November 21st - 22nd 2012, Sheraton Wall Center, Vancouver, B.C.

DPRA and the First Nations Statistical Institute invite you to the 2012 Indigenous Statistics Conference: Data as a Tool for Change this November in beautiful downtown Vancouver.

Right now social, cultural, and economic capacity-building are at the forefront of the Indigenous consciousness. In the fight for success, knowledge is strength. Reliable data empowers First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities to make informed policy and program decisions that will shape the future.

Improve your understanding of Aboriginal data gathering and data-based decision-making by participating in the 2012 Indigenous Statistics Conference. Be there to learn from leading experts from the public and private sectors, form partnerships, and share best practices.

There is a tremendous amount of diversity in the challenges facing First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in northern and western Canada. The conference will reflect the complexity of these issues by focusing on 6 main themes:

  1. Health and well-being
  2. Education and labour market
  3. Economic development and community self-sufficiency
  4. At-risk populations
  5. New data initiatives
  6. Land, culture and resource management

Meaningful discussions around these issues, and the importance of data in addressing them, will include the consideration of: families and social networks, impact benefit agreements, population dynamics, urbanization, housing, and children and youth.

You do not need to be a statistician to enjoy this conference! The 2012 Indigenous Statistics Conference will be a beneficial learning experience for anyone working for Aboriginal organizations, band administration, public sector and private sector employees involved in program and policy related to the Indigenous population, and researchers.

Hotel Information - Click here

National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo"The availability of comprehensive, high quality and accessible information is crucial for First Nations to better measure and monitor well-being in our communities. This conference showcases how our people are using data and statistics to drive local decision-making in key areas such as education, health, economics, environment and housing"
- National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, Assembly of First Nations

Dr. Evan AdamsDr. Evan Adams will provide a Keynote Luncheon Address on Nov 22. "Dr. Evan Adams is a Coast Salish physician and has has served as Aboriginal Health Physician Advisor to Government and the First Nations Health Council, contributing to positive developments in health for all citizens in B.C. while making substantial improvements in service delivery to First Nations in the province. He was most recently appointed as the Deputy Provincial Health Officer". In April 2012, Dr. Adams was appointed Deputy Provincial Health Officer (DPHO) with responsibility for Aboriginal health. In this role, he supports the work of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), reports on the health of Aboriginal people in BC, and supports the development and operations of the First Nations Health Authority.

Chief Kim BairdChief Kim Baird's ancestral name is Kwuntiltunaat. The name is based on her great-great grandfather's name Kwuntilum. Chief Baird is the elected Chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation, a position she has held for six terms, since1999. Her focus as Chief is to move TFN forward as a model sustainable First Nations community since having the honour of implementing British Columbia's first urban treaty on April 3, 2009. This was the culmination of a number of successes she has achieved in her career.

Chief Kim Baird was the first woman, who was not an MLA, in BC history to address the BC Legislature on October 15, 2007 when the British Columbia Treaty Legislation process was initiated. Chief Baird has received a number of prestigious awards, including Kwantlen Polytechnic University Distinguished Alumni Award, Canada's Top 40 Under 40 Award, the National Aboriginal Women in Leadership Distinction Award, Vancouver Magazine's Power 50 Award, and Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award.

Chief Baird is the first First Nation representative on the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors. She is also a member of the BC Hydro, Mayors' Council on Transportation, First Nations Employment Society, the Aboriginal Skills Group, Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation, UBC Vancouver President's Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Chief Joe Mathias Scholarship Foundation, Canadian Electoral Democracy Association and the TFN Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. Chief Baird has been appointed to the Premier's Aboriginal Business Investment Council and the Minister's Advisory Council on Aboriginal Women. She is also a "Spark" mentor for the Girls Action Foundation. Chief Baird believes strongly in supporting professional and leadership development of young women.

She is a proud mother of three young daughters, Amy (age 8), Sophia (age 5), and Naomi (age 3).

Clint DavisClint Davis is theVice President of Aboriginal Affairs for TD Canada Trust. He was formerly the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), a national non-profit organization that supports Aboriginal business entrepreneurs. Clint, an Inuk from Nunatsiavut, was the National Director of Aboriginal Banking at BMO Bank of Montreal before joining CCAB. Prior to the bank, he held senior positions with the Government of Canada. Clint holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University and a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University. He is a Canada/US Fulbright scholar and a recipient of two scholarships from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. Clint is a Trustee on the Inuit Capital Strategy Trust for the Nunatsiavut Government.