Building bridges between all communities
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/68073
PAGE 4 • JUNE 2012 16th Annual Vision Quest Conference & Trade Show Highlights from Story submitted by Vision Quest Conferences Inc. PHOTO CREDIT: Allen Fraser Photography Candice Hoeppner, M.P. Portage-Lisgar diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of Aboriginal peoples On June 21st we celebrate the Happy National Aboriginal Day! Email: info@candicehoeppner.com www.candicehoeppner.com Toll-Free:(866) 856-2090 First Peoples Economic Growth Fund Success Story – Oliver Owen, Amik Aviation Ltd. I am the sole owner of Amik Aviation Ltd. and I wanted to provide air transportation to the people who live in the isolated Northern communities of Little Grand Rapids and Paungassi. They are entitled to exceptional customer service and I wanted to be the one that delivered it to them. I have worn many hats in the aviation industry over the past 28 years as manager, pilot and owner. I approached FPEGF for financing because most financial institutions see Aboriginal business as high risk and have not been willing to take a chance on me. The staff at FPEGF had an open mind while working with the other lender to ensure a successful financing package for me. We currently provide daily scheduled passenger and cargo service to the people of Little Grand Rapids and Paungassi First Nations. They are picked up directly at their community on our Amphib Caravan. I am fulfilling my vision for exceptional customer service, thanks to FPEGF. Srtvh 9rqr thxx yh5hxry r Brr Hhxx HG6 $ #"' Wvpvh 6rr @h Srtvh TF T#I I& Qur) $#$ #"%" Ah) $#$ #"& Waneek Horn-Miller When Waneek Horn-Miller spoke at the 16th annual Vision Quest Conference & Trade Show, she truly epitomized Vision Quest's theme 'from vision to reality'. Raised by an activist mother and taught to never be the victim, Waneek set a goal at a young age of competing with the best in the world – a goal she reached in 2000 at the Syd- ney Olympics as part of Canada's national wa- ter polo team. For Waneek, it all started with a dream. "First you have to have a dream, and then you have to believe in that dream in order to make it come true. You have to have hope; hope there is a reason for you to be. Hope is the fuel to make dreams a reality." Her dream of being an Olympic athlete car- ried her through the most difficult times in life, including being stabbed in the chest at the age of 14 by a Canadian soldier during the Oka cri- sis. Rather than letting this traumatic incident destroy her, she used it to propel towards her dream. "I'm no one's victim. I decided that I'm gon- na be better, faster, tougher, and no one would stand in my way. I'm gonna be an Olympian." Ed Komarnicki, MP Souris-Moose Mountain Your Member of Parliament 308 - 1133 4th Street Estevan, SK S4A 0W6 Phone: 634-3000 Fax: 634-4835 Office Hours: ed.komarnicki.c1@parl.gc.ca Website: edkomarnicki.com 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon-Fri Email: Toll Free: 1-866-249-4697 Ian Wishart MLA Portage la Prairie Constituency 306 Saskatchewan Ave. E Portage la Prairie, MB R1N 0K8 Phone: 857-9267 Fax: 857-9841 Email: ptgemla@mymts.net Kevin Phillips MLA Melfort Constituency Recognizing National Aboriginal Day! Box 1104 • 1121 Main Street Bay 14 Melfort, SK (306) 752-9500 • 1 800 242-6796