New Relationship Trust Board

The New Relationship Trust Board was appointed by the Province on April 4, 2006. The trust is an independent corporation which has received $100 million from British Columbia for its purposes.

Government collaborated with the First Nations Summit, Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Assembly of First Nations on establishing the legislation and appointments to the board of directors.

The New Relationship Trust Act took effect on March 31, 2006. It allows government to transfer $100 million to an independent corporation governed by seven directors who will manage the funds. The New Relationship Trust was established to provide First Nations with the tools, training and skills to participate in the New Relationship with government so they can effectively participate in land and resource management, land-use planning processes and development of social, economic and cultural programs for their communities.

The first board of directors is appointed to an eight-month term. Over that time, the board of directors will solicit and consider input from First Nations and the public to develop a three-year strategic plan, which will set out the goals, specific outcomes, performance measures and annual budget for the fund. Once the strategic plan has been approved and made public, First Nations will be able to access the Trust funds. The first directors will also set up the policies and procedures for the Trust in their eight-month term. A subsequent board of directors will be selected, based on the skills and competencies developed by the first board. All subsequent directors will serve a two-year term.

The board of the New Relationship Trust will adhere to strict accountability measures and reporting mechanisms. The directors must prepare a number of plans, reports and statements for the public record, including:

  • The three-year strategic plan
  • Annual updates of the strategic plan
  • Annual audited financial statements
  • A five-year review of the Act

The board of directors consists of:

A-in-chut (Shawn Atleo) is a Hereditary Chief from the Ahousaht First Nation and Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations. He has served as co-chair of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, and has extensive experience as a leader, negotiator, facilitator, and mediator. He holds a master's degree in education and completed executive management training at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. As President of Umeek Human Resource Development Inc., he is also an experienced strategic planner.

Dawn Farrell joined BC Hydro as an executive vice-president in May 2003. Ms. Farrell is responsible for managing BC Hydro's generation assets. Before joining BC Hydro, Ms. Farrell spent over 17 years with TransAlta. Ms. Farrell has a bachelor of commerce degree with a major in finance and a master's degree in economics. She also attended the advanced management program at Harvard University.

Donald Hayes is president and principal shareholder of Hayes Forest Services Limited. Mr. Hayes graduated from the University of British Columbia with a bachelor of commerce in 1982 and earned his designation as a chartered accountant in 1985. Mr. Hayes has served as the chairman of the Cowichan Economic Development Commission, director and vice-chairman of the Truck Loggers Association of BC, and a director of Forest Renewal BC. He is currently a director of the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Nathan Matthew is a Secwepemc. He has been Chief of the Simpcw First Nation for 17 years and has served two terms as chairman of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council. Chief Matthew is also president of the Secwepemc Economic Development Corporation and the Simpcw Development Corporation. Chief Matthew has represented First Nation interests in education through the BC Tripartite Education Council, the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs Committee on Education and the BC First Nations Education Steering Committee.

Stewart Phillip has dedicated the last 30 years of his life toward the service and advancement of the Penticton Indian Band, Okanagan Nation and all First Nations in British Columbia. He is in his third consecutive three-year term as President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and also serves as chairman of the Okanagan Nation Alliance and Chief of the Penticton Indian Band.

Dave Porter is currently on the executive of the First Nations Summit. Mr. Porter served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in B.C. and was the first Oil and Gas Commissioner in this province. As the elected chair of the Kaska Dena Council since 2002, Mr. Porter is committed to the preservation of Kaska culture and greater opportunities for Kaska youth. He has also held several ministry portfolios in the Yukon legislature and a number of positions with the B.C., Yukon and Northwest Territories public service.

Kathryn Teneese is a citizen of the Ktunaxa Nation and has represented her community as chief negotiator in treaty talks for the Ktunaxa Nation since 1996. Ms. Teneese has held senior-level positions with the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association, Pacific Planning Symposium Secretariat, the Centre for Indian Training and Research, the First Nations Congress and the First Nations Summit.