Roy Fox

Roy Fox

Environment and Natural Resources (2002)

Roy Fox has energized Aboriginal people. After a stellar career in First Nations’ politics, Mr. Fox is now President and CEO of the Indian Resource Council of Canada. Under his leadership, the IRC represents the interests of more than 100 First Nations in five Canadian provinces. Over the past five years, this group has collectively generated more than half a billion dollars in oil and gas revenues. And Mr. Fox is just getting started. In 1998, he was successful in encouraging three federal cabinet ministers to launch the First Nations Employment and Training Centre (FNET) as the training and employment arm of the IRC. Before Mr. Fox, First Nations across the land were rightly concerned about their access to a portion of the 500,000 jobs generated by the energy industry in Canada. FNET now serves as a conduit between the industry and First Nations and their influence is definitely being felt. For the first time ever, training programs, in areas such as drilling rigs and contracting that are geared specifically towards Aboriginal people, are a reality. Before his present career, Mr. Fox led the Blood Tribe, as Chief, into a historic initiative with Canada whereby his First Nation began taking over full management and control of their oil and gas resources from Ottawa. It will be the Blood Tribe, not Ottawa, who will determine the future development of these resources on Canada’s largest First Nation. Thanks to Mr. Fox, the self-management of their resources by and for Aboriginal people is a reality.