Regional awards recognize Métis entrepreneurial spirit

“At a time when there are a lot of stressors in our community, awards such as these are exactly what we need,” said Mark Laycock, director of Métis Calgary Family Services of the recognition received at the annual Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3 Entrepreneurial Awards held in late April. “In a sense it’s a way of qualifying and sanctioning the work we do. Dealing with families in crisis is difficult work.”  Métis Calgary Family Services was acknowledged with two awards in recognition of the organization’s support and service to the Métis community. MCFS was also recognized for its Native Network, a community voice mail service modelled after the one launched by the Lu’ma Native Housing Society in Vancouver in 2010 to provide phone numbers to homeless and phoneless people.

 “We have two long-term employees who are retiring after 15-20 years, so the award is a nice exclamation mark to their body of work. At Métis Calgary Family Services, people don’t come because of their profession and job, they are there because of the cause, a healthier community and a healing path,” said Laycock.

Sandra Sutter, president of Calgary’s Aboriginal Friendship Centre and owner of Sutterink II, a business and Aboriginal relations consulting company, accepted her award in the same vein. Multi-talented with over 20 years of community involvement, Sutter is a volunteer, singer-songwriter, entertainer, public speaker and mentor. Her current work is with the newly-formed Métis Women’s Economic Security Council, a five-year project created to help economic and social aspirations of Aboriginal women in the province. Established by former Minister of Aboriginal Relations, Robin Campbell, the council’s ultimate goal is to build sustainability and self-sufficiency.

“We don’t want to remain dependent on government, and we want to best use the financial support available to create lasting change,” said Sutter.

Having served for a year on the board of the National Association of Friendship centres, Sutter said she accomplished her goals of transparency and reporting, prior to stepping down to allow Nelson Mayer to assume the role of president.

Like Laycock, Sutter said she was shocked and honoured to receive the recognition. She is passionate about the work of the friendship centres which she says are important and relevant to urban Aboriginals.

Other recipients of this year’s Entrepreneurial Awards included Bob Gray, for his humanitarian work with Aboriginal veterans ; and two-time recipient Tim Brabant for his successful company, Skyline Concrete, which he and his wife have run for the past 12 years. He describes the family business as “a full service concrete company from dirt to done.” Skyline has been focussing on commercial and industrial work in the oil and gas sector in remote areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan. With 12-14 year round employees, Skyline has experienced continuous growth of 20-25 per cent each year.

Hope Henderson, vice-president University Advancement of Mount Royal University, was acknowledged for her corporate success as were Randy Fedderson, of Randy Fedderson Agencies Inc., and Dale Lee, of DL Petroleum Engineering & Consulting Ltd.

About the awards overall, Laycock said, “Entrepreneur in the name speaks more to the spirit that is nurtured and manifests itself among the Aboriginal community.”

Photo caption: Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3 representatives President Marlene Lanz, at the podium, and Vice-President Joseph Pimlot (to her immediate left) with Mark Laycock, Donald Zboya and Lori Anne Houle of Metis Calgary Family Services.