Diavik completes fifth Aboriginal leadership program

Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., operator of the Diavik Diamond Mine, is pleased to announce seven northerners have successfully completed our fifth Aboriginal leadership program.

Graduates include Justin Grandjambe, Paul Betsina, Delmer Bonnetrouge, Belinda Beck, Winter Haley, Johnny Tailbone and Jesse Lepine.

Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Delmer Bonnetrouge encouraged the group to take advantage of opportunities and strive to create new opportunities.

Guest speakers at the ceremony, held December 13 in Yellowknife, included SAIT Vice President Academic Gord Nixon, Deton Cho Corporation Chief Executive Officer Roy Erasmus Jr., and Government of the Northwest Territories Minister of Education Culture and Employment Jackson Lafferty. Prior to his election as a member of the legislative assembly, Jackson Lafferty was employed with Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.

Since inception, 49 participants have completed the program which provides additional training and skills to help strengthen and advance participants' careers.

Delivered by SAIT Polytechnic and Diavik, the Aboriginal leadership program includes ten courses addressing 16 leadership competencies, monthly leadership development activities, a mentoring program by Diavik management, and a guest lecture series, for a total of 188 hours of training. Content is built around SAIT's Applied Management Certificate Program. In 2010, the program is to be expanded to include participants from De Beers Canada which operates the Snap Lake Diamond Mine.

Diavik employs over 800 workers, the majority of whom are northern residents. Approximately half of our northern workforce is Aboriginal. The Diavik Diamond Mine is located 300 km. northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and is an unincorporated joint venture between DDMI (60%) and Harry Winston Diamond Limited Partnership (40%). Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife, Canada. DDMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England, and Harry Winston Diamond Limited Partnership is controlled by Harry Winston Diamond Corporation of Toronto, Canada. DDMI is the operator of the project. For further information contact Doug Ashbury, Acting Principal Adviser, Communications at Tel: (867) 669-6525, or visit the DDMI website at www.diavik.ca.

Diavik completes fifth Aboriginal leadership program [PDF: 44 KB]