EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 30, 2021 – The Indigenous people of Treaty 6 held a flag raising ceremony at the Brand Energy Solutions offices in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday, August 6, 2021. The ceremony recognized the history and culture of the land and Brand Energy’s commitment to reconciliation, inclusion and the continued building of partnerships with the Indigenous people of Treaty 6.
“We’re proud to be the first company to raise the Treaty 6 flag in an office complex,” said Rick Lofstrom, managing director of Brand Energy Solutions. “With the help of the Indigenous people of Treaty 6, Brand Energy Solutions has created business development partnerships and training and employment programs, and we’re looking to do more.”
Chief L. Stanley Houle from the Whitefish Lake First Nation #128, BrandSafway’s longest standing Indigenous partner at more than 15 years, rose the flag. Whitefish Lake First Nation #128 Elder Violet Houle gave the opening prayer to commence the ceremony. Drummers Nick Giant, Corey Wells and Isaac Plante performed traditional drum music, including the honour song and flag song. Both Chief Houle and Rennie Houle from Whitefish Lake First Nation #128 spoke at the event. Tee Pee Treats Indigenous Cuisine, based in Edmonton, catered the event and provided traditional Indigenous food, including fried bannock, bannock tacos and bison burgers.
“We worked closely with our Indigenous partners to learn the traditional Indigenous protocol for such an event and are thankful for their willingness to guide and help educate us,” said BrandSafway Indigenous and Community Relations Manager Joanie Lofstrom.
With three locations in Alberta — Edmonton, Calgary and Grande Prairie — Brand Energy Solutions provides scaffolding, rope access, insulation, coatings and refractory services to safely increase productivity on shutdowns and capital projects, and for ongoing maintenance work in Canada. Brand Energy Solutions is a proud member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, and promoting the training and development of Indigenous workers is a key value of the company. Brand Energy Solutions is a BrandSafway company. For more information, visit https://brandenergysolutions.ca/
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