Economic Partnership Summit Week 4: Indigenous Tourism Strategies

The Indigenous Tourism Strategies is panel discussion with the following guests:

Shae Bird
Executive Director of Indigenous Tourism Alberta
Shae is originally from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island but is now proud to call Treaty 6, Edmonton, Alberta home. Shae has worked across Western Canada across five provinces and territories, leading an Indigenous tourism company in the Western Arctic, contracting for Multiple DMO’s in development and travel trade, and consulting work for various areas of the tourism industry. Shae has also found himself as a proxy on the board of directors with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada representing both the Northwest Territories and Alberta. Along with his role with Indigenous Tourism Alberta, Shae sits on multiple economic recovery task force groups across Alberta and was involved in the Call of Action document for the provincial government aimed at recovering Alberta's visitor economy, alongside 7 other senior industry leaders. 

Academically Shae holds a diploma in Business Administration and is in the final stages of his master’s degree in Tourism Management. Shae now holds the position as Executive Director for the Indigenous Tourism Alberta. 

Tracey Pascal
Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada Saskatchewan Regional Coordinator
Tracey Pascal is a member of the Pasqua First Nation, Treaty Four, in Saskatchewan. She was born in Thompson, Manitoba and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. Tracey’s background in communications started with the Government of Saskatchewan as a Communications Consultant. After that, Tracey became the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Advisor for Statistics Canada’s Aboriginal Communications Program. As an Advisor, Tracey connected with Aboriginal organizations and communities, primarily First Nation, to promote and raise awareness on the data collected by Statistics Canada on the Aboriginal population. This also included planning events and acting as co-trainer for a series of free introductory statistical training courses.

Tracey’s previous position was as Membership and Communications Manager for the First Nations Power Authority of Saskatchewan (FNPA), a not-for-profit, start-up mandated to assist First Nations communities in developing renewable energy projects. Tracey’s main role was to manage FNPA’s membership, plan FNPA’s Annual General Meeting and Conference, and engage First Nation communities to promote FNPA and its services. Tracey received a Bachelor of Arts from the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv), formerly the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC), with a major in English and minor in Indian Studies. In 2000, Tracey was funded by the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation and completed the Indian Communications Arts Summer Institute in Journalism at FNUniv. 

Juanita Marois
Executive Director of Metis Crossing
Juanita Marois is the Executive Director for Métis Crossing, and a proud citizen of Alberta’s Métis Nation. Juanita considers herself privileged to lead the exciting expansion of not only Alberta’s, but also Canada’s, first major Métis cultural gathering centre.
 
Juanita earned her MA degree in sustainable tourism development from the University of Alberta where she continued as a lecturer for 2 years in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation.
 
Juanita has worked in the tourism industry for over 15 years with organizations such as Northlands Park and Princess Tours. Her experience has expanded from a front-line practitioner, to a planner, researcher and consultant. She has had unique opportunities to participate in socio-economic development, Indigenous tourism, and community investment projects that now feed her collaborative approach to Métis Crossing. 

Brenda Holder
Owner/Operator of Mahikan Trails
Brenda Holder was born and raised in the Rockies in Jasper National Park and is pleased to follow her lineage as a traditional Cree/Iroquois Métis guide from the Kwarakwante of Jasper.  She is a Master Interpretive guide and is an active advocate of Indigenous Tourism

She has spent the last 20 years in tourism and has served on many Indigenous Tourism Advisory Boards and is presently the Chair for the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), and Chair for the new Alberta Chapter Indigenous Tourism Alberta (ITA).  Her accomplishments are extensive resulting in many prestigious awards for her work in using her company both in the entrepreneurial spirit and in educating the public about Métis culture.

Brenda took part in several film documentaries and one television series: Mahikan Trails was presented on Profiles of Success on Aboriginal People’s Television Network. In addition the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada released a video series called “The Power of Aboriginal Tourism” Featuring Mahikan Trails and Painted Warriors. 

Brenda is most often found guiding clients into the high alpine zones of the Rockies, or leading traditional medicine walks down in the valley bottoms.