Luncheon Keynote
Description
Could your First Nation benefit from an improved relationship and better collaboration with a neighbouring municipality? Across the country, First Nations and municipalities are increasingly working together and seeing improved relationships, increased investor attraction, a stronger voice with other orders of government, and more coordinated planning efforts, among other benefits. First, hear from First Nation and municipal technicians and elected officials working toward greater collaboration in their own communities. Then, be introduced to the Stronger Together toolkit which you can bring home to your own region and use to build an improved community-to-community relationship and explore collaboration.
What Participants will learn by attending
- Hear insights, experiences, benefits and lessons learned from First Nation and municipal officials working on improving their own community-to-community relationship and enhancing collaboration.
- Be introduced to the Stronger Together toolkit process and take it home to explore improved relationships and collaboration with their own neighbours.
Panelists
Morgan Bamford, TAED
Indigenous Relations Consultant
City of Edmonton
Michelle Wilsdon
Councillor
Enoch Cree Nation
TBA
District of Kent
TBA
Seabird Island Band
Panelists' Biographies
Morgan Bamford
Morgan is an Indigenous Relations Consultant with the City of Edmonton, connecting Indigenous communities and urban organizations to city resources and supporting city departments with their work involving Indigenous peoples. His area of focus is community economic development, and one main priority is improved collaboration between the City and adjacent First Nations.
Morgan holds an MBA in Community Economic Development (First Nations option) from Cape Breton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies from the University of Alberta. He is a Cando-certified Technician Aboriginal Economic Developer (TAED). Morgan has held several roles working in Aboriginal Community Economic Development, including with Cando as the Program Coordinator of the First Nations-Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) during its pilot phase.
Morgan sits on the Board of Volunteer Alberta and is Vice-President of an Edmonton provincial electoral district association. He was born, raised and lives in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta.
Michelle Wilsdon
Michelle Wilsdon is from Enoch Cree Nation and currently serves her Nation as an elected member of Council. In addition to her regular duties, Michelle is responsible for leading the Intergovernmental Relations and Economic Development division. This division manages Enoch’s partnerships with industry, organizations and other levels of government. The division is also mandated to pursue initiatives that are targeted with growing the Nation’s economy. Working towards goals of business development, job creation and attracting investment; ECN’s economic development is achieved through strategic planning, strengthening corporate governance, and collaboration with key stakeholders. In assuming her role as a council member, Michelle left her position at the Government of Alberta where she served as the Director of Economic Development for the Ministry of Indigenous Relations. Michelle is also a former employee of Cando, working for four years with the organization to develop national strategic initiatives with a focus on community economic development and resource management.