08/29/2026
🚨 Speaker Highlight – 10th Annual Recovery Capital Conference of Canada
🎤 Don Burnstick
📅 September 24, 2026
Healing Through Humour
Sometimes the most powerful medicine is laughter.
Join renowned Cree comedian, storyteller, and recovery advocate Don Burnstick for an unforgettable closing keynote that blends humour, lived experience, and Indigenous wisdom into a powerful message of healing, hope, and recovery.
Drawing on more than 40 years of personal recovery and over three decades of helping others heal, Don shares his journey from addiction, homelessness, and intergenerational trauma to becoming one of Canada's most respected voices on recovery and Indigenous wellness. Through laughter and storytelling, he reminds us that healing is possible—even after life's darkest moments.
Participants will gain valuable insights into:
✅ Understanding addiction through an Indigenous and intersectional lens
✅ The lasting impacts of intergenerational trauma and pathways to healing
✅ How humour can become a powerful tool for recovery and resilience
✅ Breaking cycles of addiction through hope, connection, and cultural identity
✅ Inspiring personal and community healing through lived experience
Don's presentation is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply moving. Audiences leave not only laughing but with a renewed understanding of recovery, compassion, and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
Don Burnstick is a proud Cree from Alexander First Nation in Treaty 6 Territory and one of Canada's most sought-after Indigenous comedians, speakers, and wellness educators. After overcoming addiction in 1985, he dedicated his life to helping others heal through humour, storytelling, and culturally grounded approaches to recovery.
Educated in Holistic Urban Youth Development at the University of San Diego and certified as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counsellor through the Nechi Institute, Don has spent more than 30 years inspiring audiences across Canada and internationally. He is also the creator and performer of the acclaimed one-man production I Am Alcohol – Healing the Wounded Warrior, which powerfully explores addiction, trauma, and recovery through Indigenous storytelling.
🎓 Featured Closing Keynote – Indigenous Wellness Stream
🎉 Join us for the 10th Anniversary Recovery Capital Conference of Canada!
📅 September 22–24, 2026
📍 BMO Centre, Calgary
✅ 3 Days of Learning
🎤 65+ Expert Speakers
👥 Join Thousands of Healthcare Professionals, Researchers, and Recovery Leaders
Register today: https://recoverycapitalconference.com/healing-through-humour/
