AFOA CANADA HOSTING 1,000 ABORIGINAL LEADERS TO DISCUSS THE ABORIGINAL ECONOMY DURING ITS 17TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN CALGARY
CALGARY – On February 7-9, 2017, AFOA Canada is hosting its 17th Annual National Conference, assembling 1,000 of Canada’s most prominent Aboriginal business and elected leaders at The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Calgary, AB to discuss “Aboriginal Economy – Building a Stronger Future.” Along with this growing economy is the need for financial services at a personal level, for economic development opportunities and to operate Aboriginal governments. The creation and ability to generate wealth is paramount to the ongoing sustainability of Aboriginal communities. Much of these opportunities will be realized by building the financial, management and leadership acumen and capacity of individuals who will take their communities to the next level. Opportunity and capacity are two sides of the same coin. This conference will focus on financial management, banking and investments. The workshops will focus on key areas that are needed to build capacity in Aboriginal communities. In 2016, the Aboriginal Economy reached $30 to 31 Billion in combined income across households, businesses and government.
AFOA Canada will be hosting two main conference plenaries:
Wednesday Plenary –
Opening Plenary: Inside the Aboriginal Economy – Banking and Investments
Beginning with a keynote about the Aboriginal economy, this panel will explore how banking and wealth management contributes to creating wealth in Indigenous communities. This wealth creation is both at a community level as well as at a family or individual level. The importance of demographics and how that contributes to the Aboriginal economy will also be part of this discussion.
Part 1 – Keynote Speaker: Don Drummond, Stauffer-Dunning Fellow Queen’s University, Former Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, TD Bank, Former Associate Deputy Minister Finance
Part 2 – Panel
Moderator: Harold Tarbell, Facilitator, Tarbell Facilitation Network
Panelists:
Simona Bignami, Associate Professor, Department of Demography, University of Montreal
Don Drummond, Stauffer-Dunning Fellow Queen’s University, Former Chief Economist and SVP, TD Bank and Former Associate Deputy Minister Finance Canada
Keith Martell, CPA, CA, CAFM, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Bank of Canada
Tracee Smith, MBA, Master of Finance, and CPA candidate, Principal, Indigenous Global Fund
Event details are as follows:
Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Time: 8:30am to 10:30am
Location: Exhibition Hall E/Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Calgary, AB
Thursday Plenary: – The New Fiscal Relationship
In the past year, the Government of Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) on a New Fiscal Relationship. The AFN is developing key principles that will guide this work to be undertaken in this area. In the fall of 2016, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has been seeking input on five policy areas including the Treasury Board Policy on Transfer Payments, Funding Model, Default Management and Prevention Policy, General Assessment, Transparency and Accountability and Transparency. The panel will discuss the new fiscal relationship and the findings of the input on the five policy areas.
Part 1 – Keynote Speaker: Don Drummond, Stauffer-Dunning Fellow Queen’s University, Former Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, TD Bank, Former Associate Deputy Minister Finance Canada and Advisor to the Assembly of First Nations
Part 2- Panel Discussion:
Moderator: Harold Tarbell, Facilitator, Tarbell Facilitation Network
Panelists:
Don Drummond, Stauffer-Dunning Fellow Queen’s University, Former Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, TD Bank, Former Associate Deputy Minister Finance Canada and Advisor to the Assembly of First Nations
Terry Goodtrack, MPA, B.Admin, CPA, CGA, CAFM, CAPA, C. Dir. President & Chief Executive Officer, AFOA Canada
Desmond Gould, Director of Operations, Swan Lake First Nation
Lynette Roulette, Chief Executive Officer, Sandy Bay First Nation, MB
Renetta Siemens, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Event details are as follows:
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2017
Time: 8:30am to 10:00am
Location: Exhibition Hall E/Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Calgary, AB
