Over 900 Aboriginal leaders gather to attend AFOA 10th Anniversary National
Conference in Ottawa, Ontario - March 2 - March 4, 2010

OTTAWA, March 2 /CNW Telbec/ - The Aboriginal Financial Officers Association (AFOA) of Canada is holding its 10th Anniversary National Conference at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario March 2 to March 4, 2010. Over 900 Aboriginal leaders, senior managers and professionals will be in attendance.

The Conference theme is "Celebrating a Decade of Success Building Aboriginal Management and Prosperity - Charting the Path to 2020". The last ten years have seen unprecedented progress in building strong, successful Aboriginal communities and organizations in this country. This progress has in large part been the result of improved financial, management and governance practices. There are many success stories to tell of which Aboriginals can be proud. The Conference will focus on these success stories and celebrate the achievements of the last ten years as well as look into the future to determine where Aboriginal communities should be in 2020 and how to get there.

The Conference is being co-chaired by Tammy Drew, CGA, CAFM, General Manager, Miawpukek First Nation, and C.T. (Manny) Jules, Chief Commissioner, First Nations Tax Commission. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo will deliver the opening keynote address on the morning of Wednesday, March 3rd.

There are over 50 speakers on the two-day program including Clement Chartier, President, Métis National Council, Chief Darcy Bear, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, Saskatchewan, Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief for Ontario Angus Toulouse, Sagamok Anishinabek First Nation, Ontario, Chief Dean Sayers, Batchewana First Nation, Ontario, Chief Leroy Good Eagle, Siksika Nation, Alberta, and Chief Robert Louie, Westbank First Nation, BC.

The fourth Annual AFOA - Meyers Norris Penny Aboriginal Youth Financial Management Awards will be presented on Wednesday, March 3rd at lunch. The Awards are designed to encourage Aboriginal youth to enter into the financial management profession.

The seventh annual Xerox-AFOA Excellence in Leadership Awards will be presented at the Conference Banquet on Thursday, March 4th. The Award is presented to Aboriginal leaders who have demonstrated leadership in Aboriginal finance and management at a national and at a regional level.

AFOA Canada was founded as a not-for-profit association in 1999 to enhance finance and management in Aboriginal communities and organizations. The organization's 1,500 members believe that sound management is a key building block of social and economic prosperity for Aboriginal communities, organizations and people.

For more information on the conference program and AFOA, visit www.afoa.ca.

For further information: Suzanne Seebach, Director, Programs, Services & Communications, AFOA Canada, AFOA Conference Office, Westin Ottawa, [phone], Cell: [phone], [email protected]; Jenna Young, Communications Officer, Assembly of First Nations, [phone], ext 401, [phone] mobile, [email protected]