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Babcock Recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day

Babcock Canada recognizes the culture, heritage, and achievements of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, Peoples year-round, but June 21st, National Indigenous Peoples Day, is always special. On this day, the 26th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate the many achievements of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and peoples in whose traditional territories and homelands we conduct our business in.

In Victoria, British Columbia, Babcock is responsible for the Victoria In-Service Support Contract (VISSC), where we support Canada’s fleet of Victoria Class submarines based out of the Esquimalt Graving Dock, on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, and adjacent to Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. This past year Babcock launched its Indigenous Workforce Development Strategy, welcoming its first Indigenous engineering co-op student from the University of Victoria, and in the months and years to come Babcock looks forward to working with the University of Victoria, Camosun College, Coast Salish Employment and Training Society, and other partners to expand our Indigenous workforce.

This year we wish to celebrate the historic support shown by the City of Victoria to the Songhees Nation’s treaty settlement land negotiations with the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Babcock is delivering aerial wildfire suppression and air ambulance services out of its bases in Thompson (close to Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation), The Pas (adjacent to Opaskwayak Cree Nation), and Gimli on the west shore of Weenipagamiksaguygun (Lake Winnipeg) in the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe and Cree Peoples, and Métis homelands. Babcock’s operations in Manitoba are managed out of its facilities at the Winnipeg Airport, in the homeland of the Red River Métis, and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Cree, and Dakota Peoples. This year Babcock Canada partnered with Red River College’s School of Aviation to offer scholarships to First Nations and Métis students studying Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.

Babcock is proud to have partnered with Red River College’s School of Aviation

This year, Babcock congratulates Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) President David Chartrand for his acclamation to another term, his eighth since 1997. The MMF is the democratically elected National Government of the Métis Manitoba, also known as the Red River Métis.

We also wish to congratulate Southern Chief’s Organization (SCO), the political representative organization of 34 Anishinaabe and Dakota First Nations in southern Manitoba, and the Hudson’s Bay Company for the latter’s gift to the SCO of the historic Hudson’s Bay building in downtown Winnipeg. The Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn Project will see the space converted to 300 affordable housing units and where other amenities such as childcare, meals, and traditional healing spaces will be available.

In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training, a joint venture between Babcock Canada and Leonardo Canada, is a pre-qualified bidder for Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. For several months Babcock Leonardo Canada Aircrew Training has been engaging the MMF and SCO in Manitoba, and Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Western Region 3 in southern Saskatchewan, to explore opportunities for more meaningful participation in, and benefits from, the training of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fixed and rotary-wing aircraft pilots. We look forward to continuing our shared journey of collaboration over the next 25 years.

On May 16-19, 2022, Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training attended the 28th Annual CANDO National Conference & AGM at the Dakota Dunes Resort, Whitecap Dakota, Saskatchewan. Babcock would like to congratulate Whitecap Dakota Ojibway Nation and the organizers of the conference and AGM for another successful event, and for making the Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training team feel welcome.

Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training presenting at the Annual CANDO National Conference & AGM

We also wish to congratulate Jeremy Fourhorns on his November 2021 election as Tribal Chief of File Hills Qu’Appelle (FHQ) Tribal Council.  FHQ Tribal Council represents and delivers services to 11 First Nations within Treaty 4. Tribal Chief Fourhorns formerly served as the Chief of Piapot First Nation for 10 years.

Across Canada, Babcock continues to expand its partnerships with Indigenous companies, and its Indigenous supply chain. In 2019, Babcock partnered with RaceRocks 3D Inc. (RaceRocks), an Indigenous-owned and Indigenous woman-managed company based in Victoria. Babcock and RaceRocks partnered to complete the development of FleetViewTM, a software product that allows users to modify key schedule, resource, and technical planning data, and quickly and easily visualizes the impact of changes, thus enabling more informed business decisions. We are proud of this partnership and to be able to work alongside RaceRocks.

Finally, Babcock wishes to acknowledge the difficulties faced by the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) at Tyendinaga First Nation, but also their resiliency. On February 24th, 2022, the hangar that served as the home of FNTI’s Indigenous pilot training program, and the aircraft within it, were completely destroyed by fire. Since then, FNTI has demonstrated a remarkable ability to turn adversity into opportunity, and with the help of the aviation industry and other partners, FNTI is beginning to resume some pilot training and the process of re-building the program.

FNTI offers the only post-secondary Indigenous aviation program of it’s kind in Canada

Anyone wishing to support FNTI’s pilot training program may contact Cathie Findlay, Director, Government Relations & Communication, First Nations Technical Institute at [email protected]

Babcock’s Commitment

Babcock Canada is grateful for the opportunity to work on Indigenous traditional territories and homelands in Canada (in Victoria, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Halifax), and is committed to building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities through an implementation framework focused on skills development, workforce inclusion, and partnering with Indigenous-owned businesses.

How You Can Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day

We’re excited about participating in celebrations in Victoria, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Halifax.

To participate in Victoria, visit: National Indigenous People’s Day | Tourism Victoria , National Indigenous Peoples Month & Day | Royal Roads University

To participate in Winnipeg, visit: Annual Festivals & Events | Tourism Winnipeg, APTN Indigenous Day Live returns to in-person celebrations | APTN

To participate in Ottawa, visit: Summer Solstice Festival – Summer Solstice Festivals

To participate in Halifax, visit: SOLSTICE – National Indigenous Peoples Day Tickets, Tue, 21 Jun 2022 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite, Indigenous Peoples Day X Grand Oasis – Discover Halifax (discoverhalifaxns.com)