poole now calls British Columbia home. He is co-founder of Daon Development Corporation, one of the largest real estate development and investment companies in North America. Poole chaired the bid to bring the 2010 Olympics to Vancouver and is now chairman of the board of the Vancouver Olympic Committee.

Alestine Andre will receive the award in the cultural, heritage and spirituality category. Andre is a staff member of the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute in the Northwest Territories, and has served as the organization's cultural director, executive director and now as heritage researcher. Her work has involved her in many projects aimed at preserving the heritage of her community, from recording oral histories to documenting the medicinal use of plants.

The award in the education category will be presented to Joe Michel, an Elder from the Adams Lake band in British Columbia who has worked to promote the teaching of traditional languages to students in the classroom. A fluent speaker of Secwepmectsin, Michel helped found the Chief Atahm school, where Secwepmectsin is the language of instruction.

Chief David Walkem will receive the award in the environment category. Chief of the Cooks Ferry Indian band in British Columbia, Walkem was the first status Indian in B.C. to become a registered professional forester and was named Forester of the Year in 2001. Walkem is also president of a number of joint ventures involving area First Nations, including Stuwix Resources, which is a joint venture involving eight bands; and Eagles Nest Log Homes, a joint venture involving four bands.

Dr. Joe Couture from Alberta will be presented with the award in the health category. Couture was the first Aboriginal person in Canada to receive a PhD in psychology. His work has helped to build bridges between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultures and he has taught others how to make room for knowledge from both cultures. Couture has done much work with Aboriginal offenders, working to ensure they have access to cultural programming and spiritual teachings.

The law and justice award will go to Hugh Braker of British Columbia. The first Nu Ch Nulth lawyer in Canada, Braker is known for his work in the area of Aboriginal child welfare law.

Lisa Meeches will receive the award in the media and communications category. The Manitoba-based film and television producer and media personality is being recognized for her efforts to bridge the gap between Aboriginal and mainstream media and her ability to incorporate a traditional approach in her television productions.

Freddie Carmichael of the Northwest Territories will be presented with the award in the politics category. Carmichael started out as a businessman. He was the first Aboriginal person in the region to become a pilot, then started two aviation companies and a company that provides nature tours. He began his political career in 2000 when he was first elected president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council. Now in his second term in the position, he is working to help his community become strong culturally and economically.

The public service award will be presented to Lewis Cardinal. Cardinal, who is from Sucker Creek First Nation in Alberta, is a consultant for the City of Edmonton on Aboriginal issues.

Lewis Cardinal is also co-chair of co-ordinator of the annual Global Indigenous Dialogue held in Switzerand.

Wegadesk Gorup-Paul will receive the award in the sports category. Born in Montreal with a Mi'kmaq heritage and now living in Victoria, Gorup-Paul is one of Canada's most promising young divers. He competed at the Canada Summer Games in 2005, earning a gold medal in the platform category and setting a new record. His goal is to represent Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The award in the technology and trades category will be presented to Monica Peters, a computer wizard from Akwesasne and creator of Onkwehonwe.com, an online dictionary that translates English into Mohawk. Through Onkwehonwe.com, Peters is hoping to take languages that are threatened and revitalize them by making it easier to incorporate them into every day life.

James Makokis will receive the award in the youth category. Makokis, from Saddle Lake First Nation in Alberta, has completed the masters of health science program at the University of Toronto and is now in his first year of the medical degree program at the University of Ottawa. Makokis hopes to eventually practice medicine in his home community.

The 2007 award for lifetime achievement will be presented to Bertha Clark-Jones from Athabasca, Alta., In the late 1960s,Clark-Jones founded the Alberta Native Women's Voices, the precursor to today's Native Women's Association of Canada. She is being recognized for her efforts on behalf of Native women.