January  2003

 

 

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT CONSILIUM… In this corner of our site we’ll be posting notes on new people, new projects, and new online materials you may find interesting. Enjoy, and come back often.
 

NEW PEOPLE


Consilium would like to welcome associate Blair Stevenson, who has joined the company on a full time contract until the end of June. In September he intends to pursue a PHd. in Finland, where he has previously lived and studied (and which is the home country of his partner Johanna). Blair has worked with Consilium on a number of previous projects including the Aboriginal Languages Initiative (ALI) evaluation, and is part of the team for the AHRDS review. He brings to his work many years experience living, studying and teaching in the North, including Canada, Finland and Norway. Blair will be working from the Ottawa office unless he and Johanna are snowed in at their charming log home on a hillside near Wakefield, Quebec. He assures us they have a good supply of wood pellets on hand to feed the stove, and Johanna has lots of material to enable her to pursue her craft of traditional Finnish felting. 

  • We also welcome Ryan Lotan to the fold, Ryan has a B.A. from McGill University in Economics and International Political Economy. He worked previously for the Naismith Foundation, coordinating a number of public recreational events, and for Nortel Networks on the implementation of new financial software and computer systems. Ryan's other interests include downhill skiing and running: he is also a contender for the Consilium Film Trivia championship.

NEW PROJECTS

  • Valerie Assinewe will be working with the Steering Committee on Aboriginal Women's Health and Healing Research Group, a new organization created to set priorities and strengthen health research by and for Aboriginal women. 

 

  • Consilium, with the McGill University's Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is developing on a 10-day Executive Development Program, "Improving Quality of Life Through Evnironmental Assessment" to be offered by McGill University at their MacDonald Campus, May 26 to June 6, 2003. This program will enhance the knowledge and effectiveness of decision makers and managers who deal with various aspects of environmental impact assessment. Program Co-chairs are Dr. Husain Sadar and Dr. Mark Curtis of the McGill Department of Natural Resource Sciences. Other members of the Organizing Committee include Dr. Michel Bouchard, Universite de Montreal and Director of the Francophone Secretariat of the IAIA, Dr. David Brown, McGill School of Urban Planning, Mr. Peirre Senecal, Hydro Quebec and Past President, IAIA, and Mr. Edward Weick, Consilium Associate. Our own Fred Weihs is Chair of the Organizing Committee. Further information can be obtained from the McGill Website, at http://www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/conted/. All inquiries should be directed to Dr. Mark Curtis, Course Co-ordinator.

ONGOING PROJECTS

  • Consilium and Whiteduck Resources Inc. team members will be fanning out across the country in January to carry out research and consultations at ten sites as part of a review of the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy (AHRDS). Greg Smith is Consilium's project manager for the review, which is being conducted for the Evaluation and Data Directorate of HRDC. Under the AHRDS local Aboriginal agreement holders manage the delivery of a number of HRDC programs aimed at Aboriginal clients. The sites selected range from New Brunswick and Nunavik (northern Quebec) to British Columbia. A feature of the methodology will be 50 client surveys in each location to assess the impact of the AHRDS on those who have received the services.

GOSSIP

  • Consilium hosted its first Bronson Avenue Christmas party on December 18th, an opportunity for about two hundred clients, partners, staff, associates, and friends to meet, greet, and eat. Live music was provided by Messrs. Weihs and Rudden, ably augmented by guest vocalist Peter "Woody" Usher and Steve "Jukebox" Whiteduck. 

 



Ron Ryan, "Jukebox" Whiteduck, Yew Lee and Brenda Conboy



Mary Ann Dohler

  • Consilium partners and staff held a farewell dinner for our former Finance Manager Mary Ann Dohler (who actually left a year ago. Hey, it's been busy!)

  • Yew Lee has been involved in leadership and community development training for a group of multicultural youth from all over Ontario. Youth are being trained to work with other "at risk" children by acquiring skills in problem solving and anti-racism strategies.  
Yew is behind the camera in this picture of some of the participating youth "camping" and preparing breakfast at Silent Lake Provincial Park, near Bancroft Ontario. It was the first time any of the group had ever stayed in a canvas-covered yurt, equipped with a wood stove and bunk beds. It snowed 10 cm. while they were there. Chilly outside...cozy inside

 

  • The much coveted Featured Birthday slot for January goes to friend and associate Kathy Clarida-Fry, celebrating her twenty fifth birthday on January 23rd. As befits a person of refinement and culture, she shares her birthday with George Frederick Handel AND Peter Fonda. And if you're reading this on News Year's Eve (as of course all Consilium Newsletter devotees will be), send a birthday wish to Yew Lee (as well as Val Kilmer, John Denver and Anthony Hopkins).

CHECK BACK EVERY MONTH FOR MORE CONSILIUM NEWS, TOOLS, AND GOSSIP.