Lecture – Patrick Michell: Re-Establishing Foundational Stability in the Fraser Canyon with Resilient Systems

Re-Establishing Foundational Stability in the Fraser Canyon with Resilient Systems for Sustainable Air, Water, Food, and Shelter

Speaker: Patrick Michell, LFN Rebuild Director, Retired Chief of the Kanaka Bar Indian Band

A Mechanical Engineering Capstone Guest Lecture open to the APSC Community

Patrick will speak about his experiences developing renewable power projects, planning for climate change, and advocating for his community. 

When: Thursday, March 14, 2024, 4:00- 5:15 PM (doors open at 3:45 PM)
Location: Life Sciences Centre (LSC), Room 1002

Overview:

Patrick Michell of the Kanaka Bar Indian Band, located 18km south of Lytton, B.C., has lived in the Fraser Canyon all his life. He has worked with his community since 1978 to design and complete projects that re-establish foundational sustainable stability in air, water, food, and shelter with supporting resilient systems like storage, energy, and communications; for the environment and economy of today and more importantly – for tomorrow.

Patrick will speak about his experiences developing renewable power projects, planning for climate change, and advocating for his community.

Biography:

Patrick has an Administrative Management diploma from Douglas College (New Westminster) and a Bachelor of Law (UBC 1992). After working in Vancouver with DFO and INAC, Patrick articled with the Ministry of Attorney General (Victoria) and Richards Buell Sutton (Vancouver) before being called to the Bar in 1997. Patrick practiced law in the Fraser Canyon until 2005 after which he became a full-time worker for the Kwoiek Hydro Project in the role of Community Liaison. The Liaison role transitioned into the community Economic Development Officer after the Kwoiek hydro project was completed in January 2014. With the retirement of Chief James Frank in the Spring of 2015, Patrick became the Chief of Kanaka Bar in the community’s first election in over 30 years. Patrick retired from his role as Chief in 2022 and is currently the Lytton First Nation Rebuild Director.

In 2018, Patrick was honored with a Clean Energy BC lifetime achievement award for his work in renewable energy project design, permitting, development and operations, and in 2021 was honored with a Clean50 Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on climate change awareness and action. Kanaka’s 2021 Community Resilience Plan was also recognized as the Clean50 2022 Top project.

Pre-Reading and Viewing Materials Suggested by Patrick