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Program Information
Wise Practice Element 7: Collaborations, Partnerships, and External Relationships
“I left this training with new skills to have difficult conversations in environments of polarizing viewpoints and do so with integrity, kindness, and greater self-actualization. This training was truly a gift for better human relations.”
– Melissa, Town of Canmore, (Negotiation Skills Training Alumni)
Overview
Many Indigenous communities and organizations are in negotiations, or are preparing to negotiate, on important issues such as land claims, litigation, self-governance, fiscal arrangements, natural resources, co-management agreements, consultation, and business partnerships. You will explore foundational concepts in the negotiation process by exploring proven interest-based negotiation terminology and techniques.
Through experiential learning, case studies, and reflective activities, you will practice your negotiation skills and leave with new strategies to bring to the negotiating table.
What does the program offer?
- Community and organizational interest and position clarification to determine goals for negotiation outcomes
- Understand concepts, terminology, and objectives of interest-based negotiations
- A community- and individual-based approach to planning, participation, and support in the negotiation process
- How to prepare thoroughly for negotiations and navigate results
- Best practices for wise decision-making
- Expert advice on how to build strengths as a powerful negotiator
- Improve communication skills with proven techniques to increase clarity and improve outcomes
- Negotiate with a purpose
- Learn interactive problem solving and planning exercises
- Build your negotiating skills by participating in simulations, role-play, and improvisation
Who should register?
- Indigenous leaders and managers mandated to negotiate on behalf of their communities and organizations.
- Government negotiators and policy advisors who want to enhance their understanding of Indigenous negotiations environment and context.
- Private sector parties in negotiation with Indigenous entities and the Crown or municipalities.
- Lawyers, consultants, and advisors to Indigenous communities and governments.
- Indigenous leaders and managers involved in negotiations with funding agencies or other Indigenous organizations.
- Administrative and support staff responsible for preparing and supporting negotiations.
- Institutional and municipal staff.
Applicants must be ages 18+ at the program start date.
This program prioritizes Indigenous learners, and those working for Indigenous communities and organizations. Programs are filled on a first come, first served basis. Please register early to secure a confirmation of your spot.
Earn your Certificate
The Certificate of Indigenous Leadership, Governance and Management Excellence is awarded to individuals who recognize the importance of continuing education and have successfully completed a total of seven programs. The programs are strategically focused on building your capacity to assist your community and organization to successfully move forward into the era of self-determination and successful community economic development. All Intermediate offerings are counted towards the certificate, while Introductory programs do not. Learn more about what courses you require in order to achieve your certificate here.
Itinerary
To maximize learning for this program, students are required to dedicate approximately 40 hours during the week to this program.
- Complete pre-program assignments (approx. 2 hours)
- Participate in daily sessions, Sunday through Friday, according to the agenda.
- Complete homework outside of class time (approx. 4 hours)
In-person Indigenous Leadership Program Schedule:
- Starting Sunday, 5:30 pm with Dinner
- Monday to Thursday whole day includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Finishing Friday, 1:30 pm after Lunch
*Schedule is subject to change, more details coming soon.
Faculty
Elder Edmee Comstock
Edmee is the youngest of 17 children from one of the most important historical families of the Red River Settlement. Her great grandfather was John Bruce (Jean- Baptiste Bruce), the first president of the Métis Provisional Government at the Red River Colony. Louis Riel was his secretary.
Edmee considers herself blessed to be raised in a traditional Métis family with a strong work ethic and sense of community, spirituality, and belonging. In the early 1900’s, while others were hiding their culture, her father taught them to be proud of their heritage. This is a legacy she carries on today through her generous sharing of her cultural teachings, Michif language, and history through various educational outreach programs for youth and families.
Edmee’s calm, reflective and welcoming spirit urges everyone to forgive and march on, to not hurt anyone and to always help others. Wearing her Métis sash with great pride, she is now a well-respected elder and a beloved representative of the Bruce clan of the Red River Colony.
In 2012, Edmee was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the community.
Elder
Troy Chalifoux
Troy G. Chalifoux, a Cree-Métis, graduated from law at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta and admitted to the Bar in 1995.
Troy dedicated his practice to collaborative engagements involving Aboriginal issues, primarily those relating to lands, commercial transactions, and outstanding land claims and litigation. During those years he was legal counsel on a number of Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) and surrender claims and large commercial projects involving federal or reserve lands. In 2000, Troy joined what is now Indigenous Services Canada as a Senior Negotiator and continued his work on supporting litigation, land claims and various types of partnership negotiations affecting First Nations in Alberta. Troy has been involved with a number of settlements and continued to work on outstanding claims and inter-governmental negotiations in Alberta.
In 2002, Troy was awarded the Deputy Minister’s Circle of Excellence award for his work on the Claims Settlements Implementation Act (Bill c-37). In 2010, Troy participated in the negotiation and conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding for First Nation Education in Alberta between Alberta First Nations, Canada and the Province of Alberta and was again the recipient of the Deputy Minister’s award. In 2011, Troy was the recipient of the Aboriginal Role Models of Alberta Award, Justice Category. Currently, Troy is a sessional instructor with the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta. As Faculty Lead at Banff Centre’s Indigenous Leadership Program in Negotiation Skills Training, Troy has developed and instructed negotiation workshops for Indigenous communities and organizations throughout Canada. For the past 14 years, Troy has also served as member of the Kids Kottage Board of Directors, Edmonton’s only crisis nursery. From 2017-20, Troy was served as Director, Norquest College Board of Governors.
Faculty
Lorne Ternes
Lorne Ternes is a visionary leader providing counsel to diverse senior elected and appointed government and Aboriginal leaders. He has a reputation for delivering successful outcomes to complicated conflict situations through collaboration and innovation.
Working as a land agent gave Lorne insight regarding the necessity for effective management of the changing resource industry and community expectations. He appreciates his early work experience for providing a solid foundation of understanding regarding the intricacies of oil and gas resource development in Canada. Lorne served as an Alberta cabinet appointed Part-time Hearing Commissioner for the Alberta Energy Regulator from 2013 to 2017. He continues to be actively engaged in natural resource development and Indigenous matters.
“Bringing Aboriginal perspectives alive is one of my great passions. We need to understand each other and our shared history before we can have meaningful conversations and collaborate for an honourable future. It is a pleasure to speak at conferences and seminars and build those bridges of understanding," Lorne says.
Serving as part of the team that negotiated and drafted the Alberta Métis Settlements Legislation and over a dozen land claims represents high points in Lorne’s career. The same is true in his role as Lead Negotiator for Meadow Lake Tribal Council and Meadow Lake First Nations in self-government negotiations in Saskatchewan. These are examples of working with Canada’s laws to facilitate change benefiting a previously overlooked people without denying the rights of any other sector.
Working with the province of Alberta, resource developers, and First Nations and Aboriginal communities in developing policy, legislation, and a variety of agreements and understandings gives Lorne a front-row view of the continued importance of respectful negotiation.
Lorne teaches seminars at the University of Alberta’s School of Business, lectures regularly at The Banff Centre, and speaks at national and international conferences.
Other designations include:
- Awarded a 2008-09 Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Deputy Minister’s Pride and Recognition Award and the Alberta Premier’s Award of Excellence (Silver) in 2010.
- LLB, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB; BA (cum laude), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.
- Member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), International Right-of-Way Association, Alberta Chamber of Resources and the Circle for Aboriginal Relations (CFAR).
Faculty
Mike Shaw
Mike Shaw specializes in facilitating leadership and team development through experiential learning. As a faculty member with Leadership Development at Banff Centre, he designs and leads both indoor and outdoor sessions which animate content and theory through hands- on activities.
After receiving a B.Sc. in Physical Geography from the University of Victoria, Mike moved to Calgary. As a computer programmer for six years with an oil and gas company, he gained the valuable experience of working in a large organization. It was either his desire for instability in his life and / or his passion for the outdoors that led to a career move into the environs of the Rocky Mountains.
During the last 30 years Mike has led learning experiences for a wide range of clients- from youth groups to senior executives of corporations. He has gained a strong reputation for his ability to create a powerful and enjoyable learning environment, using the outdoors as a natural place for experimentation and trying out new ways of being. People appreciate his ability to create an environment of trust, safety and confidence amongst teams and in individuals.
Mike is the owner and senior facilitator with Pacific Center for Leadership, based in Canmore, AB. He is a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) the only certifying body in Canada for professional mountain guides. His diverse expertise brings a unique dimension to his work and the creative program elements that he offers.
Mike is a registered Strength Deployment Inventory facilitator and can skillfully integrate the learning from this tool (as well as other personality profiles) with powerful experiential elements.
One of his goals is to continue to learn, grow and try new experiences. Life has certainly continued to bring new adventures and insights!
Faculty
What's Included
Single Room
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Your program fee includes a single bedroom on the Banff Centre campus for the duration of your program.
Get connected with other artists on campus and focus on your projects in a creative environment while we take care of the day-to-day essentials.
Full Flex Meal Plan
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Using a credit-based system to dine on campus, our flexible meal plans allow you to select meals according to your own needs during your stay.
The Full Flex meal plan includes $58 credit per day, equivalent to breakfast, lunch and dinner at our Buffet service.
Banff Centre Amenities
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Enjoy free parking, wifi, and access to the Walter Philips Gallery while you are a guest at Banff Centre. Our Participant Resources team is also available to assist you with medical support or event information. See our Events Calendar to learn more about what’s going on at Banff Centre while you’re onsite.
Fitness and Recreation
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The Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation Centre is located in the lower floor of the Sally Borden Building, and provides all guests with access to our swimming pool, hot tub, steam room, climbing gym, fitness centre, spin studio, and gymnasium. Massage and physiotherapy appointments may also be booked ahead of time.
Group Seminars/Workshops
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Join in group seminars/workshops.
Learning Journals
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Learning Journals for course materials.
Paul D. Fleck Library and Archives
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The Paul D. Fleck Library and Archives - Current Services
The Library is delighted to support Banff Centre Participants, Artists, and Faculty with the following services:
- Open hours: 9:30 am to 1 pm, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Access to collections, including program relevant books, scores, artists’ books, recordings, periodicals, and object library.
- Library accounts for borrowing materials.
- Digital Library, on campus and remote access.
- Library research assistance, by appointment.
- Archives research, by appointment only.
Please email library@banffcentre.ca or archives@banffcentre.ca for more information or assistance.
Fees & Financial Assistance
(Includes Registration Fee of $35.00)
Up to a maximum of 30 participants per program
Financial assistance is available for Indigenous peoples or non-Indigenous peoples working for Indigenous organizations. Each request is reviewed individually based on submission of the Financial Assistance form available in the Student Portal.
More information about funding opportunities for our Leadership programs can be found here.
To be considered for financial assistance, please ensure that you select "Yes" to 'I would like to apply for financial assistance' during registration, and log into your Student Portal to complete your funding application form within 48 hours of submitting your initial registration. We strongly recommend timely submission of the funding form, to be considered. Note that we reserve the right to cancel registrants who select 'No' to financial assistance if payment and confirmation of attendance is not received within 7 days of registration.
Banff Centre will issue official tax receipts for eligible tuition fees and all financial assistance and awards as required by the Income Tax Act. You will receive a T2202 (Tuition and Enrolment Certificate) for eligible tuition fees paid and a T4A (Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income) for applicable financial assistance and awards.
How to Apply
Learn more about the steps to Complete Your Application.
Step 1:
Complete the Online FormIf you have requested financial assistance,please ensure that you log in to your Student Portal within 48 hours of registration, to submit your funding request form.
If you do not require financial assistance, please ensure that you log in to your Student Portal and complete confirmation of attendance and full payment as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days from completing step 1.
Note that non-completion within the timelines stated may result in your place being offered to the waitlist.
All programs, faculty, dates, fees, and offers of financial assistance are subject to change. Program fee is subject to applicable taxes. Banff Centre reserves the right to cancel a program up to seven days prior to program start date if there is insufficient enrolment, and in this case all fees will be refunded. Please note that Banff Centre is not liable for any personal/travel expenses incurred. Non-refundable fees and deposits will be retained upon cancellation. Any other fees are refunded at the discretion of the Banff Centre. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
