CMISA/FedDev: Marine ITB/IRB Programs, Indigenous Participation & Supply Chain Opportunities Hybrid Event

The half-day program (11:30am to 4:30pm ET)  brings together:

• An Indigenous panel sharing lived experience across skills development, training, and engineering
• An industry panel with leaders from Canada’s marine and defence ecosystem — including organizations connected to major primes such as Seaspan  and Chantier Davie Canada. 
• Participation from FedDev and Canada’s Regional Development Agencies, present for discussion and connection
• A structured networking reception to close the day

 Here's the lineup of the panels and our speakers:

Industry Panel:

Seaspan: Chad Hey Director of Industrial Participation and Strategic Initiatives
FFS: John Schmidt, President and CEO of Federal Fleet Services
Tom Rose: Thales Canada, Offsets and Industrial Participation Director
Audrey Lepage: Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Advisor, Chantier Davie Canada Ltd.

 Indigenous Panel:

 Valerie Vanderwyk: Executive Director (Mi'kmaq)- Indigenous Skills, Employment, Apprenticeship and Development (ISEAD) 
Keith Goulding: Director of College Development (Mi'kmaq) - College of the North Atlantic, Newfoundland 
Central Vice-Chief Colleen Paul: Qalipu First Nation
Pro Metal Industries Ltd.:  Mark Brown, President 

This event is where:

• Questions are explored in conversation, not just answered in theory
• Indigenous participation is discussed as partnership, not policy
• SMBs gain context, clarity, and confidence about their next moves
  
  
  Join us on February 26, 2026.
  
  HST (13%) will be added at checkout