Honorable
Shirley Bon, Minister of Education of BC
Shirley Bond was appointed Minister of Education and
Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy
on June 16, 2005. She was also appointed Deputy Premier.
She previously served as Minister of Advanced Education
and Minister of Health Services. Ms. Bond was elected
in 2001 to represent the riding of Prince George-Mount
Robson and re-elected in 2005. Before her election to
the Legislative Assembly, she served three terms on
the Prince George School Board, the last as chair. She
also worked with the continuing education department
of the Prince George School District, becoming its business
manager. She was given the B.C. Interior, North and
Yukon Woman of Distinction Award for her work in public
education.
Ms. Bond has an arts and science diploma from the College
of New Caledonia and is enrolled at the University of
Northern B.C., where she is completing a bachelor of
arts in political science.
She was protocol director for the 2001 Special Olympic
Summer Games and sat on the boards of Carey Theological
College, the Personal Living Choices Society, the Trinity
Opportunity Fund Grants Committee and the City of Prince
George's Standing Committee on Youth.
Shirley and Bill Bond live in Prince George. They have
twin adult children.
Wynne
Young, Deputy Minister, Minister of Learning, Saskatchewan
Wynne’s career stepping stones included work as
a dental health coordinator, a treasury board analyst,
Executive Director of Rural Health Facilities in Health
and Chair of the Public Service Commission. An import
from Alberta, Wynne and her young family only intended
to stay in our province for two years. But the range
of opportunities available in the government’s
public sector kept her here. “It’s been
a great place to raise a family. Saskatchewan offers
quality services and a sense of community.”
Wynne's government
experience includes budget analysis, policy implementation,
special health projects, working with people in a laboratory
setting, and human resources and management in both
director and executive positions. All of these experiences
opened up her perspective and encouraged her to explore
other areas and career opportunities in government.
Her position in Learning is challenging as the new department’s
mandate extends from early childhood to adult learners
in our public libraries. “It is a mandate I feel
passionate about as being critical to the future success
of our Province," she says. "As always, a
key part of this challenge is meeting the needs and
expectations of the public and our stakeholders while
continuing to be effective stewards of the public purse.”
Wynne believes in giving back to the community and making
a difference to improve life for others. She is vice-president
of the YMCA board, vice president of the Institute of
the Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and chair
of its International Program Committee, which assists
developing countries to implement public policy to better
their communities.
Her advice to job seekers is to learn transferable skills
and to keep options open. “Don’t close off
opportunities," Wynne says. "Develop your
policy, management and people skills and look for opportunities
that will bring out the best of your abilities. Think
broadly and challenge yourself by seeking out tasks
that will develop your skills.”
Peter
Brand
Peter Brand was raised in Tasmania, Australia where
he trained as an elementary school teacher. His experience
as an educator in the Australian “outback”,
followed by several years of extensive world travel
and eleven years teaching at LAU,WEL NEW Tribal School
in Saanich, British Columbia raised his awareness of
Indigenous language endangerment. Mr. Brand collaborated
with Saanich First Nation language teacher John Elliott
to develop the concept for the FirstVoices project.
Mr. Brand has coordinated the project since its inception
in 2001, building a talented team of specialists to
resolve the many cultural, linguistic and technical
challenges arising during four years of pioneering development
work. The resulting Web application is a unique set
of resources designed specifically for community-based
Indigenous language revitalization. First Voices coordinator
Peter Brand assists First Nations communities across
Canada in the planning, training, implementation and
coordination of their First Voices language archives.
Peter’s previous teaching career in Aboriginal
schools in Australia and Canada informs his contribution
to the First Voices development team in the conceptualization
of new innovations at First Voices.com.
Juliet
Balfour
Juiet is Director of Operations with the Education Branch
of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Ms. Balfour has
devoted her (thus far) 21 year career to working toward
improving the relationship between Aboriginal people
and the federal government in Canada. She has spent
the majority of her time in INAC between BC Region and
Headquarters, but has also worked in the Privy Council
Office and Treasury Board Secretariat on Aboriginal
files. She holds a Master's degree in history from the
University of Western Ontario, was called to the BC
Bar in 1985, and holds a Master's degree in Public Administration
from Harvard University.
Richard
Budgell
Richard Budgell is Executive Coordinator of Post-secondary
Education in the Education Brand of Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada in Gatineau, Quebec. He has held a number
of positions during his career in the Aboriginal affairs
in the federal public service, including leading the
development at Health Canada of the Aboriginal Head
Start program, 1994-2003. He is of Labrador Inuit and
European ancestry. His session on “Moving Towards
Renewal of First Nations and Inuit Post-secondary Education”
will discuss work currently underway and planned to
renew post-secondary funding and programs for the 21st
century.
Irene
Carter
Irene is a member of the Onion Lake Cree Nation and
has been involved in education of children for a number
of years. She taught Cree Immersion to Grades 1 and
2 for three years and presently works in the team that
is developing a framework for teachers of First Nations
languages so that their own language can be used in
an immersion program.
Madelaine
Calliou Irwin
Madelaine is a Cree woman from the Alexander First Nation.
She completed her Bachelor of Education at the University
of Alberta and went on to complete both a Master of
Education Specializing in Emotional Disturbance and
Autism and a Master of Arts in School and Behavioral
Psychology at Stephen F. Austin State University in
Nacogdoches, Texas. She has worked as a Behavior Specialist,
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, a teacher
and child care worker. She is dedicated to furthering
First Nations education and improving the quality of
education for students in Special Education.
Donna
D. Crowshoe
Donna is a member of the Piikani First Nation in southern
Alberta. She is a fluent speaker of the Blackfoot language
and is involved with her culture. Although Donna has
lived most of her life in Calgary, she continues to
maintain strong ties to her home community. Donna graduated
from the University of Calgary and has worked as a teacher
and school administrator and served as a school trustee
in her home community. Her education experience has
been with both provincial school jurisdictions in Alberta
and with First Nation School Authorities in the Treaty
7 area. Donna is presently employed as a senior education
manager with the First Nations, Metis and Inuit Services
Branch of Alberta Education. She works out of the Calgary
office and has responsibilities in Zones 5 and 6 which
covers the southern region of the province. As well,
she has responsibilities with the First Nation Education
Authorities in the Treaty 7 area. Her role in the Ministry
is directly linked to First Nations, Metis and Inuit
education programs. She has been with the Ministry of
Education in Alberta for over 7 years.
Dr.
Marianne Boelscher Ignace
Dr. Ignace is an Associate Professor of Anthropology
and First Nations Studies at Simon Fraser University.
She has carried out research with Haida people on Haida
language and culture since the late 1970s and with many
communities in the Secwepemc Nation since the mid 1980s.
During the past 15 years, she has also carried out research
on Aboriginal language revitalization, some of which
is published in the Handbook for Aboriginal Language
Program Planning in B.C., and has worked with First
Nations communities, adults and elders on various language
revitalization projects, including Secwepemctsin, St’at’imcets,
Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, Haida and Sm’algyax. She is
the Academic Coordinator of the SFU Program in Kamloops,
where she also teaches.
Lorne C. Keeper
Lorne is the Executive Director of the Manitoba First
Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC) in Winnipeg
for the past five years. Prior to being employed with
MFNERC Lorne was the Director of Education for the Nischawayaysihk
Cree Nation in northern Manitoba for tne years. He has
an a strong background in education administration and
in northern education, aboriginal education, program
delivery and project management. His work in education
over the past 30 years has led him to different interests
in public, university, college, and First Nations environments.
Lorne has an extensive history with post-secondary education.
He was a member of the Board of Governors for Keewatin
Community College for five years and held the position
of Chair for four of the five years and presently is
Chairperson for the University College of the North
in Manitoba.
Ron Liepert
Ron Liepert was elected to his first term as a member
off the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency
of Calgary-West on November 22, 2004. On December 15,
2006 he was sworn in as Minister of Education. Mr. Liepert
enrolled at the Columbia School of Broadcasting in 1971
and then worked as a radio and television reporter,
from 1972 to 1980. He worked as press secretary to Alberta
Premier Peter Lougheeed from 1980 to 1985 and then took
a position as director, Western U.S. operations, Alberta
Economic Development and trade, from 1986 to 1991. From
1991 to 1999 Mr. Liepert worked for TElus before starting
his own businesses: public relations practice/communications
consulting business and owner/operator of a childcare
centre in downtown Calgary from 2000 to 2004. Mr. Liepert
also volunteered his time as a director for the Pinebrook
Golf & Country Club and as a member of the CNIB
fundraising capital program. He and his wife, Linda,
have two children.
Greg Louie
Greg
Louie, President~Nuu-chah-nulth/Coast Salish
Nathan
Mathew
Chief Nathan Matthew currently lives in Barriere, British
Columbia, Canada. He received a Master of Education
in 1990 from the University of British Columbia and
a Bachelor of Recreation Education in 1972. Matthew
has worked with other levels of government for recognition
of aboriginal rights and title for the Secwepemc people.
He has been instrumental in the development of several
important Secwepemc organizations including the Secwepemc
Fisheries Commission and the Shuswap Cultural Education
Society. In recent years Matthew has chaired the First
Nations Education Council in School District No. 73.
This council structure was put in place by the provincial
government to ensure that First Nations communities
and families have a direct voice in education decisions
that affect their children.
Kathryn
Michel
Kathryn has helped in all aspects of immersion program
development, including planning, curriculum, teaching
and administration. Kathy has a Master of Arts in Education
and is currently enrolled in an Educational Doctorate
Program through UBC.
Darren McKee
First Nations / Métis Education
Loretta
Pete
Loretta J Pete, B.Ed, M.Ed, PGD (Admin) is a member
of the Little Pine Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Loretta
is Director of Education for the Miyo Wahkohtowin Education
Authority. She has over 10 years of educational administrator
assessment experience, with six years as an urban elected
school board member and six years as a classroom teacher.
She was also a business woman for 10 years. She currently
is Director of Education for 110-staff education system.
Trish
Rosborough
Director, Aboriginal Education Enhancements Branch,
Ministry of Education, Trish Rosborough is Kwakiutl
from Fort Rupert on northern Vancouver Island. She is
a proud mother of 5 and grandmother of 4. As a member
of the Branch, Trish works closely with education and
Aboriginal communities in developing collaborative working
relationships. She has participated on various committees
and focus groups dealing with issues such as racism,
teacher recruitment, curriculum and policy development.
Trish has a BA in Child and Youth Care and MA in Systems
Counselling, and is currently working on her Doctorate
in Educational Leadership and Policy.
George
Ross
George is a School Administration Specialist for the
Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre and
provides support services to First Nations schools in
Manitoba.
Margaret
Scott
Margaret is the Special Education Coordinator of Manitoba
First Nations Education Resource Centre.
Joel
Shick
Joel is Acting Senior Policy Analyst with Indian and
Northern Affairs Canada’s National Education Branch
where he is responsible for research and analysis of
all Canadian provincial education funding models and
development of hybrid funding models for further analysis
in the context of First Nations schools. He holds a
BA in Political Science from Simon Fraser University
and was an Elementary English teacher in South Korea.
He has also held positions with the BC Ministry of Community,
Aboriginal and Women’s Affairs and with the BC
Region of INAC.
Dave
Swanson
Dave is a School Administration Specialist for the Manitoba
First Nations Education Resource Centre and provides
support services to First Nations schools in Manitoba.
