Council Champions

Our Champions are nationally recognized leaders from Aboriginal communities, the upper tiers of government and the highest ranks of pivotal Canadian industries. This group provides the council with guidance on threshold issues that define the organization’s strategies. The Champions promote the council and its initiatives to their peers in government, industry and among Aboriginal organizations. Each Champion appoints a representative to the board of directors.

We salute and thank our Champions:

James (Jim) E. Carter (Co-chair)
Past President & Chief Operating Officer
Syncrude Canada Ltd.

Joseph T. Norton (Co-chair)
President & CEO
Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG.

Charles S. Coffey, O.C. (Chair, Council’s Charitable Arm)

National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo
Assembly of First Nations

John Bernard
President
Donna Cona Inc.

Jeannette Corbiere-Lavell
President
Native Women’s Association of Canada

Kim Devooght
Vice President, Public Sector
IBM Canada Ltd.

Kirk Dudtschak
Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Strategy
RBC

The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Human Resources & Skills Development Canada
Government of Canada

Kenneth V. Georgetti
President
Canadian Labour Congress

The Honourable Bill Hutchinson
Minister of First Nations, Métis Relations & Northern Affairs
Government of Saskatchewan

James Knight
President & CEO
Association of Canadian Community Colleges

The Honourable Jackson Lafferty
Minister of Education, Culture & Employment
Government of the Northwest Territories

National Chief Betty Ann Lavallée
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples

Stephen Lindley
Vice President, Aboriginal & Northern Affairs
SNC-Lavalin Inc.

Chief Clarence Louie
Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corp.
Chairman, National Aboriginal Economic Development Board 

The Honourable Christian Paradis
Minister of Natural Resources
Government of Canada

Chief Sophie Pierre, OBC
Chief Commissioner, British Columbia Treaty Commission
President, St. Eugene Mission Resort Development

The Honourable Eric Robinson
Minister of Culture, Heritage, Tourism & Sport
Minister of Aboriginal & Northern Affairs
Government of Manitoba

Mary Simon
President
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

The Honourable Chuck Strahl
Minister of Indian Affairs & Northern Development
Federal Interlocutor for Métis & Non-Status Indians
Government of Canada

Don Thompson
General Manager, External Affairs
Syncrude Canada Ltd.

The Honourable Len Webber
Minister of Aboriginal Relations
Government of Alberta