WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, March 6, 2009―The Government of Canada is proud to celebrate Aboriginal achievement in Canada by supporting the 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. The Awards recognize the outstanding career achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada, and provide an opportunity for Canadians to take collective pride in their accomplishments.
Today, Mrs. Shelly Glover, Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface and Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages, presented the technology and trades award to Mr. Mervin J. Dewasha at the Awards gala, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
“I am pleased to present this award to Mr. Dewasha for his work in improving the quality of services to First Nation communities,” said Mrs. Glover. “Mervin leads by example, demonstrating to Aboriginal youth that careers in science and technology help Canada’s future work force to be the best educated and the most skilled and flexible in the world.”
The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards were established in 1993, and recognize the career achievements of Aboriginal professionals in diverse occupations, while encouraging and celebrating excellence in the Aboriginal community. The Awards also provide role models for Aboriginal youth, and inform them of the strides that are being made by individuals who have the discipline, drive and determination to set high standards and accomplish their goals.
The Government of Canada supports the Aboriginal Achievement Awards through the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, which improves the employment potential of Aboriginal people across Canada. The Blue Print for the Future, a series of national career fairs, is held annually and is designed to attract First Nation, Métis and Inuit high school students to the wide array of potential careers available in all employment sectors.
Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Government aims to create more and better opportunities for Aboriginal Canadians with an increased investment of $100 million in the nationwide Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program.
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This news release is available in alternative formats on request. Call 1‑800‑788‑8282 on a touch-tone phone or through a teletypewriter (TTY).
For further information (media only):
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
For more information on the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation:
Jamie Monastyrski
Director of Communications
National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation
416-987-0260
The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards gala ceremony will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on March 6, 2009, and will subsequently be televised as a CBC network special.
National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation
The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation is a nationally registered charitable organization created in 1985 by Mohawk conductor and composer John Kim Bell.
The Foundation works with corporate partners, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the Royal Bank of Canada, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and a host of national and Aboriginal businesses, to support activities that help empower Aboriginal people, such as career fairs and the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards.
The Foundation also has a mandate to provide financial support to Aboriginal individuals who are pursuing education and professional development, and, with the financial support of corporate sponsors, has awarded over $12 million in scholarships to students across the country.
The Awards
The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards were established in 1993 to coincide with the United Nation’s International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The Awards recognize career achievements by Aboriginal professionals in diverse occupations, while also encouraging and celebrating excellence in the Aboriginal community. The Awards also provide role models for Aboriginal youth, and inform them of the strides that are being made by individuals who have the discipline, drive and determination to set high standards and accomplish their goals.
Project Sponsor
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada is providing funding of $415,000.
