CCAB is proud to announce this year’s recipients for the following awards
Young Aboriginal Entrepreneur(s) - Dakota Brant and Jesse Brant
Teyotsihstokwáthe Dakota Brant & Yonenyà:kenht Jesse Brant are twin sisters and Mohawk turtle clan women from the village of Ohswé:ken (Six Nations of the Grand River Territory). They are co-founders of Sapling & Flint; a wholesale & retail jewellery manufacturer specializing in gold & sterling silver, based in Ohswé:ken.
Jesse, a goldsmith, wampumcutter and member of the Canadian Jeweller’s Association, and Dakota, a regalia maker and visual artist with a background in small business management, brought their talents together with the goal of using ecommerce to create arts-based jobs for themselves, their community, and to raise the profile of Indigenous art as a nationwide brand.
Sapling & Flint was founded in 2017 with the motto “Conversation pieces that share the story of Turtle Island” and has since become award winning. In 2018 they won a CHCH TV Business Excellence Award and the 2018 Powwow Pitch. In 2019 they were selected from over 5000 entries to win Paypal Canada’s Small Business makeover contest and in honour of their work lobbying for equitable access to internet & opportunity in Indigenous communities were recognized with the 2020 Athlohsa Peace Award. Their work has been featured by Maclean’s magazine, the Globe & Mail, TrailBlazher magazine, the Toronto Star, Paypal Canada, Shopify Canada and more.
Sapling & Flint continues to grow, creating job opportunities that are revitalizing traditional silversmithing in Ohswé:ken, bringing quality products to the Canadian market and placing Dakota & Jesse as Indigenous women entrepreneurial leaders in the Canadian Jewellery industry.
Business Lifetime Achievement – Robert Louie
Robert Louie, LL.B, OC, Hon. Dr LL.B, Hon. Fellow Okanagan College is the former Chief (24 years) of the Westbank First Nation (which is Self Governing), and has served on numerous Boards, Companies and Special Appointments with Government and private industry for over 30 years. He has extensive experience in real estate development and finance matters and has focused primarily on working for First Nations on land matters throughout Canada. Over the 24-year span as Chief at Westbank First Nation, Robert was President/Director for 30 plus corporations which included construction, forestry, commercial/retail, residential, recreational, and institutional.
Robert is the Chairman of the First Nations Lands Advisory Board (30 years plus) and has been instrumental in getting First Nations into incremental self governance. Robert is also the Chairman/Director of Peace Hills Trust, which is the largest aboriginal financial institution in Canada. Robert is a Founding Director and is a shareholder in the Public Company – Decisive Dividends (DE) on TSX Venture, a Director of Ecora Engineering and Resource Group Ltd, Trustee and Chairman of Apartment Plus REIT, Director of DAXET Development Corporation (which is owned by T'Sou-ke Nation), and most recently has been appointed to the TC Energy Indigenous Advisory Council. Robert is also the owner of Indigenous World Winery and Distillery, Kelowna West Manufacturing Home Park and several other business endeavours.
Robert is a former practicing lawyer who specialized in native law and was a summer Law Instructor at the University of Saskatchewan. He has received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the Justice Institute of British Columbia. He is also a former Task Group member elected by the Chiefs in BC serving 4 years on the B.C. First Nations Summit Task Group and was actively involved in B.C. Treaty negotiations representing First Nations. Robert was awarded the prestigious Officer of the Order of Canada on October 5th, 2006 and on June 1st, 2019, Robert was honored with the recognition of Honorary Fellow of Okanagan College.
Some of the other numerous boards and special appointments Robert has been active in include: Indigenous advisor representing Canada on the World Indigenous Business Forum, where he networked with other leaders promoting Indigenous economic development and world trade; Board Member with the BC Achievement Foundation and also sat on the Executive Committee; Board of Governor member with UBC; President’s Advisory Council member with UBC-Okanagan; Board Director on the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board; President of First Nations Finance Authority Inc.; Board Director with All Nations Trust Co; one of a nine member Premier’s Advisory Council with the Premier of B.C.; Board Director on the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce; Board Director and founding member with the Kelowna United Native Friendship Society.
Robert has been the recipient of many other awards and distinguished presentations including: Lifetime B.C. Achievement Award Aboriginal Business; Distinguished Alumni Business Administration, Okanagan College; Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal; Excellence in Aboriginal Leadership from Aboriginal Financial Officers Association & Xerox Canada; Business Person of the Year, Westbank Chamber of Commerce; President’s Award, Westbank Chamber of Commerce; Recipient of Commemorative Medal for 125th Anniversary of Canada and the B.C. Academic Scholarship Award.
