Almost every sector of the economy would benefit from oil sand development. But through all the positive economic growth Canada would receive, it is necessary to look at the impact on the environment it will have.

The refined oil will be transported through pipelines. Any released bitumen through a spill, leak, or rupture can contaminate the surrounding land or water. Tailing ponds to store the liquid to retrieve the oil can be shown to leak chemicals into the surrounding water supply like the Athabasca River and the Mackenzie River. Additionally, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted in the area shows that the overall quantity of chemicals (PAH) is lower than that which naturally occurs in recovering petrol. A change in formula can have health risks to the surrounding population.

These chemicals can cause upper respiratory issues on site. Moreover, the chemicals that are released through a spill, leak, or rupture, that do not work directly on-site will soon have more complicated issues like headache, nausea, skin rashes, and respiratory symptoms which coincide with exposure to crude oil.

Working on the oil sands can have an increased health risk, and during the current COVID-19 pandemic it will make it much worse. According to unnamed contractors, workers did not have inadequate distancing, testing, or sanitization Those that currently work at CNRL Horizon in the Alberta Oil sands have stated, “We don’t feel safe here, but we keep working because everybody wants to work,” one contractor at Horizon said.

It is difficult for these workers to bring complaints about these safety issues to those higher on the corporate ladder,  due to fear of losing their job. The liability does not fall on the oil sand operators anymore regarding the environment or the health and safety of the workers.

“We’re all feeling like, head down, blinders on. Don’t even look around you and just try to get through your shift without getting sick.”

It is frivolous to think that mining for crude oil will disappear in the next 10 years. But companies should have federal and provincial policies in place to protect the health of their workers – and the general public – from irreversible harm. “Personally, with experience in seeing all sides of corporate and environmental relationships, I know products must exist for now. But it is difficult for me to understand why an unexplored market could be so scary to a company when investments are made all the time for new products. 

Do you think you could help me understand?

The post The liability falls where in Alberta? appeared first on A\J.

Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced the funding, provided under the Youth Employment and Skill Strategy (YESS), during a Facebook Live event with Minister Carla Qualtrough and PLT Canada’s President and CEO, Kathy Abusow.

“Canada’s future depends significantly on the health of our country’s forests and ecosystems and on the skills and ingenuity of our youth. I am pleased to support investments to employ young people in the conservation of forests and protected places and in the enjoyment of these places by all Canadians. The young people employed through these partnerships are the next generation of stewards of Canada’s invaluable ecological resources.”

– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada 

This funding will help place over 1,700 youth into diverse paid opportunities across the forest, conservation, and parks sectors, using the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s, Canadian Parks Council’s, Nature Conservancy of Canada’s , and Ducks Unlimited Canada’s networks. PLT Canada Green Jobs will also contribute to Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees over the next 10 years.

Since 2018, PLT Canada has helped place young people (ages 15–30) in over 3,500 work experiences by offering a 50% wage match to more than 250 Green Jobs employers. Thanks to the new funding from the government of Canada, PLT Canada can continue supporting employers with wage matching and youth with job opportunities.

“By taking bold action and thinking outside of the box, our government is setting up young Canadians for success and ensuring an inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our collaboration with Project Learning Tree Canada is a great example of how government can work with community organizations to break down barriers to employment and create long-lasting change in the lives of young people. When we make skills-building and job opportunities available to young Canadians, we all succeed.”

– The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

The goal of YESS is to help young people in Canada gain skills and paid work experiences to join the workforce. PLT Canada is committed to helping all youth, including Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities, visible minority youth, young black Canadians, and youth living in rural or remote areas along their career pathways, offering supports ranging from skill-building resources, to job opportunities, to mentorship programs.

There are so many diverse, rewarding green careers in Canada that many people aren’t aware of. By working in a Green Job, you contribute to a more sustainable planet. Jobs supporting the conservation of nature and sustainably managed forests are key to helping fight climate change—sustainable management helps conserve biodiversity, store carbon, maintain the quality of our water, and more.

Through past PLT Canada Green Jobs, young people have gained valuable experience in positions like silviculturists, wildlife biologists, and Indigenous knowledge coordinators. PLT Canada’s Green Jobs Quiz can help you explore different options by matching your personality to the meaningful green careers best suited to you.

“It’s vital that we help all young people find success in discovering and navigating green career pathways. This is something we value deeply at PLT Canada, and we’re proud of the positive impact we continue to have through meaningful gender-balanced work experiences and our positive engagement of Indigenous, newcomer and all youth that may need support accessing jobs across the country. We’re looking forward to working with Parks Canada in providing access to valuable opportunities for all youth, including those facing barriers, in the forest and conservation sector.”

– Kathy Abusow, President and CEO, Project Learning Tree Canada

Thank you to the government of Canada for their renewed support, Parks Canada for their partnership, our incredible employer network for being committed to building a diverse and resilient Green Jobs workforce of the future, and our youth network for bringing new perspectives and so much value to the sector.

Read Parks Canada’s press release here.

Employers: Find out if you are eligible for PLT Canada’s 50% Green Jobs wage matching program.

Youth: Register as Job Seeker to apply for Green Job opportunities across the country.

The post PLT Canada receives funding to help 1,700 youth aged 15-30 find jobs in the forest and conservation sector appeared first on A\J.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Laurie Simmonds, the president and CEO of Green Living Enterprises (aka the Boss of Green Business), for our upcoming issue Playbook for Progress. Laurie shared her experiences and wisdom from her successful career in green business and marketing, and gave some valuable advice for new grads. Here’s a sneak peek into our conversation!

“It’s been 20 years and it’s been incredible to watch the innovation explode. Not just big corporations but small entrepreneurs in every sector,” Laurie shared about the surge of green business. “It’s been very rewarding to see publicly-traded companies commit to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to a significant ESG performance metric, finally understanding that they can run a company that benefits people, planet and profits. It’s undeniable that things are changing. We can see corporations and entrepreneurs really working hard to keep up with that, and seeing the rewards of it, which is really the most important thing – that they actually now understand that they can still make a lot of money, be very profitable, but do good and do well.” 

Green Living Enterprises’ Office // Credit: Kourosh Keshiri

To hear that both big corporations and small and medium businesses are on the right track and committing to sustainability goals is very encouraging for two reasons. 1) Businesses have an obligation to advance the environmental movement, so they need to do their part for consumers to follow suit, and 2) more and more businesses are taking part in this positive shift because it pays to be sustainable. 

When asked about the obligation of businesses in advancing sustainability, Laurie said, “It’s introducing consumers to a much more healthy and sustainable lifestyle, showing them the way with these products and services. That’s how we’re going to affect change – consumers choosing a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, voting with their dollar by supporting those companies. Businesses’ obligation to their stakeholders is to make money in a sustainable and socially responsible way. The other obligation is to, of course, continually increase their ESG commitments – reduce their footprint, become more inclusive, watch the social impacts of their corporation, commit to good governance, and communicate transparently to their stakeholders and their customers about their commitment to ESG. We’re starting to see rankings really significantly demonstrate that those corporations that commit to this are increasing in value, in profitability, have strong brand value, and strong consumer loyalty … It’s incredibly hopeful for the future. I think the technological advancements are happening so quickly now and the commitments by big corporations are so enormous that we are galloping forward. It’s like someone has just pulled out all the stops and it’s moving very fast now.”

Laurie and Green Living Enterprises’ management team, 2018 // Credit: Kourosh Keshiri

For more from Laurie Simmonds be sure to check out our next issue, Playbook for Progress, in which she shares her story of turning her vision of Green Living Enterprises into reality, the key practices that put her on the path to success, her golden rules to using business as a tool for environmental change, and more. Stay tuned!!!

Laurie Simmonds is the president and CEO of Green Living Enterprises – an impact agency that markets solutions to social and environmental issues. In her 20+ year career as an environmental entrepreneur and marketing expert, she has built Green Living Enterprises from the ground up while leading an award-winning team in the world of green business. Her work focuses on the intersections between health, social justice, and the environment.

The post GREEN MEANS GO… FASTER! appeared first on A\J.

While voting is important in placing environmentally conscious political leaders in office, we need to have reliable candidates to vote for in the first place. If your options are between a candidate who approved a pipeline expansion and a candidate who left the Paris climate agreement, one could feel at a loss for a viable choice.

We need solid, environmentally sound options to vote for.

But just like encouraging youth to vote, this side of the coin poses its own challenges. I was recently on a call with a former MP who mentioned that one of the greatest challenges in solving the environmental problems of our time will be ensuring representatives in the House of Parliament are environmentally literate. During her time as MP, she relied heavily on a team of environmental scientists and researchers to ensure that she understood the issues pertaining to the environment as clearly as possible. This is reasonable. An MP cannot be an expert on every topic they are expected to speak and vote on- they are human too! Moreover, many of the individuals who enter politics have backgrounds and degrees in political science or law, and not necessarily environmental sciences.

Fostering environmentally literate MP’s (and their teams!) leads the way to greener, science-based policies and legislation. GreenPAC understands this and have made it their mission to help elect environmentally educated leaders. As mentioned in my previous article, GreenPAC is a non-partisan organization which offers a Parliamentary Internship Program to youth between the ages of 18 to 30. The program places young environmentalists in the offices of host MP’s with proven track records as being environmental champions. For nine months, the interns learn about the inner workings of the federal government through an environmental lens.

This September of 2020, GreenPAC took on four new interns. The interns are positioned with MP’s from different political parties Canada-wide. With diverse backgrounds from agriculture to biology to engineering, the interns are assigned specific projects relating to the environment, as well as assisting their MP’s and the offices in which they work become more environmentally adept.

I wanted to check in to see how they were coming along, and to gain a better sense of what the future MP’s of Canada might look like! Here are a few of their stories…

Zhenglin Liu | Interning with MP Taylor Bachrach | NDP | Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

With a background in engineering and economics, Zhenglin Liu joined GreenPAC to gain experience in public service and federal politics with a future goal of a master’s degree, and then perhaps go to law school (wow, I know!).

“I came into the internship hoping to get sort of the vibe as to what environmental politics was like,” he laughed, “I think this internship has definitely been helpful in that. I was not hugely knowledgeable about the details of Parliamentary politics before starting this internship. For example, I didn’t know about the distinction between the work that is done in the House, versus Parliamentary committees, versus MP’s just informally talking to each other.”

Liu has been focussing specifically on issues relevant to his MP’s portfolio (infrastructure and transport), including green recovery policy, high-speed rail, aviation, and the incorporation of climate considerations into infrastructure funding.

Liu has also been researching historical policy with his MP’s office. “I was researching historical approaches to rural telephone connection in the mid-century as an analogy and potential source of best practices and recommendations. That was really interesting because it was something I had never done before; looking into policy that was decades old and trying to draw analogies for the modern day.”

“One thing that has really jumped out to me is how hard leadership (specifically in the political arena) is without knowledge or resources from civil society.” -Zhenglin Liu

“One thing that has really jumped out to me is how hard leadership (specifically in the political arena) is without knowledge or resources from civil society,” says Liu. “For me, working in an opposition party that currently has a small caucus, it can feel like even MP’s with strong environmental convictions (of which Taylor Bachrach is a great example), don’t really have the time, the staff, or the capacity to develop the technical or grassroots expertise stakeholders can provide on specific issues.”

“The experiences I have found most interesting and exciting have been hearing ministers answer questions posed from a progressive environmental perspective, whether that’s in question period or in committee,” he continued, “Through the office, I have had the opportunity to hear from really interesting stakeholders like the Canadian Federation of Municipalities and the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC).”

While his educational background has been in electricity systems, he is now learning about transport infrastructure from the perspective of planning, understanding the broader social benefits, and how politics and engineering intersect.

For the remainder of his internship, Liu hopes to learn more about which stakeholders play large roles in influencing policy. “Whether it’s industry leaders in clean tech, civil society, or experts within the civil service – who has the strongest impact?”

Jessie Mayes | Interning with MP Eric Duncan | Conservative | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON

“All of this [was] really new to me,” says Jessie Mayes, speaking of her political experience prior to starting the GreenPAC internship. Coming from a background in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Mayes knew that she would face a learning curve when it came to navigating the ins and outs of everyday politics. But in the office of MP Eric Duncan, she also had a unique opportunity to work on projects that utilized her passion for agriculture.

“My office has been really great. They wanted to carve out specific environmental projects for me to work on while I’m in the office so they can use my skills, which is wonderful,” says Mayes. During her internship, she has also been conducting research on the impact of the carbon tax on farmers and the ways that farmers can be supported to adopt more sustainable practices.

“I have a much greater appreciation for what can be done at the local level and how big of an impact that can have.” – Jessie Mayes

Before peering behind the curtain of politics, Mayes was often frustrated with the slow speed at which our political system operates.  “From the outside, I have been judgemental and perhaps too much so,” she says. “When I was doing more grassroots and local work, I thought, ‘wow, why isn’t this happening?’ Now that I have more experience here, I realize that it isn’t easy on this level either. I have a much greater appreciation for what can be done at the local level and how big of an impact that can have as well.”

In the meantime, Mayes says she is “interested in gaining more experience with policy analysis and how to develop strong policies while also being critical of them.”

Clément Badra | Interning with MP Jenica Atwin | Green Party | Fredericton, NB

GreenPAC intern, Clément Badra, feels he can make the most difference in the world by working in and around politics in the broad sense of the term. “The one sphere where I feel like we are lacking the willingness to take on [environmental issues] is the political sphere,” he says.

“Most of the people that are working in the offices [were] political science students or people with a background in administration. Which is extremely necessary because of the complex structure you are working in…but the more time I spend listening to what is happening, the more it seems the programs are not structured to properly help people working on the ground. There might be a disconnect there.”

“[An MP] cannot be an expert on everything, so you need your team to be experts for you and guide you through this.” – Clément Badra

Badra believes that without diverse backgrounds in the House or on an MP’s staff, “you might miss nuances on specific issues and can’t do the best work possible as an MP because your staff wasn’t able to bring the nuances to the bill… [An MP] cannot be an expert on everything, so you need your team to be experts for you and guide you through this. But diversity should not only be in regards to professional backgrounds represented, but should also include socioeconomic backgrounds as well as racial diversity.”

Badra hopes to learn more about committee work and the various kinds of procedures you can use to push for ideas and projects within the House of Commons. More specifically, “I would like to learn how the committee work translates to the debate in the House and pushing motions and amendments to a bill, the negotiations that happen around a bill when it is put in the House, and how you work to try and get the most out of it.”

In terms of impactful moments during his internship? “I have had some very interesting meetings…you get to understand the partisanship and the non-partisanship sides because some people in other parties do not share the idea of the party themselves,” says Badra. He says that another impactful moment is seeing the positive influence he and his team made on someone they were trying to help, “those are great moments”.

Joshua Swift | Interning with MP Catherine McKenna | Liberal | Ottawa Centre, ON

GreenPAC intern, Joshua Swift, found GreenPAC’s training prior to his internship helpful in preparing him for what was ahead. When asked what kind of training GreenPAC provided prior to the internship, Swift stated, “We had training with the House clerks. We learned how to do research that would probably be required in the office. We also learned about how the different branches of government work… We spoke with many speakers, some of whom having worked on the Hill before, some who had worked around it. We also began working on a GreenPAC related project before actually starting in our offices.”

“I have also gotten the chance to work on some local environmental projects,” says Swift. He has learned about environmental challenges specific to Ottawa including tree planting projects, and phasing out single use plastics, as well as working with local groups and smaller environmental initiatives within the community. “I have also done a lot of following and reporting on meetings for my MP,” says Swift, “I have been following [The Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development] at the federal level, as well as the city of Ottawa and the local sides environmental committees.”

“Climate change is a global issue, and I don’t think there is any better actor situated to be at the forefront and coordinate that approach than the federal government. They have the tools and capacity to make this happen.” – Joshua Swift

While he has a background in environmental policy, the GreenPAC internship is providing him with the skills to put his education to use in the real world. “This experience has strengthened my view that the climate crisis is so big, and in order to meaningfully combat it, we need a multifaceted approach,” says Swift. “Climate change is a global issue, and I don’t think there is any better actor situated to be at the forefront and coordinate that approach than the federal government. They have the tools and capacity to make this happen. This experience so far has just kind of fortified that view.”

When asked what surprised him during his internship so far, he stated, “I knew MP’s and ministers were probably busy, but I didn’t realize the extent to which their schedules are jam-packed! From my experience, everyone here is working extremely hard.”

“I would like to better understand the Parliamentary process,” says Swift, “The federal government is multifaceted, with so many departments, ministries, and checks and balances. The more well-versed I can become in those inner workings, the better prepared I will be to utilize that system to implement some of the many changes we need, especially around the environment…I am just trying to absorb all I can.”

—

Now that I have peeked behind the curtain myself into the work and workings of the GreenPAC interns, I’d say the future is in good hands.

The post A Peek Behind the Curtain appeared first on A\J.

Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada), an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), launched its Green Mentor program (#MyGreenMentor) last spring to help young people expand their forest and conservation knowledge, goals and network.

The second cohort is running from January to June 2021, and applications for mentors close November 16, 2020. If you have over three years of professional experience, are available for 2-3 hours a month, and want to share your experiences with young people interested in Canada’s green sector, you should apply. You might even meet potential future employees!

PLT Canada’s mentors said that they gain just as much from the program as their mentees. Mentorship is a great way to develop leadership skills, hear new perspectives and foster the growth of the forest and conservation sector.

Andrew de Vries, Manager of Indigenous Opportunities & Government Relations at Tolko Industries Ltd., has coached and managed people in the past, but he’d never been a part of a formal mentorship program before PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program.

“I liked the structure of the mentorship program and the resources that were available because it allows you to focus the discussion,” said de Vries.

He was matched with a student on the other coast, Vicky Papuga, and he said he was surprised at how well the mentorship matching software worked. PLT Canada uses an industry-leading algorithm to create successful mentorship matches based on personalities, goals, interests and more.

“It was very interesting to see how much we shared in common—not just academically, but personality-wise,” said de Vries. 

Étienne Vézina, Resolute FP’s Manager of Forestry and Certification, was another Green Jobs mentor who helped his mentee, Catherine Langille, become more aware of all the opportunities awaiting her in the forest and conservation sector. 

Langille became a source of motivation for him beyond the calls—her questions reminded him of some of his own experiences, he said.

“The benefits are for both parties. I think people with less experience are looking to be introduced to the forestry sector in general, and it brings you to think about stuff that you’re not really looking at on a day-to-day basis,” he said. Another benefit is that the program can bring new people into forestry.

Although mentors help guide their mentees, the mentees drive the mentorship relationship. Mentees set goals for themselves and specify topics for each meeting. They engage in self-reflection, seek to improve specific skills and habits, and learn about green career pathways.

Langille said the program changed her life.

“I am happy to have him as a forever connection,” she said. “He gave me the confidence to do the things I didn’t think I could do.”

Vézina said the best part of the experience was seeing Langille evolve over the six-month mentorship.

“Even a small step forward is a great achievement for a mentor to see—the mentee ready to go toward their objective and what we have discussed, that’s really cool,” he said. And de Vries said although it might be a cliché, being a mentor is a chance to give back.

“I’ve learned a lot from teachers and coaches and managers over my career,” he said. “I got to provide Vicky with some of the insights and knowledge from all the different folks that I’ve learned from and continue to learn from in my career.”

PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program connects young people aged 18-30 with Green Jobs professionals. The six-month mentorship program involves meeting up (in person or virtually) two or three hours a month. The program plays a key role in supporting young professionals and guiding them forward along their career path in the forest sector. Our mentorship program is also designed to help increase diversity, as mentorship can help youth overcome barriers and find employment success.

Forest and conservation professionals who want to inspire the next generation of leaders, recruit employees and gain new perspectives should apply to become mentors. 

Learn more about PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program!

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But even within that innovative and dynamic environment, I sometimes find myself in need of inspiration: a personal reminder of why I find my work so meaningful and quite frankly, fun. 

Lately, that inspiration has come in the form of a matter-of-fact insight, shared with me by an extraordinary young First Nations man during my graduate studies. 

I couldn’t have asked for a better master’s project. Building on an existing Lakehead University partnership, I was invited into the Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) camp to live, work and learn throughout their six-week program. My goal was to gather the stories of OYEP’s First Nation youth participants, to better understand their perspectives on forest sustainability and opportunities for forest sector career exploration.

Each Ranger, as they’re called, taught me valuable lessons. Even today, I regularly find myself going back to my thesis and research notes, seeking their wisdom and advice. For some reason though, I turn back to a single statement more than any other: 

“Most of my family weren’t really doing good as far as education… So, I had to work on my own at home. They couldn’t have helped. They wouldn’t know how,” one young man offered during a sharing circle. “I was the only one paddling the boat, I guess you could say.”

Poetry, struggle, resiliency and determination all contained in a then 16-year-old’s few simple sentences. I must have read them hundreds of times by now. Yet, without fail, they still simultaneously break my heart, fill me with pride and energize my soul with the most profound feeling of hope for our future.

In many ways, that young man’s lived reality couldn’t be any more different than my own. Higher education has long been a priority—almost an expectation—in my family. To this day, I still love hearing about my grandma’s adventures in Western University’s Secretarial Science program during the 1940s. With those types of experiences in my family, I grew up taking for granted that when it came to pursuing my aspirations, I would never have to paddle my boat alone. 

I now recognize my deeply engrained sense of potential as an immense privilege. It’s through the stories of incredible, resilient young people—like those who have generously shared with me at places like OYEP, Feathers of Hope, and the 2018 Emergency Meeting on Indigenous Child and Family Services—that I can constantly remind myself that the world is far bigger than my own experience. 

It’s in those stories that I also find inspiration. They serve as my personal calls to action, the fuel I need to do more, whether it be knocking on the doors of elected leaders, building and growing youth-focused programs, or writing editorials that call even more people into the conversation. 

No young person should have to paddle their boat alone. In the Green Jobs sector, we have a responsibility to use our collective passion, knowledge, insights and experiences to be the community of support that many young people currently struggle to find. As a single voice, we must consciously invite young people into our circle and help instill within them the confidence that they can achieve their highest aspirations—whatever they may be. 

Taking action has never been easier. Whether you’re a student, young professional, or corporate leader, it can be as simple as sharing your own story, offering your time as a mentor or a role model, or committing to continuous action-oriented learning and professional growth. I invite you to reach out to PLT Canada if you want to take action, but simply don’t know where to start—our team is here for you through our growing toolkit of resources, webinars and one-on-one support! 

As I wrote about last week, life’s most impactful moments can come at the most unexpected of times. We can truly never know when something we do or say might be that moment for someone. So, let’s treat every moment like it is. Let’s let intentionality and generosity be our legacy. 

Let’s all commit to doing our part now so that someday every young person can grow up knowing that they too can become a forest and conservation leader. Let’s show them that there is an entire community of support that is eager to paddle alongside them, who values their voices and experiences and is excited to work together to grow a future in which everyone can fully value and benefit from sustainably managed forests. 

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Being Métis, that statement by Jim Sinclair to the 1987 First Ministers’ Conference often plays in my mind. 

Self-determination—the ability to freely pursue one’s own destiny—is a basic human right. It is enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and has since been formally recognized by the Government of Canada. 

More than 35 years after Mr. Sinclair’s principled stand, however, Canada continues to grapple with how to breathe life into that most fundamental of principles. Progress is undoubtedly being made, but not at the pace that many would like. Untangling the web of colonial systems, attitudes and assumptions upon which Canadian society is built is a complex task. One requiring nuanced, nation-specific approaches developed through nation-to-nation relationships.  

As a former elected Métis Nation representative, I’ve sat across from ministers, senior government officials and private sector leaders, attempting to untangle this very web. I can attest to the many practical challenges of achieving full and lasting reconciliation. I can also attest to the value of conversation, learning and relationship building, however long it may take. 

What gets me most excited, though, is myriad of ways through which Indigenous Peoples across what is now Canada are taking action today. Asserting their inherent right to self-determination through efforts big and small, as diverse and unique as Indigenous Nations themselves. Creating positive, lasting change for their communities in the process. 

The #BeadworkRevolution was one such action that I was privileged to be a part of. The reasoning, for me at least, was simple. To advance our nation’s rights and aspirations now and into the future, we needed to harness the collective knowledge, skills and passion of all Métis citizens, including Métis youth. To create that collective consciousness, we needed to rebuild a sense of shared identity and pride that many Métis youth struggle to find. 

What started as a project to simply teach Métis floral beadwork to a new generation, so that every young person could feel connected to and proud of their Métis heritage, grew into a bigger change-making action that none of us could have originally imagined. 

More youth wearing beadwork led to more awareness, more interest, and more requests for materials and instruction by Métis and non-Métis people alike. To keep up with this enthusiasm and demand, our youth group created a “Learn to Bead” kit—everything someone would need for their first beading project, complete with graphical instructions, all in a handy and easy to mail jar. 

By selling these $20 kits to individuals, communities, service providers, governments, school boards and more, we not only raised the awareness and excitement we’d hoped for, but enough money to start a province-wide micro-grant program, through which any Métis youth could apply for up to $500 to host a community gathering or cultural event, to bring community members young and old together. We knew that the potential of our young people was infinite. The grants helped them bring it to life.

With the support of a growing number of partners, that success grew into an annual Métis youth conference, a full-time staff person dedicated to Métis youth issues, and a province-wide initiative where Métis youth could come together to take action on issues that mattered most to them, including education, health and well-being, environmental sustainability, language and culture, and nation building. 

Our small idea grew into Métis youth coming together to assert their inherent right to self-determination. And while I’m no longer a youth, the initiatives carry on under a new generation of leaders. 

Working now at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada), I’m constantly amazed to learn about and partner with other Indigenous Nations who are actively and creatively exercising their inherent right to self-determination.

This includes the Lac Seul First Nation, whose community-owned business, Ondaadiziwin Forest Management, obtained Ontario’s first Enhanced Sustainable Forest License and successfully certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard. Through Ondaadiziwin, Lac Seul is creating jobs and training opportunities for local youth. They are deepening relationships with local municipalities, businesses and land managers. They have not only reclaimed active stewardship of over 1 million hectares of their territory, but are building a resilient and sustainable local economy in the process.

SFI and PLT Canada have been privileged to partner with Ondaadiziwin, co-creating positive, community-driven change that advances the interests and priorities that matter most to them. Together, we have supported land-based Green Jobs for youth, invested in skills training to further build the Nation’s forest management capacity, and have shared the stories and voices of Lac Seul’s current forestry leaders to help inspire their next generation of environmental stewards. 

Like SFI and PLT Canada, Canadians old and young are taking up their own call to relationship and reconciliation. Listening and learning to become the best neighbours and partners they can be. We all have a role to play. Not least of which is letting Indigenous Peoples lead.

The reality that started for me with the #BeadworkRevolution becomes clearer every day is that Indigenous Peoples have long been leading and will continue to lead. The Lac Seul First Nation’s efforts through the vehicle of sustainable forest management is just one example on a list far too long and diverse for me to fully describe. Through creativity, determination and respectful partnership, that list continues to grow by the day. 

Seeing it now from both sides of the table, I can’t help but recognize the prophetic nature of Mr. Sinclair’s words to the First Minister’s Conference all those years ago: “This is not an end. It’s only the beginning… We break new roads for those who’ll come in the future. Don’t worry Mr. Prime Minister and premiers of the provinces, I may be gone but our people will be back.” 

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But coming out of university, I found myself being just another young person with a diploma and few employable skills. Weeks of job hunting led to me questioning my situation and decisions. Was a university education not a sure-fire ticket to a great job? Had I tumbled off the time-tested path to career success? Or had I been misinformed? 

Then one day, I happened upon an issue of Maclean’s calling Canadians into the forest. Positions needed to be urgently filled before an impending wave of Boomer retirements decimated the sector’s ranks, it said.

For someone who practically grew up in the forest, I realized I held an old fashioned, plaid-wearing, axe-swinging picture of forestry in Canada. Who knew it was still an option? Maybe it was time for me to put the plaid back on and give it a swing!

To my good fortune, the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) had recently launched a program designed exactly for people like me who were eager to work but in need of employment-ready training. With the MNO’s full support, I went off to the Forest Technician program at Confederation College. 

This kickstarted my new career pathway. One with no clear destination, far messier than the one I’d been sold in high school, but guided by a desire to accumulate experiences, skills and knowledge under my belt that would get me somewhere I loved. I invited myself to wander, following new interests and new opportunities, building a one-of-a kind skillset, while learning what made me happiest and brought me the most fulfillment in the process. 

Now, in my role as the Director of Indigenous and Youth Relations at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Tree Learning Canada (PLT Canada), I get to use my lived experience to help other young people navigate their own pathway to success—whatever that means to them. Serving as the guidance I needed when I was in their position.

From pre-employment training programs to post-employment community service opportunities; every program, service and support tool we provide is a stepping-stone that a young person can take along their own unique career path. 

Free resources like our career fact sheets and “Guide to Green Jobs in Canada: Voices of Indigenous Professionals”highlight the diversity of green job opportunities in the forest and conservation sector. Webinars, online courses and skills funding help youth build their professional competencies. Work-ready equipment grants can help remove employment barriers. Green Jobs wage-matching connects youth with paid work experiences. Mental wellness services help ensure youth are supported along the way. Mentorship experiences and conference scholarships help youth grow into bigger and better roles. And PLT Canada’s Green Jobs Ambassador Program helps youth pay it forward through community service. Completing an overall well-rounded support system to get indigenous youth into the forest and a rewarding career.

Like in the forest itself, there is no right or wrong green path. Only your green career path. 

So, embrace new experiences. Pursue what gets you most excited. Don’t be afraid to take a couple steps back (or sideways) or make your own path when something doesn’t feel right. And learn every step of the way. Take it from this now not-so-young person with a green career he loves!

The post Forging a Career Path in the Forest Sector appeared first on A\J.

SFI advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. SFI is an independent, non-profit organization that demonstrates its commitment to forests through its work in standards, conservation, education, and community. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments to achieve a vision of a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests. Learn more: www.sfiprogram.org.

About Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada)

An initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) believes in a society that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests and the great outdoors. PLT Canada is committed to using the outdoors to engage youth in learning about the world around them—in rural, Indigenous and urban communities—and using trees and forests as windows on the world to inspire action and grow the next generation of future forest and conservation leaders.

Since 2018, PLT Canada has placed youth in over 3,000 high quality work experiences through its Green Job program, achieving both gender balance and over 500 placements for Indigenous youth. The program is successful thanks in large part to the organization’s employer partners across the SFI and Canadian Parks Council networks. Green Jobs youth gain valuable work experience that helps them pursue careers as foresters, wildlife biologists, Indigenous knowledge coordinators, hydrologists, park rangers and much more.

PLT Canada also offers a mentorship program, factsheet, resume and cover letter review services, and webinars to support the career growth and essential skills development of both job seekers and employers. PLT Canada also offers environmental education materials to help inspire the love of forests and nature, and mental health and wellness services to help participants be their best self! Learn more: www.pltcanada.org

Week One: Forging a Career Path in the Forest Sector.

Week Two: Growing Partnerships, Prosperity and a Brighter Future for Us All.

Week Three: What do you call this?

Week Four: Let’s Paddle Together

The post #ForestFridays appeared first on A\J.

Well, times have changed, and now this is the time to keep questioning the status quo of the industries we are working within, and to understand that foundation ideas and suppositions about the right way of doing business with outdated mentalities just won’t cut it anymore. If the ‘customer is always right’, then we are the leaders, we have the voices, and we need to ensure that we’re leaving a legacy that with enough will may move mountains for our future. This is especially seen in the fashion industry time after time. From unsafe working conditions to landfills piled to overflowing with textile waste. It is a problem we all contribute to, but it’s time to step up and do better.

From fast fashion to luxury goods, there are opportunities to use our platforms and consumer power to demand innovation and creativity from our designers, manufacturers and fashion retailers to make more sustainable goods produced with better conditions for its workers. It really is that simple. With the ever-changing and evolving trends, consumers would be very appreciative and supportive of the designers, the ‘architects and artists’ of the industry, taking this an extra step forward and using sustainable textile as another form of artistically expressing themselves and the vision for our future.

We decided to hold a Q/A with Brana Dane on the idea of sustainable fashion. Brana is more than a model and activist. She has seen firsthand the negative environmental legacy and injustice that can be left behind in the name of fashion and believes in being the changemaker from inside out.

Brana is a Model and Activist. Brana is also one of the leaders of the activist group, “Model Mafia”, which promotes fair working conditions, more sustainable fashion practices, and promoting a more inclusive fashion and modelling industry. She was honored to speak about the importance of sustainable fashion at the annual NYC public Earth Day rally in Union Square April 2019. Brana has participated in and led numerous social media campaigns to reduce plastic consumption. For example, she collaborated with Lonely Whale to reduce single use plastic and again with Rainforest Alliance to help get the plastic bag banned in NYC.

Brana has helped organize members of the fashion community during many environmental marches and several public events. In fact, she created and led the recent NYFW rallies for the climate strike that went viral on social media and was even reposted in Vogue Brasil, proving that customers want more than garments – they want ethics in the workplace and they want it now.

Growing up on the ocean in Vancouver, Brana feels a deep connection to nature and is motivated to preserve it for future generations. While using her platform to shed a light on the needs of our planet and the plight of the modern garment worker, she seeks to inspire a light to as many people as possible as her heart and soul is intertwined in two seemingly opposing worlds: Fashion and Sustainability. Below we take a look through Brana’s lens on the industry.

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GV:  What is your definition of ‘sustainable fashion’?

BD:   Fashion is a means of expressing oneself. Sustainable fashion goes beyond the surface and expresses concern for the lives that made the garment as well as a concern for our shared environment. The benchmarks to asses this for me are threefold. Firstly, is the garment produced with a long life-cycle? Secondly, does the production use renewable resources while creating minimal waste? Lastly, is the piece produced using labor that is responsibly treated and paid fairly? 

GV:  From your perspective , what is the biggest environmental concern in regards to the fashion industry? 

BD:  The amount of textiles burnt or that end up in landfills is astounding. At around 92 million tons of textile waste across the globe annually, it adds up quickly.

GV:  Are there any main culprits that fall into this?

BD:  Big names need to take responsibility for setting the example. Unfortunately only some hear this call. Chanel is still burning it’s unsold garments, but other brands like Burberry have recently stopped this practice. It’s a good first step, but to truly make a difference so much more is needed. 

GV:  What can brands do to promote sustainable fashion practise?

BD:   Brands need to be very clear about how they are different. They need to help raise awareness along with the rest of us to expose the cost of fast fashion. Simply being a sustainable brand creates more demand for sustainable solutions within the industry and will have a great effect to decrease production costs for the future. 

GV:  What can we do as consumers to lower our carbon footprint associated with fashion and textile waste? And how do we promote a more conscious mindset when shopping?

BD:  As a consumer the first question I always ask myself is, “do I need this”? Buying less is the single best thing we can do as a population. I love fashion and support artistic expression but more often then not we are buying things on a whim and not because we truly love or need them. You can always take an old garment to a seamstress or an artist to create a unique fashion piece no one else will ever own. This is great for the environment and supports the artist and craftsmen of the world locally. I think it’s up to the new generation to define what makes us worthwhile people; is it having the newest brand name item or is it honoring the lives of those making the garment? What do we value? Ourselves and our world or branding and labels? 

GV:  Do you see the problem getting better or worse? What is the leading factor of this change?

BD:  There is definitely a subtle shift happening in fashion. It’s been coming for a long time. As a climate activist, I see the overlap between environmental concerns increasing and the surge of demand for sustainable brands. Retail itself is in the midst a major transformation with many large fast fashion companies, such as Forever 21, filing for bankruptcy. It’s slow moving but we have been making some headway. Since COVID some major designers such as Giorgio Armani have even vowed to stop following the fashion week calendar of production and instead produce simultaneously with the actual season. It’s a time to truly wake up to what’s important and embrace our green hearts. 

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There is enough hope, it would seem, from a leader like Brana, to sustain our efforts to fast-forward our efforts to green our less-fast-fashions. We, the buyers of fashion, have the power within our hands to demand more – and to uplift those who are doing more in the process. With changemakers within the industry like Brana, we hope more can take similar footsteps in leaving a positive impression in their industry, as this is much more than just fashion. There’s an old saying that ‘clothes make the person’, if so it could be looked at as ‘you are what you wear’. Today, at the grassroots level of young citizens (and consumers, there’s a change of mentality and lifestyle. Oftentimes, fashion and textile waste are overlooked as a not-so-silent climate offender. With fast fashion giants (and their industries silos like retailers and designers) contributing the trash that’s fueling the growing waste problem in landfills, it brings us as consumers to a crossroad: what drives our decision-making? What’s more important when it comes to our fashion choices: how to be more conscious when purchasing or staying on top of the latest, hot-now apparel? If we all work together as citizens AND as consumers to demand a greener alternative THIS FASHION SEASON, the industry can’t afford to be offering goods and services labeled as REDUCED TO CLEAR, OUT OF STYLE and SO LAST YEAR.  

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