Written by: Jennifer Scott, National Communications Manager

On the evening of June 27th, CPAWS hosted a reception in Ottawa with friends, colleagues and decision-makers to celebrate the steps being taken to advance protected areas across Canada in a framework of reconciliation.

In attendance were members of the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Environment Ministers’ delegations, the federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Canada’s staff, senior ECCC staff working on the Nature Fund file, Indigenous leaders and conservation and philanthropic leaders. For some, it was an opportunity to meet their counterpart at other agencies and begin to forge the relationships that would be integral to advancing work on the protected areas file. While for others, it was an opportunity to see familiar faces from across the country and congratulate one another on successes thus far.

The evening also included the presentation of three awards and some brief remarks by honoured guests. A video of the full awards presentation is available on the CPAWS Facebook page.

Aran O’Carroll, CPAWS Interim National Executive Director, offering words of welcome.

Larry McDermott, Algonquin elder, welcomed the guests to the unceded, ancestral, and traditional Algonquin Territory. Elder McDermott provided an opening prayer and comment on advancing protected areas in a framework of reconciliation.

Aran O’Carroll introduces Peter Kendall, President of the Schad Foundation, and Cathy Wilkinson, Senior Advisor of the International Boreal Conservation Campaign to provide a comment from a funders perspective.

Both Mr. Kendall and Ms. Wilkinson take a turn at the podium to express their respective organization’s vision for conservation both in Canada and internationally, as well as their optimism for the opportunities currently set before the country.

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna – pictured here with Alison Ronson, National Director, Parks Program – was pleasantly surprised when presented with an environmental leadership award for making conservation a high priority in the federal budget.

On Twitter Minister McKenna later shared “I am proud that #YourBudget2018 made the largest investment in nature in Canadian history. Now, it is time to work even harder with other levels of government, NGOs and Indigenous partners to ensure that we meet Canada’s biodiversity targets. Thanks for a great evening, @CPAWS!”

Alberta Deputy Minister of the Environment and Parks Eric Denfoff – pictured here with Kecia Kerr, Executive Director of CPAWS Northern Alberta – accepted an award on behalf of Minister Shannon Phillips in recognition of her leadership to collaboratively advance protected areas in a framework of reconciliation even in one of the most complex landscapes in Canada. Deputy Minister Denhoff, then took to the podium to say a few words of thanks on behalf of Minister Phillips.

Michelle Miller, Executive Director of the Kaska Dene Council – pictured here with Florence Daviet, CPAWS National Director of the Forest Program – accepted an award on behalf of Valerie Courtois, Executive Director of the Indigenous Leadership Institute for her leadership in convening her Indigenous colleagues on the Indigenous Guardian Program. Ms. Miller then took to the podium to say a few words of thanks on behalf of Ms. Courtois and to Elder McDermott for the welcoming to the unceded, ancestral, and traditional Algonquin Territory.

Aran O’Carroll returned to the podium with a few short closing remarks and invited everyone to enjoy the evening and socialize as another long day of meetings awaited them the next day.