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Ken Paul

Ken Paul

Organization: Member of the Wolastoqey Nation at Neqotkuk

Keynote title: More information coming soon.

Resume:

More information coming soon.

About the speaker:

In May 1991, Ken was hired as a summer student by the CHS at the Beford Institute of Oceanography, and in 1992 as a Hydrographic Engineer. He was promoted to Hydrographer-in-Charge 1996 and had a 10 year career with the CHS.

During this period, the landmark 1999 Marshall Decision was delivered by the Supreme Court of Canada upholding the Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1760/61) between the Crown and the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey Nations. Ken was thrust into an additional role bridging working relationships between the CHS, DFO and Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey Nations.

Surviving that, Ken accepted position with Parks Canada in 2002 and began a 10 year stint as a Senior Policy Advisor in Atlantic Canada and the Field Unit Superintendent of 3 National Parks in the Western Arctic of the Northwest Territories.

In 2012, Ken became the Director of Fishers with the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs and in 2018, became the first National Fisheries Director with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). Ken has advocated for First Nations regionally, nationally and internationally on all aspects relating to fisheries, aquaculture, ocean protection and aquatic resources as they relate to inherent aboriginal and treaty-protected rights, legislation, and policy.

He has also been active on the international front in Indigenous advocacy with the Post 2020 framework of the Convention of Biological Diversity, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Expert Working Group with Ocean Decade Unit of the UN IOC, and the Indigenous Peoples’ Unit at the UN FAO.  

Ken was a recent corporate board member of the Ocean Supercluster, the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS), and a past board member of the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) on tidal energy. He is currently involved with offshore wind, ocean research, kelp aquaculture, Indigenous marine protected areas, fisheries mentorship for Inuit in Nunavut, and private partnerships.  

Among his current work, Ken is the principle/owner of Pokiok Associates and serves as the Lead Fisheries Negotiator and Research Coordinator for the Wolastoqey Nation of New Brunswick.

Ken has an MBA with St Mary’s University and a BSc from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has extensive training in leadership, policy development, mediation, labour relations, First Nations governance and traditional teachings.

Ken Paul is a member of the Wolastoqey First Nation at Neqotkuk, located in the community of Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick and is a proud father of 2 fine young adults.