Our Featured Celebration

St. Valentine, oddly enough, never had anything to do with Romance. But his feast day, February 14th, happens to coincide with what many believed was the beginning of the mating season of birds. In the older incarnation of Valentine's Day, the Feast of Lupercal, "...after the sacrifice of goats and a dog, two youths-called luperci-were touched on the forehead with a knife and smeared with the blood of the goats. The blood was then immediately wiped off with wool dipped in milk, whereupon they were bound to laugh. After the sacrificial feast, the youths were crowned and anointed, and except for girdles of goatskin, ran naked around the ancient city on the Palatine. They carried thongs cut from the sacrificed goats, and women placed themselves in the way of the running youths to receive blows from the thongs, which were a charm against barrenness."

Whoa. Kinda beats that long stemmed rose and cheap chocolates, doesn't it?
                 

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CONSILIUM, AARLUK and ARDOS... 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 PROJECTS

Tourism is a multi-trillion dollar industry world-wide: and with its unique environment, legendary climate and rich cultural heritage, Nunavut is attracting a growing number of travel enthusiasts from around the world. Like all emerging tourism destinations, Nunavut faces challenges in product development, training, investment, and marketing. Patti (Conference Queen) Black will be working with Nunavut Tourism to stimulate interest and investment in Nunavut's tourism industry through a high-profile, educational tourism conference involving government, land claim groups, private sector investors/operators, industry experts, and the general public. Look for more details in the months ahead from Nunavut Tourism and, of course, in our newsletter.

We're delighted to be working again with former associate Stephanie Irlbacher Fox, who has returned from the wilds of Cambridge University and is now working with the Deline Self Government team. Alexandra Ker and Terry Rudden will be supporting development of a strategy to identify human resources needs arising from the transition to self-government, and on solutions to address those needs.

Ian Kenney, Terry Rudden and Ryan Lotan are working with the National Association of Friendship Centres to research some of the NAFC's strategic options, both those arising from the Kelowna Accord, and in the context of a new political environment federally. The research will examine opportunities in the areas of Health, Education, Housing and New Relationships, which will help the NAFC map out a course for the years ahead.

ONGOING PROJECTS

Achieving Objectives Land Claims Conference, June 27-30, Hilton Lac Leamy, Gatineau: There is still time to join Indian and Northern Affairs and the Consilium Consulting Group as "Achieving Objectives" conference sponsors and exhibitors. The conference is an excellent opportunity to promote your organization to over 500 Land Claim representatives and governments - look for further sponsor information on the conference website at www.consilium.ca/alcc2006, or contact conference coordinator Patti Black at black@consilium.ca for details.

From mineral extraction to tourism, business in the Kitikmeot is beginning to boom. Fred Weihs will be designing and facilitating a three-day conference in March for the Kitikmeot Economic Development Corporation, bringing together grassroots community organizations to discuss common barriers, goals and strategies for increased cooperation throughout the region.

Greg Smith, Terry Rudden, Terry Forth, Fred Weihs and Helen Klengenberg continue to assist PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) on the Independent Review of the Implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. An initial report is scheduled for the middle of February.

Nunavut fur harvesters are in the process of providing their views to the Aarluk team, led by Greg Smith, as part of a study of harvester support needs. The Government of Nunavut Department of Environment has contracted Aarluk to examine the Nunavut fur industry, including support programs, issues and challenges, and opportunities for growth. Team members also include David Boult, Brian Burke, Terry Forth, James Arreak and Ryan Lotan.

Ron Ryan and Ian Kenney, through ARDOS, are continuing to work for BEAHR (Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources) to set-up the Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program (AIHP) for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, a program designed to assist Aboriginal communities in the management of local fish habitat. Technical committees are being set-up in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, and the FSIN will be working with Saskatchewan First Nation communities. These committees will be developing plans that will guide the implementation of the program over the next few months.

Roguish but loveable Vancouver-based consultant Peter Crass is completing a business plan, which Greg Smith is reviewing, for the Independent Aboriginal Screen Producers Association (IASPA).

 

GOSSIP

Not only does Consilium NOT have an in-house birthday to celebrate in February: we realized to our astonishment that we don't have a single Pisces on staff or among the partners. Not one. How weird is that? Pretty darned weird. According to Madame Zora, ("Corporate Star Signs"), that means as a business we're lacking our fair horoscopic share of "imagination", "selfless unworldliness", and "intuitive sensitivity". Who knew?

 

 

We do, however, have a special guest birthday boy. Paul Murphy (raconteur, bon vivant, man about town, and spouse of Aarluk partner Helen Klengenberg) turns 65 this month. As Helen puts it, "The floe edge is getting a little closer to town". Happy Birthday, Mr. Murphy!

 

 

 

By dint of assiduous study, superhuman application, innate ability and steely determination, our own Ryan Lotan (not quite as pictured right) has ascended the Consilium corporate ladder from the humble but worthy position of "Researcher" to the giddy, Olympian heights of Full-Fledged "Consultant". Ryan wants his former friends to know that he remains the same down to earth chap he always was, and that he will accept their calls between the hours of 7:00 and 8:00 pm weeknights, by appointment.

 

 

Despite everything going on, Ian Kenney somehow managed to get away from us in January, ending up in Mexico. Aside from being pulled over and interrogated by the Mexican military (not entirely as pictured left) at one point (really!), he returned safe, relaxed and somewhat browner, with happy tales of adventure and conquest among the ruins and reefs of the Mayan Riviera. He also came back with one very special prize, a genuine gem, which will be the subject of a future newsletter item. Stay tuned.

 

                          

Top 10 Things We Learned at the Consilium "We're Too Busy To Have A Christmas Get-Together At Christmas" Dinner.

1. Consiliumites will actually drive great distances in lousy weather to socialize with each other after spending all week in each others' company.
   
2. Given the opportunity while visiting the Smith Acres Country Estate, a handful of mostly younger Consiliumites will walk, snowshoe, snowmobile or otherwise take advantage of the season's best snowfall - while others just head for the snacks, drinks and big comfy chairs, and look out the window instead.
   
3. Dog Gates work really well for old and arthritic dogs. They are somewhat less effective on young and determined 20-month old humans.
   
4. Bread pudding crosses the line from merely "very good" to "brilliant" if you use croissants instead of ordinary bread.
   
5. Kids grow up amazingly fast- especially if you only see them once a year.
   
6. It doesn't matter what you think of George W. Bush: his President's Choice Seafood Roll Appetizer is darned good.
   
7. Despite the addition of new young blood into the firm, this year's party ended sooner than last year's, demonstrating yet again that kids today don't know how to party.
   
8. The Smith Brothers can instantly be picked out of a large crowd by people who have never met them.
   
9. According to the post party reconnaissance and late night thrill-seeking contingent, Almonte actually does have a night life.
   
10. Unless you actually tell someone specific to take pictures of a great party for your corporate newsletter, nobody will.
    

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