Matachewan and Big Island students receive RBC awards

Matachewan’s Russell Evans is planning to use his recently announced RBC Aboriginal student award to conduct research into First Nations governance.
“I’m going to focus mainly on band councillors and the chiefs,” said the Queen’s University management/accounting student. “What I want to do with my research is actually interview them because I’m focusing on accountability and governance in First Nations.”
Evans is looking to interview a broad base of current and former First Nations chiefs to understand all of their responsibilities and the stakeholders they have to account to.
“What I want to do is learn how First Nations are dealing with (accountability and governance) now,” Evans said. “In Canada there are over 600 First Nations and there is a wide range of how the governance models are set up.”
Evans hopes his research will create awareness of the best ways to provide governance in First Nation communities.
“One of the things I find disturbing is that band councils have to be more accountable to the government of Canada than they have to be accountable to their actual community members,” Evans said. “And that is one of the drivers that sort of pushed me into this line of research.”
Evans is planning to begin his research by interviewing the chief and council in Matachewan and then the other Wabun Tribal Council communities of Beaverhouse, Brunswick House, Chapleau Ojibwe, Flying Post and Mattagami.
But he also plans to interview leaders in the two exemplar First Nations of Membertou, in Nova Scotia, and Osoyoos, in B.C.
“(Membertou is) an exemplar on governance and entrepreneurship within First Nations so it would be an excellent chance to interview some of the executives there,” Evans said.
“(Osoyoos) has done amazing work with garnering tourism as an economic driver and their governance system is an exemplar as well.”
Evans is currently working on his PhD after completing a M.Sc. degree in behaviorial accounting at Queen’s in Kingston. He previously completed an MBA and a joint bachelor degree in physical education and kinesiology at Brock’s University in St. Catharines and an engineering technology diploma at Niagara College.
“I also worked in industry for about six years at the oil sands in Alberta and in the steel industry in Hamilton,” Evans said. “While I was working, I completed my undergraduate degree part time.”
RBC announced the 10 recipients of the 2012 RBC Aboriginal Student Awards Program on Nov. 26 in Toronto.
“With the Aboriginal population growing nearly six times faster than the general population, it’s never been more important for Aboriginal youth to overcome the financial obstacles that prevent them from pursuing higher education,” said Chinyere Eni, national director, Aboriginal Markets, RBC. “With the right resources and educational support, Aboriginal youth can contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity.”
Anishinaabeg of Naongashiing’s (Big Island) Matthew George also received an RBC Aboriginal student award. He is currently studying construction management at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Burnaby, B.C.