Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Board of Directors Meeting
Room 310
ACWI, 181 Higgins Avenue
Winnipeg, MB

Good Evening! My report for May/10

Tripartite
Next Tripartite Meeting
The Tripartite meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 20/10 is being rescheduled to either Monday, June 7/10 or Friday, June 11/10. ACW will be hosting this meeting. Please let me or Carol know if you want anything put on the agenda for that meeting.

2010/11 Annual Workplan
The Workplan was submitted on time and it has been reviewed by both funders. I am reviewing the recommended changes and revising the Workplan accordingly. We have received our first quarter $25,000 cheque from the Province. I have submitted final reports required to the Office of the Federal Interlocutor and I am submitting two final project reports this week. Year end financial statements were also submitted. Our auditor, Thornton and Co. will begin the required audit shortly.

ACW Tripartite Evaluation
A Tripartite "Next Steps" development meeting will be held at the offices of PriceWaterHouse Coopers LLP on Friday, May 21/10. The working group is in the final stages of completing a Terms of Reference that will be used by both governments to continue funding ACW until March 31/12. OFI has not yet began their process with the PMO and the Treasury Board to renew Aboriginal political funding beyond that date. Jeff Betker, OFI representative will notify us as to when this process will begin.

ACW Board Retreat
This event is tentatively scheduled for June 12 and 13/10 in Beausejour, MB. We will use this time to review our Strategic and Operational Plans and the Community Engagement report prepared by Leskiw and Associates. David Church will facilitate the process and I am hopeful that we will achieve consensus on key issues and begin the process of implementing any decisions made about the Council's future.

Economic Development Portfolio
Wayne and I travelled to Ottawa to meet with various Indian and Northern Affairs Canada officials vis a vis the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development and the Federal Aboriginal Procurement Strategy.

David Hallman, Director General, Entrepreneurship
Our meeting with Mr. Hallman and Ms. Jennifer Morse, Procurement produced a decision by them to hold a Procurement Strategy event in Winnipeg this November. This session will provide an opportunity for Aboriginal business owners to learn first hand about these opportunities to provide goods and services to federal government departments under this strategy. They will also have an opportunity to present their concerns if they have tried to utilize the program and had run into barriers of any kind in the process. ACW provided a letter of support to the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce as they were leading local efforts to make this happen in Winnipeg.

Allan Clarke, Director General, Policy
Mr. Clarke is a First Nations member in this key role within the department. He provided Wayne and I with a briefing on the federal framework and future policy directions of INAC. He indicated that although the public image of INAC is viewed as an "on the reserve First Nation supports" only agency, it is taking concrete steps to bring change. As an example, he indicated that INAC will begin an engagement process with key urban Aboriginal groups in the not to distant future. They (officials) are currently undertaking the necessary planning to achieve this goal. We also learned that urban Aboriginal organizations or individuals can submit proposals (business plans) to INAC for major economic development (business) initiatives in cities at anytime. He also indicated that the fund for these ventures is $50,000,000 in total for all of Canada. He said however, that funding can be accessed from other departments such as Western Economic Diversification and Industry Canada.

Youth Portfolio
Michelle and I are meeting with our new Youth Portfolio, Chair, Samuel Lavallee, after this board meeting. We have invited Maeengan to participate as well. We will review the Youth Portfolio activities in this year's Workplan and identify and discuss other possible activities.

ACW Urban Aboriginal Conference
I tentatively scheduled a meeting with the Conference Chair, Darrell Sais for tomorrow but I have had to reschedule this meeting to attend the Social Planning Council Open House. I have invited Darrell to attend this event and we are rescheduling our planning meeting accordingly.

Financial Matters
Def- Database Grant - ANA
I met with Darren and Eleanor on Thursday, April 22/10. We discussed the Data Base Program grant that is showing on ACW books and that we want to write off. Darren and Eleanor were in agreement that we can go ahead and make the adjustment in this year's audited financial statements.

Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba
I have determined that we are currently viewed as a non-compulsory organization. A letter will be forthcoming from WCB confirming same. Our file number is CO121578.

Portfolio Terms of Reference
This is a work in progress. I intend to have it ready for presentation at our next board meeting in June.

Manitoba Metis Federation
As per my meeting with David Chartrand last year, Al Benoit called me this week to determine our interest in developing a Memorandum of Cooperation with the MMF. As such, I am meeting with Mr. Benoit on Wednesday, May 26/10 to discuss this matter and to develop a draft document for consideration by the two organization's Board of Directors. Please convey any concerns you may have with this initiative at our meeting this evening.