June 2003

 

Happy National CN Tower Day

(No kidding..June 26th)

 

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 PARTNERSHIP

  • Akhaliak Consulting Ltd. and Consilium Nunavut Incorporated (CNI) announced at the Nunavut Trade Show in Iqaluit that they will be joining forces to provide improved and expanded service to their clients.

Akhaliak Consulting Ltd., an Inuit-owned company, has been owned and operated by Helen K. Klengenberg from Rankin Inlet since April 1999.  Akhaliak provides a wide range of services to government, business and not-for-profit clients in Nunavut: these include financial and accounting support, business and marketing plans, strategic and operational planning, policy development and training.


Together at Last...Helen and Terry at the Nunavut Trade Show

"This is logical step for both our companies", said Helen. "We've all worked together on projects for years. We all share the same commitment to excellence, and to building capacity in Nunavut."

Akhaliak-CNI collaborations have included a feasibility study on the establishment of a Nunavut Heritage Centre, a second study on the development of a Nunavut Language Centre, a marketing plan for Kitikmeot foods, and many training, planning and policy workshops for a broad range of clients.

"We're tremendously excited about this opportunity," said Terry Forth, manager of CNI. "We're all committed to building a Nunavut-based, Inuit-owned consulting firm that combines the strengths of both our current companies."

The new company's official name will be released on July 1st. For those too curious to wait that long...here's a hint.

NEW PROJECTS

  • Helen Klengenberg delivered the first strategic planning workshop under the umbrella of Akhaliak Consulting Ltd. and Consilium Nunavut Inc., to the Nunavut Legal Services Board on May 22.

  • Terry Forth delivered a three day workshop in Board Roles and Strategic Planning to the Executive Committee of the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board, May 25-28.

  • Greg Smith, Terry Rudden and Ryan Lotan will be conducting an audience survey for Taqramiut Nipingat Incorporated, the Inuit radio and television network of Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and one of Canada's first Aboriginal broadcast organizations.

  • Ron Ryan will be heading up to Igloolik for an on-the-land planning session and visioning session with Kakivak Association. On the land in Igloolik in June...how come Ron always gets the great workshops?
 
  • Patti Black will be working with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated to coordinate an international conference on Aboriginal Governance scheduled for September 2005 at Cambridge University in England. Watch here for more details.


Cambridge University, England

ONGOING PROJECTS

  • This month will mark the tenth anniversary of the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee. NITC held their founding board meeting in Ottawa exactly ten years ago, facilitated by Terry Rudden. One decade later, NITC is holding their tenth AGM in Ottawa, where they will launch their network's website and approve the organization's first independently published annual report, both written by Consilium Nunavut Inc. Happy birthday to NITC, an old friend!

  • Robert Higgins and Terry Rudden facilitated an operational planning session in Rankin Inlet with the staff of Kivalliq Partners in Development. The session follows the completion of KPID's Strategic Plan, approved by the Board of Directors last month.

  • Information mailings for the “Redefining Relationships” Land Claims Implementation conference to be held November 11-14, 2003 in Ottawa have just gone out. Watch your mailbox for details!  If you'd like to be included on the conference mailing list, email your coordinates to Ryan Lotan at rlotan@consilium.ca

  • Terry Forth, Fred Weihs, Bridget Orsetti and Ryan Lotan of Consilium Nunavut Inc. are completing a capacity building project, providing assistance to the Board of Quliruaq, the business development arm of Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association in Iqaluit. The process has included Board of Directors training, Board of Directors long-term strategic planning, and preparation by the Board of a development plan for the company, all with the assistance of CNI. The capacity building project is funded by Kakivak Association.
     

HAPPY ENDINGS
 

  • Last year David Boult and Terry Rudden were asked by the North Shore Tribal Council to prepare a proposal to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation for funding to design and deliver the Maamwi Bizgwiidaa Comprehensive Healing Through Arts Program. We are delighted to announce that last month the Foundation approved the proposal, and the project will begin in June. Congratulations to Mamaweswen, and best of luck with the program!


 

  • The Aboriginal Languages Initiative (ALI) evaluation report conducted by Greg Smith, Terry Rudden, Dan David and Blair Stevenson last year has now been posted on the PCH website: you can view it at http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/em-cr/eval2003_e.cfm .  The report will also be presented to the annual conference of The Canadian Evaluation Society in Vancouver June 2-4, 2003.  It is being presented by representatives of the PCH Corporate Review Branch and Aboriginal Peoples Program as an example of a successful evaluation using case studies and a culturally sensitive approach.
     

GOSSIP

  • Last month we promised you a special announcement about a major new Consilium partnership, and we delivered (see above). Next month...stand by for the announcement of yet another new Consilium joint venture. A one-word hint...ARDOS.

  • Greg & Marianne Smith will be celebrating their 20th anniversary on June 12, 2003. They were married under the midnight sun by former NWT Deputy Commissioner and COPE Land Rights Negotiator Agnes Semmler (also a Justice of the Peace), at her 'rat camp' in the Mackenzie Delta.


Welcome home Mr. Claus
 

  • The Consilium offices at 346 Bronson St. in Ottawa have been undergoing some renovations including the creation of one additional office to accommodate our growing need. Coming soon - a new roof to set off our newly rebuilt chimney.


 

  • Renovations notwithstanding, there's just something romantic about the air in the Consilium office.  Another of our esteemed employees has just plighted his troth. Blair Stevenson and Johanna Nousiainen will be getting married in August. Congratulations, you crazy kids.


Blair and Johanna

  • What June lacks in quantity of birthdays, it more than compensates for in significance. Happy B. to CNI's own Terry Forth, born June 15th at some point in the twentieth century. Those who know Terry well have always been impressed by his ability to bounce back (not surprising, since in 1844 on Terry's birthday, Charles Goodyear was granted a patent for rubber).

  • The writer of this newsletter chooses to exercise editorial privilege and wish a happy birthday to his dad, Patrick Vincent Rudden, celebrating his 85th on June 13th - a birthday he shares with another grand Irishman, William Butler Yeats

 

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