Jim Sinclair, Broxburne Consultants
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Jim Sinclair was born June 3rd, 1933 in Punnicy, Saskatchewan of Indian parents denied their status under the Indian act. They were subjected to treatment by the Canadian government as part of a group of aboriginal people with no rights and subsequently lived in a squatter community on a road allowance with no essential services or facilities. A road allowance is usually a bush covered 66 foot wide strip of public land reserved by the crown for road building purposes. Jim was educated at various district schools that accepted road allowance students “in part” but would not allow these students access to hot lunch programs. These children were excluded and Jim recalls often going to school hungry because his parents were considered squatters and not tax paying citizens.
Mr. Sinclair’s first political involvement began in the Lestock-Punnicy district of Saskatchewan where an active Métis organization had thrived for several years. Jim became involved in the “Redpower” movement and began his work as a field agent with the Métis society in 1964, where his principle responsibilities were to organize local community chapters. In 1967, he was elected to the board of the newly reconstituted Métis society and subsequently was elected president of “the association of Métis and non-status Indians of Saskatchewan (AMNIS) in 1971. Jim held this position until 1987 and during the ensuing 20 years AMNIS worked diligently to improve the living conditions of its constituents. With Jim’s leadership and stewardship AMNIS sought to have the rights of aboriginal peoples formally recognized and in so doing became one of the most powerful and effective voices for aboriginal rights in Canada. AMNIS was also the first aboriginal organization to implement a democratic “one person, one vote” election process.
Jim was a founding member of the native council of Canada (now known as the council for aboriginal peoples (cap) and served as its first interim president. Jim pursued avenues to entrench the rights of Métis and non-status Indians in Canada’s constitution, a battle he successfully achieved, by leading numerous delegations to the United Nations, the British monarchy, British and European parliaments, the archbishop of Canterbury and the Vatican. Jim also led the vanguard in Canada to force the federal government to amend the Indian act to allow for Indian people, primarily women, who had been denied their status, to regain it. This work was instrumental and contributed to the enactment of bill C31 which provided for partial redress of Indian status citizenship issues in Canada.
Jim is best remembered for his actions in 1982 wherein he became the first and only aboriginal leader to take legal action against a sitting prime minister of Canada, in pursuit of the inclusion of Métis representation , firstly as a nationally recognized aboriginal entity and secondly as a bonafide member of other national aboriginal groups invited to participate and negotiate with first ministers at first ministers conferences constituted to negotiate the rights and powers of aboriginal peoples within Canada’s newly repatriated constitution. This court action solidified the formalization of the Métis national council which Jim led for a number of years. In 1987 during the last of four failed first ministers conferences on aboriginal constitutional matters, Jim took a strong and much-publicized stand with those provincial premiers whom he felt had failed to negotiate in good faith and has been perpetuated in celluloid within the national film board documentary entitled: “Dancing around the Table” and today Jim’s words echo and stand the test of time in the context of how the failure to reach an agreement has impacted both non-aboriginal and aboriginal relations to this day.
Until 2005 Jim led the congress of aboriginal peoples of Canada and Saskatchewan continuing his work on the definition of rights and powers, housing, institutional racism, aboriginal title , hunting , fishing and trapping rights, education, learning and training, economic and business development; as well as numerous community social development issues.
Today, Jim remains a strong voice in the Saskatchewan first nation’s community working tirelessly in the affirmation and assertion of treaty rights, sharing his knowledge with regard to both the historic spirit and intent legacy in juxtaposition to and in context with modern day interpretation and application.
- In November of 2006, Jim received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation for his work in politics.
- In March of 2004 Jim received the Order of the Métis Nation for his contributions to its citizens.
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Dona Desmarais, Broxburne Consultants
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Dona Desmarais has a comprehensive background and knowledge of Saskatchewan’s First Nations and Métis communities and has established solid relationships of trust in the Saskatchewan Aboriginal community. Her academic background includes 3 years of a 4 year BA advanced program from a First Nations University, with completed double majors in both English and political science credits.
From 1992 – 2008, Ms Desmarais held numerous positions at SASKENERGY including Director, Aboriginal Relations as well as Manager, Workplace Diversity & Aboriginal Partnerships, Employee & Organizational Development and Corporate Development. During her 16 year tenure at SASKENERGY, Ms. Desmarais was invited to participate in a 5 year secondment term to the Prince Albert Grand Council where she accepted the position as Special Advisor to the Grand Chief. The Prince Albert Grand Council represents 26 communities and over 33,000 members affiliated to12 First Nations Bands. In this position, Dona served as a member of the senior management team with portfolios in strategic business planning, duty to consult, business development, community capacity/ asset building, organizational development and communications. Mr. Desmarais was also invited for a one year secondment to the Saskatoon Tribal Council where she served as the Director of Business Development. As a senior management team member, Ms. Desmarais facilitated in the planning and implementation of business development initiatives for this 7 band member Tribal Council. Prior to this Ms. Desmarais worked for the Association of Métis and Non-Status Indians of Saskatchewan(AMNSIS) for more than 18 years where she held senior positions that included; Chief Executive Officer of the Métis Economic Development Foundation and the Executive Director for Association of Métis & Non-Status Indians of Saskatchewan.
Ms. Desmarais has also served on many Boards and Commissions, most notably; Chair for the Conference Board of Canada ,Council on Aboriginal Relations; Chair of the Canadian Energy and Pipeline Association, The Banff Centre – Chair of the Aboriginal Program Council, Chair of the Gabriel Dumont Institute Of Applied Arts & Sciences, and Chair of the Saskatchewan Native Economic Development Corp and founding member and Chair for the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Government Employees Network.
She has served as a member of the Women’s Advisory Committee to the Leader of Opposition; the
National Aboriginal Constitutional Tripartite Team and Provincial Aboriginal Constitutional Negotiations Team, the Mayor’s Task Force on Aboriginal People – Regina and the Regina Economic Development Authority – Aboriginal Council, and Board of Director for Wanuskewin Heritage Park.
Ms Desmarais is currently a consultant developing and facilitating agreements and processes with First Nations. Ms. Desmarais is a member of the Ahtahkakoop First Nation.
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