Economic Reconciliation
- Event Date:
- Event Location:
- Online
Economic reconciliation seeks to address the historic and ongoing injustices experienced by Indigenous communities in the economic sphere, and to work towards a future where Indigenous peoples have equal access to economic opportunities and resources. This webinar will explore the importance of Indigenous economic reconciliation.
Join Indigenous leaders Shaun Soonias (Director, Indigenous Relations of FCC) and Chris Googoo (COO of Ulnooweg and the Executive Director of The Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation) to hear their experiences and insights on how we can all contribute towards economic reconciliation in the plant-based food and ingredients ecosystem.
Through this webinar, we hope to promote a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples in the economic sphere, and to identify practical steps that can be taken to promote Indigenous economic reconciliation. We invite you to join us in this important conversation, and to work together towards a future of economic equity and justice for Indigenous peoples.
Chris Googoo
Christopher Googoo is a proud member of the We’koqma’q First Nation, living in Millbrook on the unceded territory of Mi’kma’ki, with his wife and three children. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Ulnooweg and the Executive Director of The Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation— working to strengthen the relationship between Canada’s philanthropic sector and Indigenous communities. He has been with Ulnooweg for over 23 years. His most recent works have been involved in the creation and implementation of the new national Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund, implementation of Ulnooweg Education Centre’s STEAM based education under the Science and Innovation program and the recent acquisition of 200 acres of old growth forest land Asitu’l~sk (formerly Windhorse Farm), focussed on creating a space for healing and education. He is currently a Board member of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Centre for Local Prosperity, the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia, and Chair of Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia. Chris holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from St. Francis Xavier University. He has served on other boards including most recently InnovaCorp, the National Aboriginal Capital Corporation Association and the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce.
Shaun Soonias
Shaun is a member of Red Pheasant Cree Nation, a signatory of Treaty 6 located south of Battleford, Sask. As Director of Indigenous Relations, his focus is on activities that will enable economic development for Indigenous communities, including increasing participation in and access to capital for primary production through the agri-food and agribusiness value chains. Shaun also builds intersections for growth, understanding, learning, employment, partnership, research and knowledge dissemination between government, industry, nonprofits, academia and Indigenous stakeholders through FCC’s national network of partners and industry stakeholders. Shaun joined FCC in 2019, eager to be part of the agriculture industry and work with Indigenous individuals, communities and economic development corporations as they build and revitalize their agriculture projects. He has 25 years of experience in social and economic development work and held senior positions with the Saskatchewan Indigenous Economic Development Network, Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth, the University of Saskatchewan and the department of Justice.