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Toronto awards shows honour design talent, Aboriginal businesses
<span></span>ON THE SCENE<br>

Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards announces nominees at Thompson Landry Gallery and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business hosts its 20th annual awards gala

Pop star Ralph announces the CAFA nominees.

Nolan Bryant
Special to The Globe and Mail

This article was published more than 6 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards Nominee Announcement, Toronto

The Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards, known to fashion insiders as CAFA, was founded five years ago to honour and celebrate both up-and-coming and old-guard Canadian design talent.

CAFA co-founder Vicky Milner and Suzanne Rogers.

Nominees for the fifth instalment of the annual awards were announced on Jan. 31 during a reception at Toronto's Thompson Landry Gallery, and although the awards won't be presented until April, excitement inside the gallery was high as the names of familiar fashion makers were announced.

Greta Constantine, Lucian Matis, Marie Saint Pierre, Stephan Caras and UNTTLD are the nominees in The Womenswear Designer of the Year Award category, arguably the most important award given by CAFA. Announced, too, was a new grant, underwritten by Suzanne Rogers, that will give $20,000 to an on-the-rise fashion designer or brand to aid with international business expansion.

George Antonopoulos and Brittney Kuczynski, founding director of CAFA.

Also new for 2018 is a partnership with The Globe and Mail for CAFA's Fashion & Retail Forum, which will see international industry leaders gather for a day of discussions before the awards are presented.

Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business 2018 Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame Awards, Toronto

Clément Chartier, president of the Métis National Council.

Also on Jan. 31, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business hosted its 20th annual Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame Awards gala in Toronto.

The organization, created in 1982 in part by the late businessman Murray B. Koffler, founder of Shoppers Drug Mart, has focused on fostering and advancing relations between First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and the mainstream corporate sector in Canada.

Lifetime Achievement inductee Harry Flaherty, president and CEO at Qikiqtaaluk Corporation.

The evening focused on honouring two men: lifetime achievement inductee Harry Flaherty, president and CEO at Qikiqtaaluk Corp. who hails from the Qikiqtaaluk Region in Nunavut, and Jordan Jolicoeur, of Métis descent from Stony Plain, Alta., who was awarded the fifth annual National Youth Aboriginal Entrepreneur of the Year Award (both awards are founded and sponsored by ESS Support Services Worldwide).

Métis Fiddler Quartet’s Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk and Conlin Delbaere-Sawchuk.

Throughout the evening, guests were entertained with performances by the Métis Fiddler Quartet and Inuit beatboxer Nelson Tagoona and remarks from National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Clément Chartier, president of the Métis National Council and, of course, CCAB's president and CEO, Jean Paul Gladu.

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