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Greg Rickford joins Indigenous engagement firm

Former Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford has signed on as a “strategic advisor” to a northwestern Ontario First Nations consulting business. In a Sept. 15 news release, Darren Harper, co-founder of Maawandoon Inc.
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Former Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford has signed on as a “strategic advisor” to a northwestern Ontario First Nations consulting business.

Former Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford has signed on as a “strategic advisor” to a northwestern Ontario First Nations consulting business.

In a Sept. 15 news release, Darren Harper, co-founder of Maawandoon Inc. announced the ex-Kenora MP is now on their executive team.

Maawandoon (an Ojibway term for “bringing us together”) is a Fort William First Nation-based firm that specializes in Indigenous community engagement on community protocols, approvals processes and multi-party engagement on natural resources and major infrastructure projects.

Rickford is a lawyer specializing in natural resource and Indigenous legal and advisory matters. In the Stephen Harper government, Rickford also held posts as Minister of State for Science and Technology, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) and was a parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

Rickford was voted in during the 2008 federal election and voted out in 2015.

He joins co-founder Marvin Pelletier and Michael Fox on the company’s executive team.

“Now more than ever, Indigenous community engagement is at the forefront of responsible and respectful business in Canada,” said Harper. “Maawandoon is bringing greater certainty for businesses pursuing natural resource, and major infrastructure projects, by ensuring effective Indigenous consultation and engagement. Greg is widely respected for his vast experience with Indigenous people, and brings considerable heft to the value proposition we offer our clients.”

In a statement, Rickford was “honoured” to join Maawandoon.

“They have an impressive and growing reputation in the resource and major infrastructure project sectors helping businesses and Indigenous communities develop an economic opportunity, embrace environmental processes and make final investment decisions that are a win-win for everyone – that’s my passion too, and the kind of team I want to be a part of.”