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NATIONAL FIRST NATIONS Environmental Contaminants Program

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The Annual Selection Process has Three Main Phases:

Call for Proposals:

The NFNECP Program Coordinator, on behalf of the NFNECP Steering Committee, issues an annual call for proposals in late June. Publication of the Call for Proposals includes distributing a Brochure and Funding Application Guide to all First Nation communities across Canada, south of the 60th parallel. The distribution is by mass mail out, primarily to Chiefs and Community Health Directors / Representatives, and is supplemented by facsimile and email communication. This approach is intended to maximize Program awareness. Communities should have at least three months to develop and submit their proposals.

Proposal Evaluation:

To be eligible, proposals must fall within at least one of the NFNECP Steering Committee research priority areas and must involve a partnership between two or more First Nation communities. They must also meet the mandatory criteria as outlined in the Funding Application Guide.

Proposals that meet the requirements are then evaluated and rated by the NFNECP Selection Committee. The Selection Committee is comprised of First Nation representatives from each of Health Canada’s 7 major regions, south of the 60th parallel, across Canada. The Selection Committee meets annually to discuss proposal evaluations and to determine the ranking of each eligible proposal received for consideration. Selection Committee recommendations are dependent upon: good research ethics; projected outcome/results and utility of the proposals; annual program funding allocation; national relevance; alignment with program priority areas and/or research themes; and, the rated criteria as outlined in the Funding Application Guide. Selection Committee members are provided with science peer reviews where requested to help with their rated criteria evaluations.

Funding Review and Allocation:

Proposal rankings and recommendations resulting from the Selection Committee’s review meeting are provided to Health Canada for verification and consideration for funding. Next, all project teams are informed of the results of their respective proposal evaluations. Health Canada adheres to the Selection Committee’s recommendations subject to verification of tallied numerical scores, any possible funding constraints, and consideration of any late factors that may affect the ability of a project team to follow through with their project (e.g. principal investigator is no longer available to project, change in support for project by Chief and council).

Selected projects are funded directly by Health Canada, at the start of the fiscal year. The average project value is approximately $150K and the funding mechanism for each project is via contribution agreement. Any project that involves human subjects requires approval by the Health Canada Research Ethics Board . Health Canada will identify any such project and provide them with the required forms for REB review.

NFNECP Selection Committee

Selection Committee (All Members) 2009-2010

Back row: Shane Keepness, Tim Culligan, Elder Ken Goodwill, Jacob Pratt and Herman Michell.

Front Row: Kim McKay-McNabb, Melissa Hotain, Heather Dorries, Derina Peters, Geneviève Monnin, Elder Betty McKenna and Terrina Bellegarde.

OVERVIEW

The NFNECP Selection Committee meets annually, in person, to
finalize the list of eligible proposals (those that meet all of the mandatory criteria). Once the list is established, the Committee review and reconcile proposal, and determine proposal rankings.

Proposal evaluations are conducted based on the selection matrix in the NFNECP Funding Application Guide. Recommendations are made with consideration to the amount of funding available to NFNECP projects for the respective year and the relative ranking of the proposals evaluated. Health Canada bases funding decisions on the Selection Committee’s recommendations and financial policies of the federal government. Only the proposals that achieve a high enough standing, as determined by the Selection Committee, are recommended for funding.

MEMBERS

The Selection Committee includes seven Regional (voting) Members and several non-voting members: a Committee Chairperson, the Program Coordinator, two Elders, two Youth representatives, and a Health Canada representative. The non-voting members participate in discussion and contribute to debate on proposal rankings. The role of all members is to ensure relevance of the selected proposals and to build capacity within the community through learning about the committee work and process.

A Regional Selection Committee Representative cannot concurrently hold a position as an appointed Steering Committee Member. The Regional First Nation Representatives are appointed for three (renewable) year terms, drawn from the following regions:

British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
Atlantic (includes Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island)

MANDATE

To evaluate and make recommendations to Health Canada on proposals eligible for NFNECP funding based on the selection matrix in the Call for Proposals and the Funding Application Guide and funding amounts available for the respective year.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the NFNECP Selection Committee are:

To review and rate proposals on a yearly basis;
To uphold the NFNECP conflict of interest and confidentiality policies;
To provide input into the selection process;
To recommend a reasonable level at which to fund the rated proposals;
To take into account all available sources of pertinent information into rating and funding decisions;
To evaluate all proposals in an open, transparent, and accountable manner.

Selection Committee Members

	Terrina Bellegarde (2008 to present) Terrina has worked for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations since 2001. She received her education at the First Nations University of Canada and studied a degree in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Health and Science program. She has advocated for the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in the Saskatchewan science curriculum and participated in the Sask Learning pan Canadian science curriculum for grades 6 to 9. She was the FSIN Science Program Manager for 5 years and contributed in First Nations youth summer programming and mobile programming in the promotion of the math and sciences to K to 12. She continues to be committed to working with First Nations youth in her spare time she volunteers at family centres and First Nation communities presenting hands on science and math activities to children and youth. Terrina currently works with the FSIN Health and Social Development Secretariat as the Environmental Health Specialist. She acknowledges the great deal of environmental public health concerns on First Nation communities and strives to advocate to meet their needs.
	Derina Peters (2008 to present) Derina’s paternal ancestry is Squamish Nation and her maternal ancestry is Lil'wat Nation of British Columbia. She is passionate about the health and well-being of First Nations children, families, and communities, and dedicated to issues effecting First Nations of Canada. In her role as Junior Policy Analyst with the BC First Nations Health Council, she analyzes and disseminates information for current health and health-related policy and issues affecting BC First Nations. She also provides analysis and information management for the Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan and the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. Derina’s appointment as a Selection Committee Member of the National First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program, is directly related to her Policy role, which includes Environmental Health.

	Melissa Hotain Environment Policy Analyst, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (2003 to present) Melissa has a wide range of experience in dealing with various levels of local, provincial and federal governments through her work in environment and more extensively in self-government negotiations for her First Nation. Upon completion of her Environment Practicum on the Tsuu Tina First Nation in Alberta she worked for Indian Oil and Gas Canada before returning to serve her community in various capacities including self government negotiations and as elected Councilor for her First Nation. Her current position is Environment Policy Analyst for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, a position she has held for the last four years. Melissa participates in various international, national and regional committees related to land, water and environmental issues. She is responsible for research, planning, policy analysis and strategic policy development on a comprehensive range of matters related to the environment. She is honoured to work with and for First Nations people for a united purpose of protecting Mother Earth. Melissa’s goal for First Nations is to revitalize and apply our traditional origins and knowledge when developing sustainable environmental plans for the future. She utilizes and encourages planning and decisions based on the Dakota Seven Generations concept which demonstrates the philosophy of assessing actions and decisions based on the health and well being of our future generations.
	Chantelle Cardinal (2007 to present) biography coming soon
	Tim Culligan (2003 to present) Tim Culligan has worked with First Nations communities for over twenty-one years and previously worked with Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) as a district engineer for the province of New Brunswick. Tim currently works as an engineer with the North Shore Micmac District Council. Tim Assists First Nations Bands with community planning/infrastructure development. He currently resides at Belledune, New Brunswick with his wife who is an intensive care nurse and his two sons who also are engineers.

Click on image to enlarge photo

Selection Committee (All Members) 2008-09

2008-09

Back Row- Elder Ken Goodwill, Melissa Hotain, Zoltan Fabian and Tim Culligan
Front Row - Audra Jo Isaac, Heather Dorries, Tania Moore, Elder Betty McKenna, Kim McKay-McNabb, Martin Paul, Carrie Bourassa and Chantelle Cardinal

2007-08

2006-07

Back Row – Constantine Tikhonov, Zoltan Fabian
Front Row – Kim McKay-McNabb, Michelle DeGroot, Carrie Bourassa, Wendy Mortimer, Tim Culligan and Martin Paul

2009-2010

Melissa Hotain, Heather Dorries, Derina Peters

Terrina Bellegarde & Tim Culligan

2010 - 2011

Melissa Hotain, Terrina Bellegarde,

Tim Culligan & Chantelle Cardinal

NATIONAL FIRST NATIONS
Environmental Contaminants
Program

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Steering Committee Elders

Our Elders role with the NFNECP Selection committee is to:

· Observe the selection process

· Share wisdom and provide guidance, knowledge, and leadership

· Help build consensus, set the “tone” for the meeting

· Function as the NFNECP Selection Committee Conflict of Interest Coordinators

· Encourage positive and productive dialogue among all participants

Elder Kenneth Goodwill

Elder Ken is from Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation. He is the resident elder at the First Nations University and he is also a lecturer for some of the Indigenous Health Studies classes offered at the same university.

Elder Betty McKenna

Elder Betty McKenna is from the Aninishnabae Nation, Shoal River Band. She is very knowledgeable on many traditional teachings, which she has learned from her grandmother and also from teachings from various other Elders.

Elder Betty was appointed by former Premier Roy Romanow to the College of Physicians and Surgeons Council of Saskatchewan. She serves on the a number of committees, including the National Elders Advisory and Correctional Services Canada.

Steering Committee Members

The Steering Committee for the First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program is responsible for oversight of the program Office and research selection process. The members are informed of program status and issues, and provide confirmation of direction in all policy issues. Steering Committee members also provide review and input of research proposals in the annual review process.

Kim McKay-McNabb

Kim McKay-McNabb, MA

Assistant Professor

Doctoral Student – Clinical Psychology Programme

Kim McKay-McNabb is a First Nations woman originally from Sakimay First Nation. She is the mother of four sons and one daughter and she is a wife. Kim is the coordinator of the National First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program that assists First Nations communities in response to the levels of exposure and human health impacts of environmental contaminants in their territories south of the 60^th parallel. Kim is also completing the final requirements for her PhD in Clinical Psychology and plans to graduate in 2010. Her research interests are Environmental Health, Aboriginal Health, Aboriginal sexual health, Aboriginal communities and HIV/AIDs and End of Life Health Care with Aboriginal communities. She is a community-based researcher who believes in action-based research. Her involvement with community based research projects are of the most importance and she strives to assist and empower Aboriginal communities to heal and continue to have health and wellness.

Dr. Herman Michell, B.A., MEd., PhD.

Dr. Herman Michell is originally from the small fishing/trapping community of Kinoosao, on the eastern shores of Reindeer Lake in northern Saskatchewan. He speaks fluent Cree (‘th’ dialect) and also has Inuit, Dene and Swedish ancestry.

Dr. Michell has been involved in the field of Aboriginal higher education in different capacities for over ten years. He is a tenured professor at First Nations University of Canada and has taught undergraduate courses in Indigenous Health Studies, Education, and Environment.

In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Michell sits on numerous internal and external committees including having served on the Board of Governors at First Nations University of Canada as a faculty representative for seven years. His administrative experience includes completion of a three-year term as Department Head of Science. He is currently the Vice President of Academics at First Nations University of Canada.

As part of his academic endeavors, Dr. Michell has traveled both nationally and internationally (South Africa, Netherlands, England, South America, West Indies, Barbadoes). Dr. Michell regularly visits pre-service teacher education programs as a guest lecturer on the topic of Indigenous-based education. He is also called upon as a guest speaker on numerous occasions to address youth in First Nation communities and schools in relation to pursuing careers in science and health-related fields.

Dr. Constantine (Costi) Tikhonov (H/Canada)

Chief, Research and Monitoring

Environmental Research Division

Bio to come!

Tebogo Mabote (H/Canada)

Bio to come

Genevieve Monnin (H/Canada)

Bio to come!

Taskin Shirazi (AFN)

Taskin Shirazi works as a Policy Analyst in the Environmental Stewardship Unit of the Assembly of First Nations. Taskin has had a variety of environmental-related jobs in the private sector, government and non-governmental organizations, including:

Ontario Ministry of the Environment as a Drinking Water Assessment Officer and as a Phytotoxicology Technician

Environment Canada as a Climate Research Assistant and Policy Analyst and

Pollution Probe (a non-profit environmental organization), working in the area of sustainable transportation and land use.

Taskin’s academic background in cludes a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and a M.Sc. in Physical Geography (Hydrology). She completed her Master’s thesis on permafrost hydrology in the sub-alpine tundra of the Yukon Territory.

Stuart Wuttke (AFN)

Bio to come!

Steering Committee Youth Members

Our Youth Members provide valuable insight, from the perspective of First Nations youth, on the program and its operation. They also are learning to take on the leadership role within the community – thereby building capacity within the First Nations population.

Jacob Pratt

Bio to come

Shane Keepness

Bio to come!

February 22, 2012

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