Member Profiles

Carrie Terbasket

Carrie Terbasket is a member of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band of the Okanagan Nation located in the Southern Interior of British Columbia; an area containing some of the most threatened ecosystems and species in Canada. Carrie is Environmental Coordinator and elected Councillor for her band. She is Chair and co-founder of the South Okanagan-Similkameen Syilx Environmental Committee (SOSSEC), a group of committed individuals who strive for meaningful First Nations participation in the conservation arena throughout the Okanagan Nation and beyond. Carrie is committed to Naqsm’ist, an Okanagan word for “Many Becoming One”, by creating functional relationships between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal communities working towards conservation within Okanagan Territory and beyond. Carrie has a strong belief and value system deeply rooted in the protection of our Mother Earth and her work reflects that. She believes that weaving the Traditional Way of Life into environmental policy and programming initiatives will ensure the survival of All Our Relations for tomorrow and always. Carrie is also the proud mother of Madison, Liam, and Abigail and Aunt to many nieces and nephews.

James Goudie

James Goudie, better known as Jim, is native to Northern Labrador. He grew up in a traditional Inuit household in Postville, Nunatsiavut, within the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area of Labrador. As a young man, Jim was fond of the outdoors and enjoyed taking part in his family’s traditional Inuit lifestyle which consisted of hunting, fishing and harvesting from the land.

Mr. Goudie attended Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Bachelors where he studied Petroleum Engineering Technology and also attended Memorial University of Newfoundland for a short period. In 2002, Jim returned to his beloved homeland where he worked as a Fisheries Guardian with the former Labrador Inuit Association (LIA). In 2004, he was promoted to the Wildlife Stewardship Facilitator position where he worked on Species at Risk projects and education programs for the region. Further to those responsibilities, Mr. Goudie was given the task of working on all forestry and climate change files for his department.It was in this position that he co-authored the Newfoundland and Labrador Polar Bear Management plan and took part in the 2005 wolverine aerial survey. The wolverine assessment was the largest study, covering the largest area, to ever be conducted in Labrador. In 2006, Jim was once again promoted to a new position as Wildlife Manager with the newly formed Nunatsiavut Government (former LIA).

Jim is currently residing in Postville with his children, and is an active parent in the local school council as well as a full-time member of the Canadian Rangers. Since 2006, Jim has continued to be an invaluable employee of the Nunatsiavut Government. As a Wildlife Manager, Jim is responsible for all issues regarding terrestrial wildlife and marine mammals. He currently sits on a number of boards including the National Inuit Committee on Climate Change, the Institute for Environment, Monitoring and Research, the Labrador Woodland Caribou Recovery Team, the Labrador Wolverine Working Group as well as the Atlantic Aboriginal Species Protection Committee. Over the past 5 years, Mr. Goudie has also worked extensively with colleagues from other Inuit organizations and regions including ITK on pan Inuit issues. Mr. Goudie continues to be actively involved in working on current CITES, seal and caribou issues. Jim was selected by Environment Canada to attend a CITES Meeting in Qatar to address the issues of polar bear listing and trade, on behalf of Canada.

Jeffery James Stevens

Jeffery Stevens is a Micmaq and a long-standing member of the Native Council of Nova Scotia (NCNS), an affiliate of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. NCNS represents the interests of Status and non-Status Indians living off-reserve in Nova Scotia. Mr. Stevens is the owner and operator of a silviculture business, which employs eight people throughout the year. He is a member of the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation, Landscape Nova Scotia, the Mahone Bay Island Conservation Society and lkanawtiket, an Aboriginal environmental organization focused on Atlantic Canada. Through his work with these non-profit organizations, Mr. Stevens has developed a broad understanding of the Species at Risk Act and a good understanding of the linkages between SARA implementation policies and on-the-ground actions. He is a member of the Atlantic Whitefish Recovery Team, which has recently completed a SARA Recovery Strategy and is nearing completion of a SARA Action Plan. As a member of this recovery team, Mr. Stevens has actively promoted the collaboration of Aboriginal peoples and the public to be involved in all aspects SARA. His understanding of Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge in the areas of fishing and stream life are an ongoing asset to the recovery team. Mr. Stevens participated in the 2009 NACOSAR National Aboriginal Species at Risk Workshop held in Halifax and has been closely involved with discussions concerning the future of Aboriginal engagement in the protection of wildlife species in Canada.

Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People – President Brad Maggrah

President Brad Maggrah was born and raised in Wabigoon – a historic Métis community in Northwestern Ontario. For many years, he worked in the forest industry while supporting and raising his family.

Approximately 25 years ago, Brad became interested in the welfare of his fellow Aboriginal Peoples, which resulted in him becoming involved in Aboriginal politics.

Over the years, he has been involved with various organizations at both the community and provincial level.

Currently, Brad is the President of the Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People (OCAP) which formed to represent the interests of Off-Reserve Status, Non-Status and Métis Aboriginal Peoples in the province of Ontario.

Recently, Brad was invited by the Federal Minister of the Environment to sit as a member of the National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NASOCAR). The role of the NASOCAR is to advise the Federal Minister of the Environment on the administration of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and to provide advice and recommendations to the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council.

Raymond Laliberte

Prior to applying for National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR), Raymond Laliberte contributed the majority of his career & time focusing on Northern community and Aboriginal socio-economic challenges that provide practical solutions to sometimes complex issues regarding Health and Wellness; Community Development; Aboriginal Rights and Metis Governance to seek that common ground and enhance our overall meaningful participation and development in Saskatchewan and Canada.

Raymond in his early career showed his aboriginal community leadership by becoming the first National Youth President of the National Association of Friendship Centres and inspiring youth to organize through empowerment, cultural & community development initiatives and positive growth motivation. Raymond was fortunate enough to meet & be educated by aboriginal elders throughout Northern Saskatchewan while major changes were occurring in Canada to aboriginal peoples and communities, such as: the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution; Defining Aboriginal in Section #35 and Canadian Supreme Court rulings on Aboriginal Duty to consult and accommodate. The insight provided by these Elders teachings, benefited and allowed Raymond to share, relate & apply them to a community scope, provide leadership and gain additional front line experience in the capacity as the Municipal Mayor of Buffalo Narrows and as a Metis Nation – Saskatchewan Executive member and currently Northern Lights School Division public school division board member.

Raymond has spent many hours serving as a volunteer board member for broad range of community issues related to Health, Education, Employment and Economic Development. Some of the most notable management board responsibilities where Raymond worked as a team member to contribute to their overall governance, organizational development and provided policy directives to, were: Buffalo Narrows Economic Development Corporation; Northwest Metis Council “Northern Project” which explored & researched Metis Governance; Metis Addictions Corporation of Saskatchewan, Metis Employment & Training of Saskatchewan Inc; Provincial Metis Housing Corporation; Gabriel Dumont Institute; Northern Labour Market Committee and Keewatin Career Development Corporation.

Raymond who is of Metis descent, continues to advocate for strong family values; while living a healthy lifestyle with his wife Bev and their two children, in Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan.

Regional Chief Eric Morris
Assembly of First Nations
Yukon Region

Eric’s Indian name is Guchnauw meaning Dead Wolf “One Who Disciplines”. He was born into the Dahkleweidi – Eagle Clan of the Inland Tlingit of Teslin, Yukon. His post secondary education was primarily in the field of Education and was employed by Teslin Tlingit Council for many years in their Educational Programs.

Eric Morris held the position of Deputy Chief for 3 years and then Chief of the Teslin Tlingit Council (a Self Governing First Nation) for 8 years. He held the position of Acting Grand Chief to the Council of Yukon First Nations and has sat on various Committees, Working Groups and Boards.

He was elected as Regional Chief for Yukon in July of 2009 and in September of that year was appointed by the National Chief to the Environment and Economy Portfolio. This portfolio includes generally: Climate Change; Fostering a Green Economy; Skills Development and Training; Infrastructure and Housing; Northern Strategy; and Fisheries. He also serves on the Management Committee which includes: Finance Committee; Sustainability Audit; Consideration of Electoral Procedures and Future Structural Change; Special Projects and Initiatives; and Veterans.

Regionally the Regional Chief has been involved in many areas as time will allow. He has sat on many advisory groups such as the HINI Pandemic; the Round Table Task Force on Poverty; Task Force on Acutely Intoxicated Persons at Risk and the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative. He has participated in conferences and workshops dealing with Holistic Health, Homelessness; Poverty Reduction, Oil and Gas; Land Use Planning in the North; First Nation Governance; Food Security and Climate Change; Northern Partnerships (Economic Development in the North); Yukon Education Summits; Residential School; Languages, etc.

Regional Chief Morris has been selected as a member of the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Community of Interest Advisory Panel which includes representatives from Aboriginal organizations and communities, NGOs, mining communities, labor and the investment community. Its mandate is to help The Mining Association of Canada (MAC) members and communities of interest improve the industry’s sustainability performance, to advise MAC on the design and implementation of its TSM initiative, to raise sustainability issues of concern to the mining industry and its communities of interest, and to foster dialogue between the industry and these communities of interests.

He has been appointed as a member of the National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR) by the Minister of the Environment. NACOSAR was created pursuant to the Species at Risk Act to advise the Minister of the Environment on the administration of the Ace and provide advice and recommendations to the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council.

Regional Chief Roger Augustine

Roger Augustine is the Regional Chief of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. He is from the Eel Ground First Nation in N.B. Regional Chief Augustine has been an elected member of the AFN Executive Committee since December 2008. Regional Chief Augustine was the Chief of Eel Ground First Nation for 16 years and was a Band Counselor for another 2 years. He is also the Chairman for The Center of Indigenous Environmental Resources (www.mb.cier.ca).

Roger Augustine has been involved in politics, economic development, and the environment for over 30 years. Mr. Augustine, a Mi’kmaq from New Brunswick, was Chief of Eel Ground First Nation from 1980 to 1996. Prior to that, he served on council for four years.

During his time as a community leader, Mr. Augustine co-founded the Atlantic Policy Congress (APC), which is the political voice for First Nations Chiefs in Atlantic Canada. He also co-founded the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council. In 1981, Mr. Augustine was one of several dozen representative Chiefs from across Canada who signed the historic 1981 Declaration of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights.

Mr. Augustine considers one of his greatest career accomplishments to be in the field of addictions treatment. After receiving specialized credentials from St. Francis Xavier University in Drug and Alcohol Education, Mr. Augustine made enormous strides in dealing with addiction in his community by introducing a curriculum for Eel Ground Federal School. During his tenure as Chairman of National Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board he received several awards in his field. He is still chairman of the Rising Sun Treatment Centre at Eel Ground.

Mr. Augustine served as a commissioner on the Indian Claims Commission (ICC) for 10 years, and is currently chair of the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER). He is also a trained mediator (Alternative Dispute Resolution, University of Waterloo), a member of the ADR Institute of Ontario, and has used his skills in crisis response situations.

A father of three and grandfather of eight, Mr. Augustine has been affiliated with the Assembly of First Nations since 2003, first as a special advisor and Chief of Staff since 2007, and now as Regional Chief.