Aboriginal Community Involvement

The Jim Bourque Connection

The Halifax Group had virtually no involvement with Aboriginal people until Jim Bourque attended a company picnic in June 1994. Born into a Cree and Metis family in Wandering River, Alberta in 1935, the Honourable James Bourque P.C. was at the time of his introduction to The Halifax Group, the co-director of policy for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People. Jim’s commitment to public service started early when he was elected president of the hunter and trapper association in Fort Chipewyan when he was eighteen. Following a term as the park warden in Wood Buffalo National Park, Jim served as chairman of the Metis Association of the Northwest Territories, founded, and served as chair of, the Fur Institute of Canada, chaired the Northwest Territories Constitutional Committee, and held the position of Deputy Minister Renewable Resources for the NWT government. On July 1, 1992, Jim was sworn into the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

A life-time activist and promoter of Aboriginal values and traditional knowledge, Jim was also a cosmopolitan, world traveller, interested in the benefits which science and technology might provide to Canadian Aboriginals. In January 1995, The Halifax Group and Jim’s family incorporated Transpolar Technology Corporation to pursue, at that time, non-traditional Aboriginal business opportunities.

The Jim Bourque Scholarship

Jim died suddenly in Ottawa in October 1996. In 1997, the government of the Northwest Territories and Transpolar Technology Corporation jointly funded a scholarship to honour Jim’s memory. Administered by the Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary, every year the scholarship provides a single award of $1,000 to a deserving Aboriginal student. The selection committee includes three members: a representative of the Bourque family, a representative of the NWT government, and a representative of The Halifax Group. Beginning with the award for 2013, The Halifax Group / Transpolar implemented an additional bonus grant of $1,000 to the selected applicant.

The Halifax Group/Transpolar Technology Corporation Grant

As the years passed, the quality of the applications increased to the extent that the determination of a winner was often based on barely discernible differences, leaving some very deserving applicants empty handed. Realizing that an award of $1,000 might ensure continuing the pursuit of higher education, The Halifax Group and Transpolar Technology Corporation implemented a discretionary matching grant program, based on the same criteria as The Jim Bourque Scholarship. In 2013 the individual grants were increased from $1,000 to $1,500.

2023	Jada Beck	MD, Medicine, Queens University	Kingston, ON
2022	Kiauna Cote	Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Law and Society, University of Calgary	Calgary, AB
2021	Danielle Nowosad	PhD, Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates, University of Guelph	Guelph, ON
2020	Zoey Bourgeois	Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK
2019	Joanne Speakman	BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences, University of Alberta	Edmonton, AB
2018	Zoey Bourgeois	Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK
2017	Monique Chapman	Marine Biology, Dalhousie University	Halifax, NS
2016	Monique Chapman	Marine Biology, Dalhousie University	Halifax, NS
2015	Nicole Laci	Law, University of British Columbia	Vancouver, BC
2014	Tiana Shea	BSc in Environmental and Conservation Science AND BA in Native Studies, University of Alberta	Edmonton, AB
2013	Amber Giles	Master Marine Management, Dalhousie University	Halifax NS
2012	Baillie Redfern	Genome Science and Technology, University of British Columbia	Vancouver, BC
2011	Sheena Dubyk	Education, University of Regina	Prince Albert, SK
2010	Tyrell Callioux	Environmental Science, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology	Edmonton, AB
2009	Leanna Farr	Masters Environmental Studies and Juris Doctor, York University and Osgoode Hall Law	Bear Island, ON
2008	Jarett Nevill	Biological Sciences, University of Alberta	Edmonton, AB
2007	David O’Soup	College of Education, University of Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK
2006	David O’Soup	College of Education, University of Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK
2005	Tina Benoit	School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University	Victoria, BC
2004	Christopher Clarke	Environmental Design, University of Calgary	Calgary, AB
2003	Jeff Rouse	Environmental Studies and Law, York University	Toronto, ON
2002	Jeff Rouse	Environmental Studies and Law, York University	Toronto, ON
2001	Jeff Rouse	Environmental Studies and Law, York University	Toronto, ON
2000	Lana Lowe	Geography, University of Victoria	Victoria, BC
1999	Stephen Watkinson	Fisheries Center, University of British Columbia	Vancouver, BC
1998	Jayda Mercredi	Native Studies, University of Saskatchewan	Saskatoon, SK

2023	Joshua Komangapik Monique Chapman Chevaun Toulouse Elias Laing Madison Kaminski Remington Bracher Jayden Emslie Amber McSwain Ashley Ens Alice Jensen Fitz-Gerald Stuart
2022	Shawna Yamkovy Jada Beck Zoe Kreutzer Chevaun Toulouse Madison Kaminski Daylene Emmons Jeannie-Lynn Leon
2021	Kaitlyn Souch Remington Bracher Darren Hardistry Chevaun Toulouse Jax Bailey Ina Fairbanks Jasmine Bailes
2020	Chevaun Toulouse Jax Bailey Julia Greenham Alyssa Belanger Taryn Hamilton
2019	Danielle Patzer Jax Bailey Demetria King Kirstyn Isaac Julia Greenham Zoey Bourgeois Diane Marin Chevaun Toulouse Tyler Jones
2018	Taylor Fleming Shakita Jensen Mikaela Vandell Kayla Murphy Julia Greenham Joshua Komangapik Joanne Speakman Jill Belanger Jax Bailey Alyssa Pelletier
2017	Allison Baron Joshua Komangapik Brock Lewis Kayla Murphy Scott MacDonald Kenecia Tootoosis Tayler Flemming Jonah Qittusuk
2016	Demetria King Alina Lizotte Colleen Ducharme Allison Barton Scott MacDonald Tayler Fleming Janesse Boudreau
2015	Colleen Ducharme Demetria King Janesse Boudreau Dakota Erutse Tayler Fleming Scott MacDonald Monique Chapman Michelle Myers Madison Hill Elizabeth Ignace
2014	Carmen Chelick Monique Chapman Demetria King Julie Waine Scott MacDonald Janesse Boudreau
2013	Tiana Shea Seena Dubyk Demetria King Scott MacDonald Phil Beaudry Kirstin Scansen Levi Kingfisher Wilma Oombash Justine LaForme
2012	Marie-Christine Mallet Demetria King Scott MacDonald Sheena Dubyk Tiana Shea Rhyannon Alexander Krista McFadyen
2011	Aimee Lafferty Jarett Nevill Jennifer Stonechild Tonya Crowchild Tiana Shea Ernie Last Mark Patenaude
2010	Candace Dow Jarett Nevill Mya Horley Janine Manning
2009	Stephanie Judge Leanna Farr Shane Dubyk
2006	Christina Gruben Janessa Nevill Jarett Nevill
2004	Lana Lowe Christina Gruben Tina Benoit Johanne McCarthy Vezina Brandi
2003	Christopher Clarke Leah Dorion

Aboriginal Community Involvement

The Jim Bourque Connection

The Jim Bourque Scholarship

The Halifax Group/Transpolar Technology Corporation Grant

The Jim Bourque Scholarship Winners

The Halifax Group/Transpolar Technology Corporation Grant Recipients