The Northern Lights Annual General Meeting is on Wednesday, June 19.

Northern Lights members will have received their invitation to the AGM via e-mail. It will be held through Zoom.

We’ll start with a special presentation at 3:00 p.m. ahead of the AGM business.

Here’s what to know about our AGM special presentation:

Communicating in a Good Way: Connecting with Indigenous People

Fact: Indigenous people are the fastest growing population in Canada – growing nearly 10% between 2016 and 2021. This means a shift where we live, work and play – and the way we communicate must shift too. Ben Borne, Founder, Communicator & Leader at Symmetry Public Relations is dialing in from Treaty 6 Territory to shed led on the Indigenous Worldview and how it informs our communication approaches. You’ll takeaway some guiding principles for engaging with Indigenous communities, and most importantly, get hands on practice working with messages to make sure they are reaching Indigenous people in a good way.

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Ben is a communications professional on paper, but a relationship builder at heart. He hails from Yellow Quill First Nation 300km east of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and lives in Saskatoon. He is the descendant of a 60s scoop survivor, and through his work as a communications professional has started his journey to reclaim his identity. Over the years working with Indigenous people, he has nurtured a passion for using communications to create inclusive, generous, and responsible communities.

Ben has 11 years’ experience in the communications industry, currently working as a Co-Founder, Communicator & Leader at Symmetry Public Relations, the agency he founded with his business partner in 2020. Throughout his career, he’s worked in corporate communications, digital marketing, corporate performance, and business strategy. Ben is a sessional lecturer teaching Strategic Communications at First Nations University, Indigenous Business in Canada at the University of Saskatchewan, and now Community Engagement at Simon Fraser University.

Ben’s work has led to several professional accomplishments including being listed on CBC’s Future40 list in the business and entrepreneurship category in 2020 and taking home national and international awards for his work.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts from Canadian Mennonite University (2013), a Diploma in Public Relations from the University of Victoria (2019), and a Master of Arts in Professional Communication from Royal Roads University (2023) where he was also the recipient of the Founders Award for his exemplary leadership qualities, commitment to sustainability, positive and proactive work in equity, diversity and inclusion, and personal growth.

In his spare time, Ben likes to read, go for nice long walks, travel, and pretend to be a hardcore gamer.