2010 CIBC Scholar-in-Residence Program to explore land-use planning in
Canada's North

OTTAWA, March 22 /CNW Telbec/ - The Conference Board of Canada today announced the selection of Thomas Berger, Steven Kennett, and Hayden King as the 2010 CIBC Scholar-in-Residence Chairs.

The Scholar-in-Residence Program is a research program funded by CIBC and administered by The Conference Board of Canada. This year's program is also a unique joint venture with the Board's new Centre for the North. Mr. Berger, Mr. Kennett, and Mr. King will be the sixth, seventh, and eighth scholars in the CIBC Scholar-in-Residence Program series, which was launched in 2005 to bring nationally renowned academic scholars to the Conference Board to study important public policy issues.

Over the coming months, the scholars will assess the effectiveness of land-use planning in Canada's North from three different perspectives:

    
    -   Keep it up - Mr. Berger argues that land-use planning in Canada's
        North is crucial to sustainable economic development and to the self-
        determination of Canada's Northern Aboriginal Peoples, as a central
        element of modern land claims agreements.
    -   Fix it up - Mr. Kennett contends that Northern land-use planning
        needs substantial fixing in order to overcome regulatory,
        institutional, and legal complexities, but that the process will be
        valuable and workable once changes are made.
    -   Give it up - Mr. King maintains that land-use planning in Northern
        regions is a flawed and inappropriate concept that has failed
        Northerners in practice, even as it has been increasingly implemented
        over the past decade.
    

Findings from the research carried out by the three scholars will be featured at a public lecture to be held at the Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse, the evening of May 12, 2010. For more information about registering for this event, contact [email protected].

The program will culminate in November 2010 with the publication of a book containing the scholars' findings. This will be the fourth volume in the CIBC Scholar-in-Residence series.

By financially supporting the Scholar-in-Residence program, CIBC continues its tradition of advancing research and dialogue on issues of national and global importance.

About the Conference Board

The Conference Board of Canada is the foremost independent, not-for-profit, applied research organization in Canada. We help build leadership capacity for a better Canada by creating and sharing insights on economic trends, public policy issues, and organizational performance. Our members include a broad range of Canadian organizations from the public and private sectors.

About the Centre for the North

The Centre for the North brings together Aboriginal leaders, businesses, governments, and community leaders to change the conversation about Canada's North. It collaborates with Northerners to identify challenges and opportunities, gain knowledge, and provide insight into how these challenges can be met and opportunities realized. The Centre takes a "North-centric" approach, prioritizing Northern interests-because a strong North is essential to a strong Canada.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with almost 9 million personal banking and business customers. CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches, and offices across Canada, in the United States, and around the world. To find other news releases and information about CIBC, visit the bank's Press Centre at www.cibc.com.

For further information: Brent Dowdall, Media Relations, Tel.: [phone] ext. 448, E-mail: [email protected]