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Program Information
Overview
Indigenous leaders, directors and managers face increasingly complex issues, accelerated change, and new ways of doing business.
Leading Teams: Governance for Indigenous Councils and Boards will show leaders new and creative ways to move beyond Western models of governance to embrace culturally-grounded models of Indigenous governance.
Description
This program will focus on the principles of good governance in a series of presentations, workshops and classroom exercises.
With guidance from the Elder, participants will share traditional and spiritual wisdom while connecting with the land and cultural teachings.
Program highlights
- Building on traditional Indigenous structures of governance.
- ‘Indigenizing’ corporate systems of governance to make them work differently.
- Ensuring organizational effectiveness through good governance at the board/council level.
- New insights on roles, responsibilities, and performance.
Eligibility
This program will be beneficial for Indigenous leaders, administrators, and service providers interested in Indigenous governance models including
- senior management and personnel working with or within Indigenous organizations.
- elected Officials and senior administrators of First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, councils, and boards
- Indigenous economic and social development agencies.
Priority is given to Indigenous learners and those working for Indigenous communities and organizations.
Applicant must be 18+ at the start of the program.
Inclusivity Statement
We welcome applicants of all ages (18+), backgrounds, gender identities and expressions to apply.
Certificate of Indigenous Leadership, Governance and Management Excellence
Indigenous leadership programs are strategically focused on building your capacity to successfully assist your community and organization. Individuals who successfully complete a program from each of the seven wise practice elements will earn a Certificate of Indigenous Leadership, Governance, and Management Excellence.
Itinerary
Participants are required to dedicate approximately 40 hours during the week to this program.
Sample Itinerary - subject to change
Each day opens with a smudge and teachings and closes with a wrap up.
Sunday
- Welcome and program overview
Monday
- Introduction to good governance
- Contemporary Indigenous governance
- Overview of principles of good governance
- Team building activity
- Stewardship and the roles of leaders, directors, managers, and staff
Tuesday
- Dealing with difficult behaviour
- Emotional intelligence, social intelligence and teams
- Team building activity
- Conflict resolution process
Wednesday
- Strategic planning
- Decision-making
- Team building activity
- Creating institutions of good governance
- Creativity and leadership
Thursday
- Transparency and accountability
- Creativity and leadership
- Partnerships and collaborations
- Applying Indigenous knowledge
Friday
- Building resources: tips for fundraising
- Participants' discussion circle
Faculty
Pablo Russell
Native to the Kainai of Southern Alberta, Camille Pablo Russell, aa’spahk’ko’mii’kwan “Shooting in the Air” is an award winning international speaker, author, respected Blackfoot ceremonialist and cultural consultant.
Pablo grew up with his grandparents and was nourished in traditional ceremonial life. Nearly 40yrs after joining the sundance as a young man, he continues to leads The Path of the Buffalo Sundance every summer. Sharing stories is vital to transfer teachings, for belonging and cultural preservation. Pablo has pledged his life in service to following these Old Ways, spreading deep and simple truths that cut through the modern haze for people all over the world.
Elder
Margaret Froh
Margaret Froh is Métis from the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan.
Froh has a law degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and is currently the policy, law and compliance officer for the Chippewas of Rama First Nation in Ontario. As part of General Counsel’s Office, Froh provides legal services and is responsible to suport the First Nation leadership, staff, and committees in governance, law making, and policy development matters.
Prior to her current position, Froh served as the Aboriginal issues coordinator for the Law Society of Upper Canada, the governing body for lawyers in Ontario, and has practiced workers’ rights related law in Toronto.
Froh has taught as adjunct faculty at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and has presented at conferences and guest lectured at various law schools on Indigenous legal matters. She has served on numerous boards of directors for Aboriginal organizations and business. Froh is a former president and current member of the Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto board of directors. She has also served as vice-president and secretary on the board of the Indigenous Bar Association, a professional national non-profit association of Indigenous lawyers in Canada. Froh is currently an alternate director for the St. Eugene Golf Resort and Casino of the Rockies near Cranbrook, BC. — an innovative joint venture between three geographically and culturally diverse First Nations from across Canada (the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, the Samson Cree Nation, and the Ktunaxa Nation Council).
Faculty
Tracey O’Donnell
Tracey O’Donnell is an Anishinabekwe from Red Rock Indian Band located north and east of Thunder Bay, Ontario. She has practiced law in Ontario for 30 years. Her practice is focused entirely on providing legal services to First Nations, their members, and their organizations.
Currently, Tracey is in private practice with an office at Nipissing First Nation. Tracey has worked with First Nations across Canada to support community and capacity development, including facilitating the drafting of First Nation constitutions, strategic planning, drafting First Nation laws, developing community consultation and communications plans, among other things.
In May 2005, Tracey argued on behalf of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, and the Disabled Women’s Network of Canada: at the Supreme Court of Canada in the first Indian residential school case that reached the Supreme Court of Canada – Blackwater v. Plint.
Tracey was an elected Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario from 2003 to 2007 – the first Indigenous woman elected since the Law Society was founded in 1797. Tracey has volunteered on a variety of community-based committees and Boards of Directors and with CESO. Tracey earned her Honours B.A. in Political Science from Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario in 1990, and her L.L.B./J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Ontario in 1993.
Faculty
Mitch Case
Mitch Case is an avid beadworker who practices a traditional Métis floral beadwork style. Mitch began beading in 2012, when he learned to bead in order to prepare gifts for his elders when he became Midewiwin (Great Lakes Indigenous spiritual society.)
In the years since, Mitch has become a very well respected beadworker, known across the Métis Nation. Mitch is known for his traditional floral style that has been described as “Old School” “keeping the Métis floral tradition alive” and “firmly rooted in a Métis way of seeing the world.”
Mitch spearheaded the #beadworkrevolution, an online movement of Métis youth reclaiming and revitalizing their Métis beadwork traditions, with hundreds of participants including dozens of first-time bead-workers. Mitch created the Métis Nation of Ontario Youth Council bead kits, which are sold as a fundraiser to raise money for Métis youth cultural initiatives. Over 3000 bead kits have been sold across Canada, raising tens of thousands of dollars for Métis youth initiatives.
Mitch joined the Indigenous Leadership faculty team at Banff Centre in 2019.
Faculty
What's Included
Accommodation
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Your program fee includes a single bedroom on the Banff Centre campus for the duration of your program.
Get connected with other participants on campus and focus on your projects while we take care of the day-to-day essentials.
Meal Plan
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Using a credit-based system to dine on campus, our flexible meal plans allow you to select meals according to your own needs during your stay. Banff Centre can respond to most dietary requests.
The Full meal plan is equivalent to $73 credit per day, equivalent to three meals at our Buffet service.
Group Seminars/Workshops
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Join in group seminars/workshops.
Banff Centre Amenities
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- Participant Resources: Enrich your experience and get to know other artists on campus by taking advantage of the activities and support provided.
- Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation Centre: Your program fee includes free access to the swimming pool, climbing gym and fitness equipment.
- Box Office Discounts: Enjoy special artist rates or complimentary access for ticketed performances.
Fees & Financial Assistance
Application Fee
$35 application is included in the program fee.
Funding
Limited funding is available to help some participants with program fees.
- Funding is available for Indigenous participants or those working for Indigenous communities and organizations.
- Requests are reviewed based on submission of the Financial Assistance form available in the Student Portal.
- Funding amounts vary and do not cover 100% of the program fee. Participants should expect to pay a minimum of 25% of the program fee.
- Participants may be eligible for a maximum of two programs per year.
Information about funding opportunities for Leadership programs can be found here.
Steps to follow
- Select "Yes" to "I would like to apply for financial assistance" during registration.
- Log into your Student Portal to complete your funding application form within 48 hours of submitting your initial registration.
- Timely submission of the funding form is required in order to be considered.
Cancellations
All participants must pay a confirmation fee of $262.50 within fourteen days of registration. We reserve the right to cancel registrants if payment and confirmation is not received within fourteen days.
Participants who are awarded financial aid who cancel their registration within the cancellation policy deadlines may be ineligible to receive Banff Centre funding for a period of 12 months.
Registrations are non-transferable and cannot be applied to different programs or used on behalf of other registrants.
More information on our cancellation policy can be found here.
Tax Information
Banff Centre will issue official tax receipts for eligible tuition fees and all financial assistance and awards as required by the Income Tax Act. You will receive a T2202 (Tuition and Enrolment Certificate) for eligible tuition fees paid and a T4A (Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income) for applicable financial assistance and awards.
How to Apply
Learn more about the steps to Complete Your Application.
Step 1:
Complete the Online FormIf you have requested financial assistance, please ensure that you log in to your Student Portal within 48 hours of registration, to submit your funding request form.
If you do not require financial assistance, please ensure that you log in to your Student Portal and complete confirmation of attendance and full payment as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days from completing step 1.
Note that non-completion within the timelines stated may result in your place being offered to the waitlist.
Disclaimer
All programs, faculty, dates, fees, and offers of financial assistance are subject to change. Program fee is subject to applicable taxes. Non-refundable fees and deposits will be retained upon cancellation. Any other fees are refunded at the discretion of the Banff Centre. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.