(ANNews) – Registration is open for this year’s Virtual First Nations Educators’ Conference, taking place February 2-3, and is a joint production of Bigstone Education Authority and the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom. The registration deadline has been extended to January 31.

The conference brings together educators from Treaties 6, 7 and 8 to discuss the positive impact of education for Indigenous peoples.

A very impressive line-up of keynote speakers will take part in the conference, including: Wilton Littlechild, Pam Palmater, Robb Nash, Ethan Bear, Sharon Venne, Howie Miller and 2 Crees in a Pod, as well as a panel from Treaties 6, 7 and 8 Elders. A variety of breakout sessions will also be held during the two-day conference.

The theme of the event this year is Reconciliation and Treaty, and it is hosted by Stanley Isadore.

To register, visit https://forms.gle/3uM3aZbne54RLRRt9.

Dr. Wilton Littlechild: Former Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations Dr. Wilton Littlechild, IPC, QC is the former Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations. He is a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation which is located in Treaty 6 territory in Alberta, Canada. He is an Indian residential school survivor and lawyer who has worked to advance Indigenous rights and treaties in Canada and abroad. He was a member of the 1977 Indigenous Delegation to the United Nations (UN) and contributed to the UN and OAS Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He is a former commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and Member of Parliament.

Dr. Pam Palmater: Dr. Pamela Palmater is a Mi’kmaq lawyer, teacher, author and social justice activist from Eel River Bar First Nation in New Brunswick. She currently holds the position of Full Professor and Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University. A practicing lawyer for 22 years, Pam has volunteered and worked on First Nations issues for over 30 years on a wide range of issues such as socio-economic conditions, Aboriginal and treaty rights, and laws having an impact. impact on First Nations. His books, Warrior Life: Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence, Indigenous Nationhood: Empowering Grassroots Citizens and Beyond Blood: Rethinking Indigenous Identity, and other publications focus on Indigenous law, politics and governance and the importance of Indigenous sovereignty. and nation building.

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Robb Nash: Over the past decade, Robb Nash has told his inspiring story of getting back on track to thousands of people across Canada, changing lives with his message of hope and purpose. A former athlete, Robb suffered a traumatic head-on collision with a tractor-trailer when he was 17 years old. Part of his skull was crushed and he was found pulseless by the first responder. They were able to revive him, reconstructing his skull with titanium, but he barely survived the ordeal. As he began the difficult journey of rehabilitation, Robb fell into a severe depression. He honestly didn’t want to be alive. By telling his own story, Robb erases the stigma around mental illness and makes it okay to be vulnerable and seek help.

Ethan Bear: Ethan Bear is an Indigenous Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Carolina Hurricanes in the National Hockey League (NHL). Bear was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and grew up in the Ochapowace Nation near Whitewood, Saskatchewan. He is of Cree origin. Growing up, he faced racism from hockey fans who relied on stereotypes to be a “lazy” player, which motivated him to work harder. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 draft by the Edmonton Oilers from the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Oilers on July 2, 2016. Bear made his NHL debut on March 1, 2018, in a game against the Nashville Predators. On December 28, 2020, Bear signed a two-year, $4 million contract extension with the Oilers. After his fourth year with the Oilers organization, Bear was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 28, 2021.

Sharon Venne: Sharon H. Venne (Notokwew Muskwa Manitokan) is a Cree woman. She worked at the United Nations before the establishment of the Working Group on Indigenous Peoples in 1982. Background research on the many clauses of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is included in her book: Our Elders Understand Our Rights: Evolving international law concerning indigenous peoples. Additionally, Sharon has written numerous articles and edited materials related to indigenous peoples’ rights. She has lectured on Indigenous rights in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, France, Italy, Hawaii, USA and Canada. Sharon worked to secure a United Nations study of treaties from the resolution’s first introduction in 1983 until the report’s finalization in 1999, and she worked to ensure the report reflected Indigenous laws and standards. . Sharon has written numerous articles on the treaty rights of Aboriginal peoples. All of her work internationally and nationally focuses on advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples, particularly land, resource and treaty rights.

2 Crees in a group: Amber Dion and Terri Suntjens are nehiyaw iskwew (Cree women) who are trained social workers and have years of experience working in First Nations communities in various capacities. Amber and Terri now work at MacEwan University with post-secondary learners navigating Western academia. They hope to inspire others to increase their knowledge of wisakacihowin and Indigenous trauma-informed practices. Amber and Terri are also the creators of 2 Crees in a Pod, a podcast that amplifies Indigenous voices to honor Indigenous helping practices.

Howie Miller: Howie Miller is one of North America’s funniest corporate and club comedians. His quick wit, “clean” humor and ability to read the crowd make him the perfect choice for any corporate function, fundraiser or comedy club. Howie has performed at all major comedy festivals across Canada, including the Just for Laughs Festival. Howie’s many comedy specials can be viewed on APTN, The Comedy Network and Showtime. Howie is also a talented screenwriter, actor and producer and was nominated for a Gemini Award, Canadian Comedy Awards and Canadian Screen Awards for his comedy sketch “Caution: May Contain Nuts”.

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi: Mayor Amarjeet Sohi is a Canadian politician who has served as the 36th and current Mayor of Edmonton since October 26, 2021. Sohi previously served as a Member of Parliament and served in the Federal Cabinet from 2015 to 2018 as a Minister . of Infrastructure and Communities, and from 2018 to 2019 as Minister of Natural Resources. Sohi was born in India and is the first visible minority to serve as mayor of Edmonton and is one of the first Canadian mayors of Punjabi descent.

The Elders panel includes Elders Patricia Littlechild, Jerry Potts and Fred Campion.

Breakout sessions over the two days will be led by Cory Arcand, Diana Steinhauer, Jerry Potts, Lewis Cardinal, Mark Ehnes, Mylan Tootoosis, Phillip Campiou, Tanya Tourangeau, the Alexander School team and the IKWC research.

Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News