Full Name
Byron Louis
Job Title
Okanagan Indian Band, Chief
Company
Indigeneity Entreprises Inc.
Speaker Bio
Mr. Louis has over 25 years of knowledge and experience, at various levels of the political spectrum. First, elected to Council in 1991, then designed as Chair of the Okanagan Nation Fisheries Commission in 1995 and as a title and rights advisor at the Tribal Council and Regional level, and political liaison designate with US based Tribal, Public and Private Utilities (Hydro-electric generation) and State and Federal Authorities. Over the course of his career he has served in various facets of political office involving Natural Resource Management, Economic Development, Public Works, Community planning, liaison and strategic development and negotiation with various levels of government and the private sector.
Mr. Louis has extensive experience in field of conservation relating to Species at Risk and critical habitat regionally and nationally. Starting in 1998 Mr. Louis was appointed to the Aboriginal Working Group (AWG) on Species at Risk that ran until 2004. The AWG during its six-year duration achieved a number of precedents such as; review, analysis and drafting of recommendations on a draft bill prior to tabling in the House of Commons. The Species At Risk Act (SARA) was passed into law in 2004.
Mr. Louis has over 15 years’ experience in trans-boundary fisheries policy development and has prepared presentations to the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) representatives, engaged US-based, federal, state and Tribal authorities, Public and Private Utilities hydro-electric producers and their Canadian counterparts on ecosystem based recovery of the Okanagan Sub Basin and the Upper Reaches of the Columbia River. This work provided the foundation for the signing of multimillion-dollar contract for the purposes of recovery of the Okanagan Sub-Basin that has created ongoing and substantial socio-economic benefits.
Mr. Louis has made extensive contacts regionally and nationally, during his tenure as the National Coordinator to the National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR) involving five National Aboriginal organizations as the coordinator. During Mr. Louis’ tenure as Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst for the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Environmental Stewardship Unit (ESU) Mr. Louis along with a team of professional colleagues’ prepared technical advice, conducted research and provided administrative support on local, regional and national issues. This work behalf of First Nations through the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) was to promote and protect First Nations’ aboriginal and treaty rights to lands and resources.
Mr. Louis continues to work extensively on First Nations social and economic issues and interests and currently serving his sixth term as Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band.
Mr. Louis has extensive experience in field of conservation relating to Species at Risk and critical habitat regionally and nationally. Starting in 1998 Mr. Louis was appointed to the Aboriginal Working Group (AWG) on Species at Risk that ran until 2004. The AWG during its six-year duration achieved a number of precedents such as; review, analysis and drafting of recommendations on a draft bill prior to tabling in the House of Commons. The Species At Risk Act (SARA) was passed into law in 2004.
Mr. Louis has over 15 years’ experience in trans-boundary fisheries policy development and has prepared presentations to the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) representatives, engaged US-based, federal, state and Tribal authorities, Public and Private Utilities hydro-electric producers and their Canadian counterparts on ecosystem based recovery of the Okanagan Sub Basin and the Upper Reaches of the Columbia River. This work provided the foundation for the signing of multimillion-dollar contract for the purposes of recovery of the Okanagan Sub-Basin that has created ongoing and substantial socio-economic benefits.
Mr. Louis has made extensive contacts regionally and nationally, during his tenure as the National Coordinator to the National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR) involving five National Aboriginal organizations as the coordinator. During Mr. Louis’ tenure as Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst for the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Environmental Stewardship Unit (ESU) Mr. Louis along with a team of professional colleagues’ prepared technical advice, conducted research and provided administrative support on local, regional and national issues. This work behalf of First Nations through the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) was to promote and protect First Nations’ aboriginal and treaty rights to lands and resources.
Mr. Louis continues to work extensively on First Nations social and economic issues and interests and currently serving his sixth term as Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band.
Speaking At
