Willow Lake Métis Nation CEO Awarded for Innovation

Willow Lake Métis Nation--(Newsfile Corp. - October 20, 2022) - Justin Bourque, CEO of Willow Lake Métis Nation in Anzac, Alberta, was awarded the JA Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame "Innovator" Award at the non-profit's annual gala dinner in Edmonton yesterday evening.

"I am truly humbled to receive this honour," says Bourque. "Being a Métis man has shaped my identity and driven my innovative spirit. My lineage will continue to push me to break barriers for the betterment of my community and those around me."

JA is the world's largest non‐profit organization committed to setting youth up for success in a global economy. For 42 years, the JA Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame has recognized highly acclaimed business visionaries in northern Alberta for their accomplishments and dedication to the economy, communities, and the future of our province.

Willow Lake Métis Nation CEO Justin Bourque, recipient of the Junior Achievement Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame 2022 “Innovator” Award.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8862/141151_willowlakefigure1.jpeg

"Justin is an inspiring role model, full of energy, and passionate about his work. He is courageous and a promoter of change on behalf of the public good," says Jennifer Martin, President and CEO of JA Northern Alberta & N.W.T. "In his elected roles and as an active steward of his land, people and culture, Justin embodies the definition of a JA Innovator. We are so proud to welcome him to the JA family.

JA's Business Hall of Fame honourees in Alberta, across Canada and around the world, are the bridge to inspiring our JA students. JA programs are the bridge between the business world and young people. Together, they develop youth into the leaders of tomorrow and our next dynamic workforce.

The award focusses on the economic impact, community impact, and role modelling of nominees. It is unique in that, unlike many Business Hall of Fame inductees, Innovator Award leaders are in the process of actively creating their legacy.

"Every day is an opportunity to improve," continues Bourque. "I continuously strive to be a better version of myself and to make my community a better place to be. As CEO of Willow Lake Métis Nation, a citizen, and a father, it's a responsibility I do not take lightly."

Earlier this year, The CEO Publication named Bourque one of the 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders to Follow in 2022 for his forward-thinking leadership - including his Nation's Sohkastwâwin initiative, which focuses on climate change and on ensuring a sustainable, resilient future for its citizens.

- 30 -

About Willow Lake Métis Nation

Willow Lake Métis Nation (WLMN) is a Métis community whose citizens now mostly reside in the community of Anzac, Alberta. WLMN's roots lie in the history of the fur trade in Alberta and the economic and political circumstances that evolved during and after the fur trade. The historical Willow Lake community was close to trade and travel routes that connected Fort McMurray and Willow Lake to Lac La Loche to the east, to Fort Chipewyan to the north, and to Lac La Biche to the south. Willow Lake Métis people lived on and derived their livelihood from the lands between these locations through much of the later fur trade period, and WLMN people continue to use these lands to exercise their Indigenous rights, sustain their culture and identity as Métis people, support their community, and pass their knowledge and way of life on to their descendants. Key Métis family lines represented in the WLMN community include Bourque, Cardinal, Huppie, Lavallee, McKenzie, Quintal, and Whitford.

For more information, visit www.wlmn.ca

Media Contact:

Shevaun Boddez
Public Relations and Communications Manager, CIPR Communications
403-999-2219
shevaun@ciprcommunications.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/141151