Staff Profiles
Eric Christmas
Governance Advisory Services Officer: Atlantic
Eric was born and raised in Nova Scotia, spending his early years in Liverpool and Sydney, Cape Breton. He moved to Halifax in 1989 to pursue his post secondary education (Dalhousie University) with a focus on economics and Third World development. While at Dalhousie Eric was recognized for his scholastic and writing abilities with awards such as the Morris Saffron Prize for academic achievement and the Halifax Chamber of Commerce award for outstanding writing during his graduate studies. Following his post secondary education Eric held positions with several government, private sector and First Nations organizations including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ulnooweg Development Group, Exxon-Mobil Canada, Membertou Corporate Division and the Wagmatcook First Nation.
His achievements of note include organizing and running Atlantic Canada’s first aboriginal trade show, the creation of the Aboriginal Alliance of Companies (a consortium of over 40 aboriginal firms), operating Membertou’s Corporate Division, developing WCCTV (a television channel located in Wagmatcook, Nova Scotia) and recently Trade Circle, an online based site dedicated to creating partnerships between the corporate sector and the aboriginal business community. Eric has also been directly involved in some of the First Nations most important issues including fisheries, where he helped to negotiate to Marshall agreements with Membertou and Chapel Island and the offshore oil and gas sector where he continues to work toward integrating the aboriginal business community in that sector.
Eric has also been very active in terms of volunteer service to several high profile aboriginal organizations including the Mi’kmaq Friendship Center, to which he held the position of President and the CANDO where he served a two year term on their national board. He was also Chair of the Tripartite Committee on Economic Development.
Eric hobbies include playing golf very badly and his fender stratocaster very proficiently.
Eric currently resides in Halifax with his wife of 26 years.
