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14 Winners of Prestigious National Aboriginal Achievement Awards Anounced

Robbie Robertson

Toronto, Canada – The 14 winners of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards were announced with rock legend Robbie Robertson receiving the lifetime achievement award, CBC Radio’s Dead Dog Café writer Tom King winning for literature, two physicians, an Alberta oil man, a University of Victoria legal scholar and eight other prominent achievers winning the Aboriginal community’s highest honour.

Robbie Robertson, one of the premier songwriters of the rock era receives the Lifetime Achievement Award for being one of the most influential musicians of his era. A native of Six Nations, Robertson’s group The Band was one of rock’s seminal acts.

Tom King

Tom King, the writer of four best-selling novels, numerous television scripts and the creative force behind CBC Radio’s Dead Dog Café Comedy Hour receives his award for the body of work that he has created. Mel Benson an Alberta oilman who has managed multi-billion dollar pipeline projects in Africa and at home is being recognized for his business leadership. Manitoba physician, Judith G. Bartlett, the first Aboriginal Chair of the United Way in Winnipeg is being recognized for improving health care for Aboriginals; and University of Victoria legal scholar, John Borrows, who started university level Aboriginal legal programs is being recognized for his extensive legal texts and his contributions to law.

The 14 courageous men and women will receive their awards at a star-studded gala evening on Friday, March 28th, 2003 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The awards will subsequently be televised by the CBC as a national network special.

The year 2003 marks the 10th anniversary of the awards that Mohawk conductor John Kim Bell created to recognize the achievements of Aboriginal professionals.

“This year’s recipients are a stellar group,” said John Kim Bell, founder and president of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation and executive producer of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. “It is hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Bill Reid received the first lifetime achievement award on the stage of the National Arts Centre and since that time 126 individuals have been recognized for their contributions to the betterment of life in Aboriginal communities and the rest of the country.”

The 2003 National Aboriginal Achievement Award recipients are a notable group:

*Saskatchewan Métis master fiddler, John Arcand;
*Winnipeg physician and Chair of the United Way, Dr. Judith Bartlett;
*Alberta oil and pipeline expert, Mel E. Benson;
*University of Victoria legal scholar, John Borrows;
*Regina based professional engineer and entrepreneur, Gary Bosgoed;
*Saskatoon engineering student, athlete, actor and community volunteer Matthew Dunn – this year’s youth recipient and aspiring astronaut;
*Ontario based writer of four best-selling novels, the creative force behind Dead Dog Café and numerous television scripts, Thomas King;
*Northerner Edward Lennie the creator of the Northern Games;
*University of Lethbridge and Harvard lecturer, Leroy Little Bear;
* B.C. environmentalist and fishery conservationist, Chief Simon Lucas;
* B.C. Chief Sophie Pierre, the builder of the St. Eugene Mission resort;
*Winnipeg based community worker and language protector, Mary Richard;
*The lifetime achievement award recipient – rock legend Robbie Robertson;
*Vancouver based physician and AIDS researcher and advocate, Dr. Jay Wortman;

Private sector support of the awards is led by CIBC, the largest sponsor of the awards and the programs of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. Other major private sector support is provided by Air Canada, APTN, BP Canada Energy Company, Casino Rama, Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., Donna Cona Inc., First Air, Hydro One, Petro-Canada, Placer Dome Inc., Star Choice Communications Inc., Suncor Energy Foundation, Syncrude Canada Ltd., TransCanada PipeLines Limited, and Weyerhaeuser Company Limited.

Public Sector support is led by Indian and Northern Affairs and the CBC with additional support from Canadian Heritage, Health Canada, Industry Canada, Human Resources Development Canada and from: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Canadian Forces; City of Ottawa; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Department of Justice Canada; Environment Canada; Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Foreign Affairs; Government of the Northwest Territories; Museum of Civilization; Natural Resources Canada; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Nunavut; Province of Alberta; Province of British Columbia; Province of Manitoba; Province of Ontario; Province of Saskatchewan; Privy Council Office; Trillium Foundation; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and Solicitor General.

The awards are a special project of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, a national charity established in 1985 by John Kim Bell. The Foundation provides financial assistance to Aboriginal students to realize their educational goals and dreams with a record $2 million in individual scholarships awarded to students this year and $14 million since inception. The Foundation organizes two career fairs annually to introduce grades 9-12 students to potential careers. This year NAAF launched Taking Pulse a new program to generate greater participation of Aboriginal people into the Canadian workforce.

Visit the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, web site, NAAF.CA and go to the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards section, for photos and biographies of this year's recipients.