UNews - Fort Smith

For the love of the North

trevor.kenney — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:50:09 +0000

While many are seduced by the big city lights, it was northern lights that called to J. Michael Miltenberger (BASc '75).

Since graduating from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1975, he has used his political positions to protect the unique people and environment of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.).

Born in Ottawa but raised in various communities in the N.W.T., Miltenberger served with the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry before deciding to further his education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

It was a life-changing decision. Not only did he earn a BA (sociology) that paved the way for a career in human services, but he met Jeri, his wife of 37 years, with whom he's raised their daughter Michaela, who now attends the U of L.

J. Michael Miltenberger was honoured as the U of L's 2011 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year at Fall Convocation in October.

After studying at the U of L, Miltenberger pursued graduate studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. "Neither of us liked big-city life in Edmonton, so we bought an old truck, packed up our stuff and headed north to live a simpler life for a while," he says.

The family settled in Fort Smith, N.W.T. – a primarily Aboriginal community of 2,400 people – where Miltenberger built the family's timber-framed house. After a few years as a carpenter, he put his U of L degree to good use while working for the Department of Health and Social Services.

Miltenberger didn't begin his career with political ambitions. But after serving on town council, he was inspired to run for mayor, even though it meant a 50 per cent pay cut.

"The work interested me: the ability to enact laws and help the community develop," he says. In 1987 he completed his first term as mayor. He returned to the Department of Health and Social Services as regional superintendent shortly after that.

In 1995, he ran for MLA – and won – and has represented Fort Smith ever since. Presently, Miltenberger serves in cabinet as deputy premier, government house leader, minister of finance, minister of health and social services and minister of environment and natural resources.

"I've worked hard to make sure the community is well-served by the territorial government," says Miltenberger. He's also a passionate environmental advocate, working to protect at-risk species and water systems.

On the border between the N.W.T. and Alberta, Fort Smith is situated in the middle of the boreal forest and adjacent to the Slave River, best known for its powerful rapids that occasionally attract contentious hydroelectric dam proposals.

As minister of environment and natural resources, Miltenberger has worked closely with Aboriginal communities and other stakeholders to establish a water stewardship strategy for the N.W.T. and has been a significant figure on the international water-policy stage. Earlier this year, he was one of five Canadians on an expert panel at the Seventh Annual Rosenberg Water Policy Forum in Argentina where he delivered a paper on traditional knowledge and water-policy development in the N.W.T.

Water and other environmental issues, negotiating a final devolution agreement with Canada, an upcoming Canada-wide review of health care and a project to implement fibre-optic capability all contributed to Miltenberger's decision to run for office one last time. On Oct. 3, Miltenberger was elected to a fifth term.

"I'm grateful for the continued support of the constituency," says Miltenberger, reflecting on his re-election in an area renowned for its political toughness. "I look forward to spending the next four years working on the issues I'm passionate about. After that, I can pass the torch."

This story first appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of SAM. If you'd like to read the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

U of L's Cando Partnership Nets Student Scholarship

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:03:56 +0000

Faculty of Management student Shermayn Menicoche is one of three people to receive a $3,000 NIEFF scholarship (National Indigenous Economic Education Foundation), from the charitable arm of the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO). Menicoche is originally from Fort Simpson, NWT, and transferred to the U of L from Aurora College in Fort Smith.

CANDO is an aboriginal-controlled, community-based group that builds partnerships with educational institutions, aboriginal leaders and senior corporate and government representatives.

The U of L is now one of nine post-secondary institutions accredited by CANDO to deliver courses that help economic development officers working in First Nations communities obtain an Aboriginal Economic Developer Certificate in addition to their U of L programming.

Aurora College, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge sign agreement

trevor.kenney — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:40:51 +0000

Aurora College, located in Fort Smith, North West Territories, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge are pleased to announce the signing of an agreement that offers graduates of the Aurora College Business Administration Diploma Program the opportunity to go to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to complete a Bachelor of Management Degree.

Under the terms of the agreement, Aurora College students will get credit for almost two full years towards the Bachelor of Management Degree.

"This agreement is part of a continuing process to create opportunities for Northerners to complete university studies," says Aurora College President Sarah Wright-Cardinal.

"We currently offer university degree programs in Nursing and Education. We also offer two year university accredited programs in Social Work, Business Administration, and Environmental and Natural Resources Technology, as well as third-year Circumpolar Studies programming. Our agreement with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a win-win for students, as those who do choose to move on to a degree now have a formal route."

Bill Cade, President of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, is also excited about the agreement. "We pride ourselves on serving Aboriginal and other Northern students, and our programs and services have attracted many people from the NWT over the years. This is an excellent opportunity for students and I look forward to expanding our working relationship with Aurora College."

The new agreement continues to expand the university-level options available to Aurora College students.

For more information, please visit the Aurora College website: http://www.auroracollege.nt.ca/

Bridging experiences

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:55:39 +0000

Christina MacDonald has cleaned hurricane-ravaged streets in Honduras, taught English to Ethiopian children and delivered food to disadvantaged seniors in her hometown of Fort Smith, N.W.T.

The fourth-year ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing student isn't short on ambition and her interests are many. Globe-trotting and volunteering are major themes in her life, as is conservation. An avid camper and outdoorswoman, MacDonald spends her summers at Wood Buffalo National Park, teaching visitors about the area's spectacular geological wonders, flora and fauna.

This January, MacDonald began her biggest adventure yet: a three-month practicum in Kampala, Uganda. She and fellow student Andrea Fandrich will be the first U of L undergraduate nursing students to complete their final practicum overseas.

MacDonald got a taste of international work after volunteering for SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia after completing high school at the prestigious Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific in Victoria, B.C. While MacDonald had long hoped to complete her senior U of L nursing clinical experience internationally, she didn't realize it was a possibility until she began swapping stories with one of her professors, Dr. Jean Harrowing. Harrowing had done her master's thesis research in Uganda and still had connections in the capital city of Kampala.

Both Harrowing and MacDonald recognized this as the perfect opportunity for MacDonald to travel overseas and for the U of L to continue building a rapport with the Ugandan nursing community. Harrowing volunteered to be MacDonald's faculty advisor and put her in touch with the assistant nursing director at Mulago Hospital, the largest hospital in Kampala. Prior to leaving, MacDonald held high hopes for the experience.

"From what I've heard, the nurses there are so amazing and work so hard. I'm looking forward to being a part of that team and learning from them," says MacDonald.

It wasn't set in stone what MacDonald would do after she arrived in January, but mentoring first- and second-year nursing students from the nearby university was one possibility.

"We're going into this very open-minded, keeping in mind the fact that we'll have to be flexible," she says.

MacDonald recognized that living and working in Uganda would be very different from anything she's ever experienced. With inconsistent Internet access, it would be a struggle to communicate with her professors, family and friends at the U of L. She also anticipated that it would be a challenge to adjust to a clinical environment that may not have the same technologies as a typical Canadian hospital.

With this in mind, MacDonald and Fandrich stuffed their suitcases with a large cache of medical equipment both to use on their trip and to leave behind for the nurses at the hospital when they head home. For several months, the girls invited students and faculty at the U of L to donate stethoscopes, gloves, blood-pressure cuffs and other medical tools for the students to take on their travels.

"It's our hope that we can create a bit of a bridge between Lethbridge and Kampala, and facilitate nurses in Canada supporting nurses in Uganda in their practice," says MacDonald.

But while confident she'll make a contribution to the hospital, MacDonald thinks she has more to gain from the experienced nurses she'll be working with.

"I'm aware going into this it's likely I'll take away more than I'm able to give."

To view the entire issue SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Fort Smith

For the love of the North

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