Links to Learning: Indigenous Inclusion - Closing the Gap - with Kear Porttris Nov. 15, 2022

November 15th 2022
Title: Indigenous Inclusion and Closing the Gap

Description: Indigenous inclusion on industry projects has significantly increased across the board for most industries. There are multiple factors related to this increasing level of engagement and inclusion (e.g. government mandates, UNDRIP laws, broader reconciliation and Indigenous history knowledge, etc.) but many companies, clients and communities are struggling to keep up with the ever changing environment and demand. Greater collaboration leads to better outcomes but this takes time and effort. This presentation will go over the tools and strategies that will help you find and work with partners to seize the project opportunities that you have.

Speaker: Kear Porttris

Kear Porttris is the Director of Indigenous Relations for QM Environmental. In this role he heads partnership development as well as supports Indigenous initiatives and program on projects across Canada. Kear is a Métis-Chinese professional who has been walking in multiple worlds since he was born. His Father is Métis and his mother is a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong. He grew up in Treaty Four Territory in Regina, Saskatchewan. With a civil engineering background, holding an undergraduate and Master of Applied Science Degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Victoria, he merges education, personal, and professional experience with a solutions-based lens. He has extensive experience developing partnerships between industry and Indigenous Communities – working within consulting, construction and academia. He focuses on using a collaborative approach to bolster and support Indigenization and engagement across disciplines and find unique and effective solutions for stakeholders, partners, collaborators and clients. He is able to combine his professional training with his unique perspectives and network to support operational needs but also as an advocate. He is involved with a number of interesting and innovative projects that are pushing the limits of Indigenization in industry.