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By Paula Arnold
What will does the next generation of oil sands look like?
Jim Boucher, Chief of Fort McKay First Nation and Chairman of Fort McKay Group of Companies, and Archie Waquan, Chief of Mikisew Cree First Nation will discuss this important topic as part of the Oil Sands Trade Show & Conference Keynote Luncheon on Wednesday, September 11 at Suncor Community Leisure Centre in Fort McMurray.
First Elected in 1986, Chief Jim Boucher has served as Chief of the Fort McKay First Nation for 27 of the past 31 years. He also acts as the Chairman of the Board for Fort McKay Group of Companies. Under Chief Boucher’s vision and leadership, FMGOC has grown into one of the most successful First Nation-owned business ventures in Canada, with annual revenues in excess of $150 million.
Chief Boucher recognizes the importance of the environment and culture of Fort McKay First Nation’s location and has leveraged opportunities to enhance the community’s social and economic conditions through effective partnerships with industry and government. Chief Jim Boucher believes the practice and preservation of the Fort McKay First Nation’s traditional ways of life can occur simultaneously alongside continuous and long-term sustainable oil sands development.
Chief Boucher and Chief Waquan closed a $503M deal on oil sands projects in the winter of 2017.
Chief Waquan recently told CBC, “This [deal] is a balance,” Waquan said. “I used to challenge industry in my previous years. Now I look back at it and say, ‘What I have done in the past maybe I shouldn’t have done it.’ There’s a balance between the environment and industry. They have checks and balances for both sides and we’d like to be a part of it.”
Waquan encouraged other Indigenous groups to follow suit.
“Other First Nations, I know … they’re against development. Maybe they’re not part of it. Maybe they’re left on the sideline. Maybe if they give them a chance to be a partner in it they’ll think otherwise,” he said.
“They don’t understand what they’re putting aside is detrimental to their First Nation because any First Nation right now needs funding or dollars to operate and we get very little funding from [Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada] or any other government.”
The Chiefs’ will discuss the next generation of oil sands production on September 11, and the panel will be moderated by JP Gandu, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. Tickets to for this special keynote luncheon at Oil Sands Trade Show & Conference are available for purchase at oilsandstradeshow.com.  This keynote panel discussion is one of many new keynote speakers being featured at the Oil Sands Trade Show and Conference that has been reimagined for 2018.  The event will run workshops on Monday, September 10, with two days of business and technical conferences and exhibition of 250 exhibiting companies on September 11 & 12, plus two evenings of unique networking opportunities.
Readers of EnergyNow, and oil sands industry professionals and executives can register for a free pass to the exhibition until August 31, online at oilsandstradeshow.com, using the discount code OST2988.
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Canadians Should Decide What to do With Their Money – Not Politicians and Bureaucrats