Manny Jules | Chief Commissioner FNTC

C.T. (Manny) Jules was the driving force behind the First Nations Fiscal Management Act (2005), which created the First Nations Tax Commission. He also led the amendment to the Indian Act (1988) which enabled First Nations to levy property taxes on designated lands.

The Indian Taxation Advisory Board (ITAB) and the current First Nation property tax system were created as a result. Mr. Jules served as Chair of ITAB from 1989-2003 and 2005-2007.

He served as Chief of the Kamloops Indian Band from 1984-2000. Mr. Jules has devoted over 30 years of his life to public service in support of Aboriginal issues. He received an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of British Columbia (1997) and another from Thompson Rivers University (2006).

Harold Calla | Executive Chair FNFMB

Harold is a member of the Squamish Nation located in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

After many years of experience in international business, he worked with the Squamish Nation as a negotiator in the areas of economic development, land management and finance and served eight years on the Squamish Council.

He has also acted as an advisor and an arbitrator for First Nations in Western Canada.

Ernie Daniels | President & CEO FNFA

Ernie has been delegated authority by the Board of Directors to manage the business affairs of the FNFA. Ernie is a Certified General Accountant and a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager. Ernie moved from Ottawa to Kelowna in fall 2011 to work with the FNFA as Director of Finance and was appointed President/CEO in June 2012.

Prior to coming to the FNFA, Ernie was President/COO of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada for 7 years and the Director of Assessment and Finance Operations at the Aboriginal Healing Foundation for 5 years. He has worked at a number of Aboriginal non-for-profit organizations in leadership and management positions. He was a member of the CICA Research Study Group looking at financial reporting by First Nations and has served as Chair of the NWT Legislative Assembly Society, Chair of the NWT Development Corporation and is a former Board member of the First Nations Financial Management Board (FMB).

Robert Louie | Chairman LAB

Robert Louie, LL.B., OC, of Kelowna, B.C. is the former Chief of the Westbank First Nation. He is also the Chairman of the First Nations Lands Advisory Board and Chairman of Peace Hills Trust (Financial Institution). He served as a Board of Governor member with the University of British Columbia and as a member of the President’s Advisory Council of the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBC-O).

Robert Louie is also a former practicing lawyer who specialized in native law. Previously he was a member of a Task Group of the First Nations Summit, and was involved in B.C. treaty negotiations representing the Chiefs in B.C. for a period of 4 years.

Robert Louie has served on numerous other boards and advisory bodies, including the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board, First Nations Finance Authority Inc., All Nations Trust Company, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, United Native Friendship Society, and the Premiere’s Advisory Council of Aboriginal Affairs.

Robert Louie has been the recipient of many awards and recognitions over the years. By far the most prestigious, was his appointment as an Officer to the Order of Canada. More recently, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Okanagan College, the Queen’s 2nd Diamond Jubilee Medal and an Excellence in Aboriginal Leadership Award from Xerox Canada/Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. In February 2014, Robert Louie was presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

Chief Joe Bevan | Kitselas First Nation

He is a member of the Kitselas First Nation located in Terrace, British Columbia, where he has served as both a Councillor and as Chief since 2008. He is also a Capacity Development Manager at the First Nations Financial Management Board (FNFMB). He is the former Chair of the Board of the First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA), the former Chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, a participant at the BC AFN Champions Economic Roundtable, and a former Director of the First Nations LNG Alliance.

Chief Bevan has a strong financial background and has been heavily involved in negotiating with Industry proponents and all levels of government, while building strong relationships and credibility for his First Nation and other First Nations. He also spent several years working with technical experts preparing procedures and templates for First Nations to use to increase their capacity with respect to major projects and economic development affecting their traditional territories.

Chief Bevan believes developing good governance and policy increases First Nations’ capacity and helps First Nations become fiscally prudent, clear in their goals, answerable to stakeholders, and progressive in business. As such, the Kitselas First Nation signed their Kitselas First Nation Financial Administration Law in 2012, has received Financial Performance Certification, and is actively working towards Financial Management System Certification through the FNFMB.

Deanna Honeyman

Deanna Honeyman, a member of the Sechelt Indian Band has been working with Tzeachten First Nation since September 2008.  Deanna first started as their Property Taxation Administrator then adding the duties of Lands Manager in 2011.

Deanna is responsible for the comprehensive management of the Lands Program and Lands Registry relating to reserve lands under the Framework Agreement for the Tzeachten First Nation. Deanna manages all aspects of the program including supervision of lands staff and development of the annual departmental budget, work plans and policies and procedures.

Currently Deanna manages 9 Residential Leases consisting of over 1100 tax folios.   Deanna has also been the guest lecturer at Tulo Center of Indigenous Economics for the past 4 years teaching one of the courses in the First Nation Tax Administration Program.

Prior to working with Tzeachten First Nation, Deanna worked as a Lands Officer with Sto:lo Nation for 5 years; assisting 11 First Nations with Lands Management under the RLAP (Regional Lands Administration) Program with AANDC.  Deanna assisted individual Certificate of Possession Holders in the development of two  99year residential leases, and a gas station development in her time at Sto:lo Nation.

Chief Maureen Thomas

Chief Thomas’ ancestral name is Si’lhe-Ma’elWut and she has served as both a Councillor and Chief since 2003. She is also Manager, Records and Information Management, at the First Nations Financial Management Board (FNFMB).

Chief Thomas has worked with numerous First Nations communities and organizations throughout her career, where she’s gained a wealth of knowledge to integrate into her leadership at the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. Some projects she has initiated on Council include TWN attaining FNFMB certification; taking legal action to prevent the twinning of Kinder Morgan’s pipeline expansion to protect sacred waters and land in our territory; developing the TWN Land Code; as well as playing an integral role in our participation with the Four Host First Nations during the 2010 Olympics.

Chief Thomas aims to combine the business practices of today with the cultural teachings of our people to advance Tsleil-Waututh in modern society and leave a legacy for generations to come.

Her goals for the future are to create more opportunities for our youth to be successful, listen to our elders as the knowledge keepers of our history, and generate economic wealth for future TWN generations.

Chief David Crate

Chief Crate’s tenure has been marked by a persistent focus on long-term planning, strategic partnerships, environmental stewardship and economic development.

Portfolio: Finance Capital Projects Land Claims Employment & Training Emergency Preparedness Inter-Government, Day Care/Headstart/EDC, Fsher River Economic Development Corporation, Gaming Commission, Health Services, Land Management, Natural Resources/Environment

Dr. André LeDressay

André has over 20 years of experience working with indigenous communities, organizations, and institutions. He has written numerous academic and consulting reports in his areas of expertise: building the legal, administrative, fiscal and institutional framework to support economic growth.

He is the Director of Fiscal Realities Economists, the Director of the Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics and a professor at Thompson Rivers University. He co-authored a book which was nominated for the Donner Book Prize in 2010. He was the principal author of the Tulo Centre online textbook – Building a Competitive First Nation Investment Climate (2015). He has also authored the final chapter, Unlocking First Nation Wealth: Past Efforts & Future Opportunities, in a compilation entitled, Unlocking the Wealth of Indian Nations (2016) edited by Terry L. Anderson at Stanford University.

He has received a distinguished alumni award from Thompson Rivers University and a lifetime achievement award from the First Nations Tax Administrators Association.

André holds a PhD in Economics from Simon Fraser University, a Masters of Applied Economics from the University of Victoria and an Honors degree in Math and Economics from the University of Regina.

Mike McIntyre , CFO | Membertou

In his role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Membertou Band, Michael McIntyre advises the CEO and management team on a wide range of topics including project financing, business planning, and identifying and managing new economic development opportunities.

He is responsible for: project management, role of liaison with government and the business community, implementation of ISO 9000 and the preparation of year-end consolidated financial statements and reports. Michael was also a key player in the creation of the Membertou Market, the Membertou Gaming Commission, Membertou Fisheries and the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre.

Michael McIntyre has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Cape Breton University and earned his Chartered Accountant (CA) designation in 1993. After working with Aboriginal Business Canada, Revenue Canada and the Eskasoni First Nation he joined Membertou in 2000.

Mike Mearns | AFOA

Mike Mearns is Northern Coast Salish and a member of the Klahoose First Nation located on Cortes Island, BC.

He brings a wide range of skill and experience to AFOA BC having worked in government and senior management with Aboriginal organizations since the early 1990’s.

Mike graduated from the University of Victoria in 1994 with a Certificate in Administration of Aboriginal Government and a Diploma in Public Sector Management.

Mike received his Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) designation in July 2003. He currently enjoys working for a professional organization that supports First Nation communities through advocacy, skill development and networking related to excellence in financial management.

Leah George-Wilson

Leah D. George-Wilson (Sisi-ya-ama) is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation (TWFN) located in North Vancouver.

She was the first woman to hold the office of Elected Chief for the TWFN, a position she held from 2001-2003 and 2005 – 2009. Ms. George-Wilson previously worked for the TWFN for many years in various positions including member of the TWFN’s negotiating team in the BC Treaty Process, TWFN Self-Government Coordinator. and Director of the TWFN Treaty, Land and Resources Department.

Ms. George-Wilson’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from Simon Fraser University. She is currently attending the University of British Columbia Law School. She also sits on a number of boards including: the First Nations Lands Advisory Board, the Canadian Tourism Commission and the BC First Nations Health Council.

Ms. George-Wilson was elected in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and again in 2013 as co-chair, the 2 member administrative executive of the First Nations Summit. As co-chair, she deals with the administrative issues of the FNS and works with the First Nations Summit Task Group (FNS political executive) who are authorized by the Summit to carry out specifically-mandated tasks on issues related to treaty negotiations in BC. The Summit represents the majority of First Nations in BC on treaty related issues and other issues of common concern to First Nations.

Jason Calla

Jason’s experience includes: community development plans, economic strategies and impact assessments, fiscal and tax advisory, and community consultation and outreach for First Nation governments and organizations. Jason is a member of the Squamish Nation.

Education: London School of Economics and Political Science, London, England — M.Sc. (Econ), Regional and Urban Planning Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC — Bachelor of Commerce (Urban Land Economics)

Christine Clarke

Christina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian History and Anthropology from the University of Victoria.

She was among the first 11 students to receive a certificate in First Nations tax administration from Thompson Rivers University and the Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics.

Christina has assisted the Songhees Nation in implementing the First Nations Fiscal Management Act with the very first Local Revenue Laws, Financial Administration Law, and Taxpayer Representation Law passed in Canada.

Christina’s proudest achievement is her contribution as a member of the Songhees Wellness Centre Project team.

Stephan McGlenn

Stephen McGlenn works for Semá:th First Nation in the capacity as the Semá:th Lands & Resources Manager, where he facilitates and implements Semá:th Lands & Environmental Governance as required in the Semá:th Land Code, the Semá:th Declaration and UNDRIP.

His work focuses on reconciliation and decolonization and promoting the recognition of Semá:th aboriginal rights & title.

By fostering ethical spaces for discussing the realities of colonization, he promotes interjurisdictional dialogue, shared decision-making and sustainability between all levels of government as they intersect with Semá:th.

Stephen completed his Masters in Indigenous Community Planning in 2014 and has a background in indigenous issues, climate change advocacy and nature conservation. He is originally from Southern Alberta.

Chief David Jimmie

David Jimmie’s traditional name is Lenéx wí :ót which means, “he who works for the people”. David is the Chief and CEO of Squiala First Nation located in the traditional territory of the Ts’elxweyeqw Tribe in Chilliwack, BC.

David is the President of the Ts’elxweyeqw Tribe representing 7 communities and is also a director on Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce.

David previously owned and operated David Jimmie Construction building 224 homes and 175 apartment units in Chilliwack and Westbank. He is currently working on a 600,000 square foot shopping center in Chilliwack and exploring new ventures to diversify revenue streams for Squiala First Nation.

David has a hunger to learn about life and education which led him to buy an around the world ticket in 2008, travelling to 19 countries in 1 year. He is a strong advocate for education and culture and is excited to be graduating this year from the Executive Masters in Business Administration program at Simon Fraser University.

Allan Claxton

Married to Wendy with 3 children and 2 step children and 10 grand children.

Chief of Tsawout First Nation for 20 years and currently serving my 5th term on council.

Served as Chair of the Chiefs Committee on Health nationally and co-chair of the Chiefs Health Committee regionally. Was also a member of the First Nations Fish Council for numerous years as well chair of many local boards and committees including the WSANEC SCHOOL BOARD.

Dwayne Nashkawa, CEO Nipissing First Nation

Dwayne Nashkawa has been the Chief Executive Officer of Nipissing First Nation, located on the shores of Lake Nipissing in northern Ontario since January 2004.

He has spent his career working in First Nations in senior roles in the areas of natural resources development, treaty research, governance, and administration. Dwayne has led various tripartite negotiations including the Ontario First Nations Policing Agreement and the development of the Anishinabek/Ontario Resource Management Council.

While at Nipissing, Dwayne has led the development of private business relationships for and various community development initiatives including the NFN Constitution and Financial Administration Law. He has also participated as a negotiation team member on Nipissing First Nation’s recently settled boundary claim.

Dwayne is a member of the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation located on the Bruce Peninsula and is the proud father of three.

Chief Austin Bear

Carl Austin Bear is currently serving his 14th term as the Chief of the Muskoday First Nation. He also chairs the First Nation Lands Advisory Board Resource Centre and is President of the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation. Austin has been an integral part of the Lands Advisory Board since it’s inception and was one of the original visionaries and architects of the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.

Muskoday was one of the initial 3 First Nations in Canada to bring a land code into force on January 1st, 2000.

Anthony Laforge

Anthony, a citizen of Nipissing First Nation, has over 25 years experience working in First Nation Governance and is currently employed at Magnetawan First Nation for his 8th year as their Lands Manager.

As a graduate of Indigenous Lands Management, Anthony has been involved in Land Code Development, Land Claims, Land Law Development, Consultation, Negotiation, Environmental Protection and Relationship Building. MFN’s Lands Department also holds a Species at Risk Permit for 8 years now. Since becoming operational under their own Land Code, the MFN Lands Department has been instrumental in securing land and economic development agreements with proponents such as Tim Horton’s and ESSO.

MFN is currently negotiating with the Ontario Crown’s (MTO) Hwy 69 proposed ($1.8 Billion) 82 Km project and more recently, has successfully completed negotiations and signed multiple agreements for compensation, environmental protection and land tenure with the 300 Mega Watt HIWLP Wind Farm ($1.5 Billion) and it’s 86 Km transmission line, travelling through MFN Lands.

Anthony is also President of a 3 First Nation owned Construction Corporation that is currently involved with all projects on MFN Lands and Traditional Territory.

Anthony attended Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass. and successfully completed the Harvard Program on Negotiation Titled “Negotiation and Leadership”.

Te Maire Tau

Te Maire is the director of the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury. He took up this position in 2011, having previously been a Senior Lecturer in History at the University.

Te Maire belongs to Ngāi Tahu, the principal tribe of the South Island, and lives in Tuahiwi, the largest village of that tribe.

During his years as an undergraduate and later as a postgraduate student at Canterbury, Te Maire helped iwi leaders with their land claim to the Waitangi Tribunal, with a particular emphasis on traditional food-gathering practices.

As a specialist historian on oral traditions, tribal genealogies and indigenous knowledge systems, Te Maire was used as an expert witness and historian for the settlement of the Ngāi Tahu Claim – the largest settlement in its day between Māori and the Crown for lands wrongfully taken. Since then he has had a number of publications dealing with oral traditions and the relationship between indigenous knowledge systems and how they intersect with western science.

Peter Kirby

Peter Kirby has lived and worked in Atlin for the past 18 years. In that time, he has served Taku River Tlingit interests by raising capital to build community infrastructure, working on human resource and economic development, planning, training, small-business development, and capacity-building, including the creation of new development corporations (Taku Wild- 2000, Taku Land Corporation – 2003, Xeitl Limited Partnership – 2007, Tlingit Homeland Energy – 2015, Taku Holdings Limited- 2015).

He currently serves as President and CEO of these corporations and the Atlin Tlingit Economic LP and is Acting Manager of Capital, O&M and Housing for Taku River Tlingit First Nation.

Dalyn Bear

Dalyn Bear is a proud member of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation. He was elected as Councillor of the First Nation in 2016. Previously, he served the First Nation as the Director of Lands and Taxation.

Dalyn serves as an Executive Board Director of the Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation (DDCDC) and First Nations Infrastructure Institution (FNII). In addition, Dalyn is a Director on many boards for the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, including the Dakota Dunes Golf Links, and the Whitecap Development Corporation.

Dalyn received his Business Administration Diploma in 2010 at SIIT, an Indigenous People Resource Management Program Certificate in 2012 at the University of Saskatchewan, and is certified by the National Aboriginal Land Managers Association Certification Program. He also holds a Certificate in First Nation Tax Administration from the Thompson River University. Dalyn is an alumnus of the Governor General’s Leadership Conference.

Dalyn has also devoted his time with developing a Whitecap Dakota Youth empowerment program which provides educational and employment support resources. The program also aims to help youth with their confidence, cultural identity and pride as Indigenous people.

Angie Derrickson

Angie Derrickson is a member of Westbank First Nation, located in south central British Columbia, Canada.

After graduation she began building her career at Westbank First Nation, starting in Administration, then moving to Intergovernmental Affairs as a researcher and GIS technician, and eventually to Senior Lands Officer from 2000 to 2010, where she also completed her Professional Lands Management Certification at the University of Saskatchewan.

Through her role at Westbank First Nation and her commitment to her community, Angie participated in many governance initiatives and implementation activities of the WFN Self‐ Government Agreement, including community working groups, treaty negotiations, land acquisition, land code development, law development and land registry system.

From 2010 to 2013, Angie joined the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations as the Policy Analyst where she examined provincial and federal policy, programs and legislative initiatives that affect the rights, title and interests throughout BC and Canada. She also continued to promote awareness of community governance initiatives by contributing to the development and delivery of Parts 1, 2, 3 of the BCAFN Governance Toolkit; providing support to First Nations to conduct governance self‐assessments and develop community engagement tools.

In June 2013, Angie joined the First Nations Land Management Resource Centre where she supports signatory First Nations under the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management and provides ongoing capacity building, training and professional development and promotion of land governance across Canada.

Howard E. Grant

Howard E. Grant was born and raised in the Musqueam community. He was one of the fortunate children who did not attend residential school,giving him the benefit of learning his culture, values and teachings from his elders in his every day life. Mr. Grant is his family’s cultural speaker and is a historian and cultural leader of his extended family. As a result of this, Howard was given the honour by the elders of his extended family to carry the name qiyəplenəxʷ. A name known and respected throughout Coast Salish territories.

Mr. Grant is currently the Executive Director of the First Nations Summit (FNS). FNS is comprised of a majority of First Nations and Tribal Councils in British Columbia (BC),providing a forum to address issues related to Aboriginal Title, Rights and Treaty negotiations as well as other issues of common concern.

Mr. Grant is also a long serving member of Council from his home community of Musqueam, whose traditional territory once occupied much of what is now Greater Vancouver and surrounding areas. The primary Musqueam Reserve, Musqueam I.R. #2, is located at the mouth of the Fraser River in Vancouver.

Mr. Grant was previously employed as the Executive Director of the Musqueam Indian Band from 1992-1997. He also held senior management positions with the federal government (Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada DIAND now AANDC) from 1984-1992.

Stone Bear

Stone Bear is a member of the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick. Stone is a former member of Council for Tobique and has worked in various capacities within the Community Administration.

Stone has worked with the First Nations Tax Commission (FNTC) as the Atlantic First Nations Advisor for approximately 10 years. Stone’s role in this capacity is to promote First Nations Property Taxation and FNTC special initiatives in the Atlantic First Nations and to assist Atlantic First Nations with the implementation of Property Taxation.

With over 15 years in the Energy Industry, Stone is also currently engaged as the Energy Lead for the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick (WNNB), a tribal organization that represents 5 Maliseet communities in NB. In this role Stone is responsible for managing and directing WNNB engagement and inclusion within the various Clean Energy projects being developed in the Province. Stone is also responsible for the identification and development of potential WNNB owned commercial Energy projects.

Frank Busch | Director of Community Engagement

Frank is a member of the Nisichawayasihk (Nee-chise-away-a-see) Cree Nation and grew up in Northern Manitoba. He was educated at the University of Manitoba and has spent his professional life in the Finance Sector. He holds certificates from the Canadian Securities Institute in securities, derivatives, technical analysis and fixed income trading & sales.

In addition to working with large corporations in Canada, he also has previous experience with First Nations business, non-profit organizations and governments. He is an award-winning author and recently studied with the first ever Indigenous Executive Education cohort at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts through AFOA Canada.

As Director of Community Engagement, Frank is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with First Nations and providing information and advise to First Nation Councils, Staff and Membership that increases awareness of the FNFA Financing, Investment and Advisory Services.