Melissa MacDonald and Alanea Holmstrom are two dynamic young women who are quickly becoming catalysts for change in their communities.

MacDonald, of Membertou First Nation in Nova Scotia, is currently Lands Director and Tax Administrator for the Band. She began her Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics education in 2022 and completed her certificate this year.

Holmstrom is currently Tax Administrator at Osoyoos Indian Band in southern B.C. She started with Tulo in 2018 in the Tax Certificate program, took Applied Land Management in 2019 and the First Nations Applied Economics program in 2024.

Both women took part in a once-in-a-lifetime exchange program with fellow Tulo Centre students and Maori communities in New Zealand. (Read news release.)

They both credit the trip and other program elements as a launching pad for their own career growth, and for supporting economic development and infrastructure growth in their home communities.

FNII podcast host Richard Perry caught up with them earlier this summer.

Links:

Membertou First Nation
Melissa MacDonald email: melissamacdonald@membertou.ca

Osoyoos Indian Band
Alanea Holmstrom email: aholmstrom@oib.ca

Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics

First Nations Infrastructure Institute

This episode produced by Perry Podcast Productions.

FNII Technical Lead Jason Calla leads a panel discussion at the recent Leading the
Way 6 conference held in November 2023 in unceded Algonquin territory in Gatineau, QC.

Jason speaks with Chief Kimberley Bressette (Kettle and Stony Point, ON), Paula Pictou, Lands Manager at Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation, NS, as well as Darcy Gray of Mi'gma'gi Management and Consulting and James MacKinnon of the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority.

They discuss practical aspects of infrastructure planning in communities, the need for open communication, collaboration and meeting the tests for a business case for projects to go forward.

Please contact FNII to arrange for a community visit. And be sure to check out the website at https://fnii.ca for many free resources.

LINKS:
Kettle and Stony Point website
Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation website
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority website
Mi'gma'gi Management and Consulting website
First Nations Infrastructure Institute website

Jason Calla and his technical team at FNII are expecting to be very busy in the days and months ahead.

Beginning with two 'proof of concept' projects, FNII has recently become a newly-legislation addition to the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, which will open opportunities to support new projects. On top of that, the process is underway to appoint a new Advisory Board and engage potential consulting partners.

Host Richard Perry caught up with Jason between sessions at the Leading the Way 6 conference in the unceded Algonquin territory of Gatineau, QC.

FNII is an optional service, "an extra tool in the toolbox" Jason likes to say. He also has an important message for Indigenous youth who are considering exploring trades and professions within the infrastructure space.

Links:
Jason Calla by email: jcalla@fnii.ca
FNII website: https://fnii.ca
FNII on LinkedIn
FNII on Facebook

Glenn Saganace has seen a lot when it comes to economic development and its connection to strong infrastructure.

Glenn is a Relationships Manager based in Saskatoon, SK with the First Nations Financial Management Board.

He says many First Nations aren't large enough to have the capacity to manage infrastructure projects on their own, or to hold contractors accountable. And that is the perfect role for FNII as an organization that can guide Nations through the process.

He told host Richard Perry that there are real opportunities for First Nations to use infrastructure to make great economic gains, for their benefit and the larger Canadian economy.

Recorded in Nov. 2023 at the Leading the Way 6 conference in the unceded Algonquin territory of Gatineau, QC.


Links:
Glenn Saganace via toll-free: 1-877-925-6665
Glenn Saganace on LinkedIn
First Nations Financial Management Board website
FNII website

Tewanee Joseph has a wealth of project management, branding and communications experience. His business started in 2001 in the Squamish Nation and he played a key CEO role in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Tewanee spent eight years on Squamish council so he understands the value of infrastructure and the value of storytelling to heighten interest and awareness. He also worked on the development of the Fiscal Management Act.

He spoke with host Richard Perry at the Leading the Way 6 conference in the unceded Algonquin territory of Gatineau, Quebec.

Links:

Tewanee Joseph on LinkedIn
Tewanee Consulting Group, Inc. website
FNII website

It started with helping a Mi'kmaq community deal with a housing backlog.

From there, Darcy Gray has joined a team including FNII to support Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation's goal of expanding its water and wastewater infrastructure.

The community is now developing reserve lands it was denied access to for decades. The south side of the TransCanada Highway #104 east of Antigonish, NS is now home to the award-winning Bayside Travel Centre, with future commercial and residential development in the works.

Darcy sat down with host Richard Perry to talk about his involvement at Paqtnkek and the value of collaboration with FNII.

Recorded in the unceded territory of the Algonquin at Gatineau, QC in November 2023.

Links:
Darcy Gray email: darcy.gray@migmagi.ca
Darcy Gray on LinkedIn
Mi'gma'gi Project Management and Consulting website
First Nations Infrastructure Institute website

Host Richard Perry speaks with two of the 'behind-the-scenes' technical staff that play a hugely vital role in supporting FNII partnerships.

John Dumbrell of Urban Systems Ltd. and Jason Reeves of Fiscal Realities talk about relationship building and the value of listening carefully to community members as they discuss their current or future infrastructure needs.

Recorded in the un-ceded Algonquin territory of Gatineau, QC. during the Leading the Way 6 conference, November 2023.

Links:
John Dumbrell email: jdumbrell@urbansystems.ca
Jason Reeves email: jason@fiscalrealities.com
FNII website.

Rose Paul, CEO of Bayside Development Corporation, received the 2023 Indigenous Women in Leadership Award from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

She and her team at Bayside Development Corporation and Band staff at Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation, are working with FNII on future water and wastewater infrastructure to support residential and commercial growth.

It is one of two 'proof of concept' projects begun by FNII.

Rose knew several years ago that to fully take advantage of opportunities, her community would need to align with the Fiscal Management Act Institutions.

She spoke with host Richard Perry at the Leading the Way 6 conference in the unceded Algonquin territory in Gatineau, QC.

Links:

Rose Paul email: rose.paul@paqtnkek.ca or ceo@baysidecorporate.com
Bayside Development Corporation website
Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation website
Bayside Travel Centre Facebook page
Bayside LinkedIn page
First Nations Infrastructure Institute website