SUDBURY—Laurentian University awarded Manitoulin’s own Dawn Madahbee Leach an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at its June 5 convocation for her tireless work on behalf of Indigenous businesses and her contributions to her community.
“We are very pleased to be joined this week by these four inspirational leaders,” said Laurentian president Lynn Wells, in a press release welcoming each of the recipients. “Each of them has reached the top of their respective disciplines and their presence at convocation will signal to graduates that truly anything is possible. Their journeys are exceedingly worthy of the highest honour we can bestow.”
Her citation reads as follows: “Ms. Madahbee Leach is a proud member of the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island in Ontario where she has served as a member of her community’s elected council. Since 1988, she has been general manager of Waubetek Business Development Corporation, an Indigenous financial institution that provides financing and economic services to Indigenous entrepreneurs and First Nation communities throughout Northeast Ontario. Under her leadership, Waubetek has proudly invested more than $160 million in nearly 4,000 Indigenous businesses who experience a business success rate of 94 percent.
Ms. Madahbee Leach studied at York University and Laurentian University where she earned a degree in political science with a minor in law.
Ms. Madahbee Leach shares her knowledge and expertise on various boards and committees including the National Indigenous Economic Development Board where she currently serves as chair. She also serves on the boards of the Peace Hills Trust Company, NioBay Minerals Inc., TC Energy, the Des Nedhe Group of Companies and the Indigenous Centre of Excellence for Mineral Development.
She worked alongside national Indigenous organizations to develop the 2022 National Indigenous Economic Strategy for Canada, the first national strategy of its kind penned exclusively by Indigenous people.
Ms. Madahbee Leach’s work has been acknowledged by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business who honoured her with the 2023 Business Lifetime Achievement Award. She also received the 2020 INDSPIRE Award in the Business and Commerce Category and was celebrated as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network in 2018. She has been a speaker at international forums in Australia, Chile, New Zealand, Sweden, Taiwan, Paris, Germany, the US and the UN on Indigenous economic development.
Ms. Madahbee Leach is also traditional dancer and an advocate for Indigenous peoples, businesses and First Nations, believing strongly that First Nation culture, language and economic development is the way forward for First Nations and future generations.
