Ryan Abel, a member of the Fort McKay First Nation, has been accepted for a position on the governance panel of the WBES committee. Abel was already a general member of the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association, and he is the leader for environmental efforts and concerns of the First Nation band. Ryan also works as the individual out front for forestry and in situ environmental concerns, so his committee position will allow him to continue working for the band and the environment. The committee position opened up when Linda Aidell stepped down as WBEA director in December, and Aidell was associated with the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation Industry Relations Corporation. Abel has worked very closely with Environmental Canada in the past, and he assisted in the Oski-ôtin Air Monitoring Site management.
For many it was no surprise that Ryan Abel was accepted for the WBEA committee position, and he is well qualified for the job. Abel has worked with industry experts to develop agreements with businesses that operate in the traditional territory in and near Fort McKay. Kevin Percy, the executive director for WBEA, gave a statement that said “Fort McKay has always been a very important stakeholder for WBEA, and we are pleased to welcome Ryan to our governance table,. As we move forward to further enhance environmental monitoring in our region, it is critical to have the perspective and voice of Aboriginal communities strongly represented.” Hopefully the new position will allow Ryan to do even more for the environment and local businesses.