21. Peggy Smith, Dean Assinewe, and Isabelle Allen - An Indigenous intergenerational conversation about Canada's forest sector

Free to Grow in Forestry - A podcast working to move #ForestryForward Welcome to the twenty-first episode of the Free to Grow in Forestry Podcast series where our host, Kelly Cooper, President and Founder of the Centre for Social Intelligence, is joined by three guests: Dr. Peggy Smith. Professor Emerita in the Faculty of Natural Resources Management at Lakehead University; Isabelle Allen, Project Forester with Wahkohtowin; and Dean Assinewe who is an Indigenous Opportunities Consultant, Forest Management Auditor, and the current 2nd Vice President of the Canadian Institute of Forestry. As Indigenous peoples working in the forest sector, each guest brings their unique perspectives while discussing both the challenges and triumphs that Indigenous peoples experience in the workplace and beyond, and how the forest sector is continuing to evolve. Dr. M.A. (Peggy) Smith (Miskwaanakwadook—Red Cloud Woman) is of Cree ancestry from Treaty #9 in Ontario. She has worked on Indigenous engagement in natural resources management since enrolling in Lakehead's Honours Bachelor of Forestry program in 1987. She completed her PhD in Forestry at the University of Toronto in 2007.  Professor Emerita in Lakehead University’s Faculty of Natural Resources Management (lakeheadu.ca), she is also a retired Registered Professional Forester. She is working with the Ontario Professional Foresters Association (opfa.ca) to develop learning tools for RPFs to meet the competencies outlined in the OPFAs Indigenous Standard. She serves on the boards of two international non-governmental organizations that defend Indigenous land rights.  Isabelle Allen is the Project Forester at Wahkohtowin Development (wahkohtowin.com), specializing in Forest Management Plans and Indigenous involvement. She received her Registered Professional Forester (RPF) designation in Ontario in 2019, recently graduated from the Master of Sustainable Forest Management program at the University of British Columbia, and has a BSc in Environmental Sciences and Resource Management from the University of Guelph. Isabelle is a member of Timiskaming First Nation, and is grateful to live and work in her traditional territory since starting with Wahkohtowin in 2018, where she specializes in building relationships with Indigenous communities and forest professionals in Northeastern Ontario. Dean Assinewe is an Indigenous Opportunities Consultant for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) (forests.org) where he plays a key role in the development and implementation of programs, resources, and initiatives with a specific aim to enhance the number, relevancy and accessibility of opportunities for Indigenous Peoples in the forest and conservation sectors. He is also the current 2nd Vice President of the CIF-IFC (cif-ifc.org). With 20+ years experience in the Ontario Professional Foresters Association, Dean’s work promotes sustainable and capacity development in a diversity of sectors including the renewable energy sector, mining, forestry as well as the federal and provincial governments. Dean also operates his own consulting business. Dean is a graduate of the Sault College Forestry Technician Program and obtained his Forestry Degree at Lakehead University. In his spare time, Dean is a co-owner of Green Legacy Farm in Bonfield, ON.  Together, we can move #ForestryForward. Learn more at freetogrowinforestry.ca ---- This podcast series is brought to you by the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) and the Centre for Social Intelligence (CSI).  CIF (cif-ifc.org) is the national voice of forest practitioners with an interdisciplinary membership across Canada working to ensure our forests are vibrant, healthy and sustainable. CSI (centreforsocialintelligence.ca) empowers individuals and organizations to create inclusion and diversity in the workplace.