November 2014

Volume 10 • Issue 10

NOVEMBER 2014

BEAR WATCH

RECORD YEAR FOR HOMALCO TOURS PAGES 6-7

SALISH EYE SENTINEL PROFILE PAGES 4-5

MALAHAT PROJECT ON THE WATERFRONT PAGES 8-9

Your best holiday memory ever!

Christmas is coming and so too is The Salish Sea Sentinel’s year-end double issue, full of our top stories from 2014.

We would like to include you in this special issue. Send us your story about ‘My best holiday memory ever’. Tell us what and who made it special for you. Include a photo or two if it helps tell your story.

The best story selected by Sentinel staff will win a Grand Prize of $150. There will also be a $50 second prize and a $25 third prize. And we will also publish the best stories in our big December/January edition.

Send your story by November 15 to editor@salishseasentinel.ca Include your full name, your Nation and your phone number.

GRAND PRIZE $150

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EDITORIAL MONEY TALKS… SO DO WE One of the big changes in the Salish Sea Sentinel in 2014 has been the addition of paid-for advertising.

While we are heartened by the support of companies and organizations, with this has change has come many behindthe-scenes debates about what sort of advertising we will include.

“Do we accept ads from anyone who has the money?” is a common question.

“What about oil and pipeline companies, tobacco manufacturers, casinos, night-

clubs…” The list is long and so are the arguments both for and against what critics might call ‘dirty’ money.

These discussions have recently come closer to home. The Kinder Morgan pipeline company was one of the sponsors for Malahat First Nation’s gala on Nov. 1.

And at the recent CANDO economic development conference (hosted by Snuneymuxw and Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council), the delegates’ package contained a flyer advertising Double Happiness cigarettes that billed itself as “Canada’s only Chinese tobacco brand.” Now we’ve seen an online ad on the Windspeaker newspaper site from Shell Oil.

We’re still on the fence about if the Sentinel would also accept such advertising. And, if so, what strings might be attached? Is there really such a thing as ‘dirty’ money?

This is an issue we haven’t had to face head-on yet, but these are challenging questions for any publication and especially for one committed to forward-looking articles about Coast Salish people.

We will judge our ad content on a caseby-case basis, but readers can be assured that our content will never be influenced by advertising dollars.

What do you think? Send comments to: editor@salishseasentinel.ca

NAUT’SA MAWT TRIBAL COUNCIL NATIONS Editorial: Mark Kiemele, Editor editor@salishseasentinel.ca 250-246-3438 Cara McKenna, Reporter cara@salishseasentinel.ca 604-366-6215 Advertising: Manoj Sood ads@salishseasentinel.ca 604-723-8355 Publisher: Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council 1921 Tsawwassen Drive, Tsawwassen BC V4M 4G2 Gary Reith, CAO 604-943-6712 | 1-888-382-7711 The Salish Sea Sentinel is published monthly, eleven times a year, by the Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council, incorporated as a non-profit society in 1983 and governed by a board of directors from our eleven member First Nations located around the Salish Sea. About 6,500 people hold membership in our nations.

www.salishseasentinel.ca Deadline for editorial and advertising is the 15th of every month.

1. HALALT (250) 246-4736 chief@halalt.org www.halalt.org 2. HOMALCO (250) 923-4979 richard@aboriginalaquaculture.com 3. KLAHOOSE Qathen Xwegus Management Corp (250) 935-6536 www.klahoose.com 4. MALAHAT (250) 743-3231 lawrencelewis@malahatnation.com www.malahatnation.com 5. SLIAMMON (604) 483-9646 clint.williams@sliammon.bc.ca www.sliammonfirstnation.com www.sliammontreaty.com 6. SNAW-NAW-AS (Nanoose) (250) 390-3661 administrator@nanoose.org nfnbandmanager@nanoose.org www.nanoose.org 7. SNUNEYMUXW (Nanaimo) (250) 740-2300 johngwesley@shaw.ca www.snuneymuxw.ca 8. STZ’UMINUS (Ladysmith) (250) 245-7155 Ray.Gauthier@coastsalishdevcorp.com www.stzuminus.com 9. TSAWWASSEN (604) 948-5219 chartman@tfnedc.com www.tsawwassenfirstnation.com 10. TSLEIL-WAUTUTH (604) 929-3454 bbaptiste@twnation.ca www.twnation.ca 11. T’SOU-KE (Sooke) (250) 642-3957 administrator@tsoukenation.com www.tsoukenation.com

SALISH SEA SENTINEL 1

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

Land deals around Vancouver for Tsleil-Waututh Tsleil-Waututh First Nation is now part owner of three parcels of prime Vancouver-area land.

The $307 million dollar deal saw the 32 hectares of former federal lands transferred to a joint venture between TsleilWaututh, Musqueam and Squamish First Nations along with the Canada Lands Agency.

Two parcels are located in Vancouver.

One is in Point Grey on English Bay, an area formerly known as the Jericho Lands. The other is a former RCMP property on Heather Street in the Cambie Corridor. A third is a vacant fisheries department parcel in along West Vancouver’s Marine Drive.

Earlier this year, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam said they would become partners with Aquilini Investment Group to develop the Willingdon Lands in Burnaby.

That followed a late March protocol signing by the three nations at which TsleilWaututh Chief Maureen Thomas said: “Our nations often talk about our shared connection to our lands and waters, but today we are highlighting our shared connection as First Nations people.

“This agreement is so important for our three communities and we hope it sets a positive example of what can be achieved when we truly work together as one.”

Chief Maureen Thomas

Stz’uminus First Nation elder Ray Harris testified before the National Energy Board hearings on the Kinder Morgan pipeline in Chilliwack on Oct. 22 along with Coast Salish people from BC and Washington State. Prior to the hearing a ceremony was held along the Fraser River.

(Photo courtesy Mychaylo Prystupa, Vancouver Observer)

Charges dropped The Underwater Harvesters Association has dropped legal charges against the Stz’uminus First Nation.

The charges were brought after the community held an August demonstration along the waters of Kulleet Bay against the geoduck harvesting policies by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Since then, Stz’uminus has discussed the issue with federal politicians as well as other coastal First Nations.

Naniamo candidates

Workshop leader

Snuneymuxw First Nation elder Geraldine Manson is running for Nanaimo city council in the upcoming municipal elections. Bill Yoachim, former Snuneymuxw council member, is also a candidate.

Linda Bristol of T’Sou-ke First Nation led a comprehensive community planning workshop at Songhees Wellness Centre in Victoria on Oct 8. The audience heard how consultations for T’Sou-ke’s 100-

2 SALISH SEA SENTINEL

year community plan (Visions in Progress) involved sessions with everyone from children to elders.

“Listen, listen, listen” and be flexible, Bristol advised communities. “You have to be able to move.

Linda Bristol Things come up that you don’t anticipate all the time. If you want to make Creator laugh, make a plan.”

Enevoldsen elected new Homalco chief Maryann Enevoldsen was elected chief of Homalco First Nation on Oct. 26.

She narrowly defeated longtime chief Richard Harry in the vote which saw two new faces elected to council.

Dorothy Paul (Andrew) and Curtis Blaney will join re-elected councillors Darren Blaney and Alison Trenholm.

Darren Blaney, with 125 votes, topped the polls for seats on council.

According to the unofficial vote count, Enevoldsen received 78 votes to Harry’s 72. Strong support from Vancouver-area voters gave Enevoldsen the victory.

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

$40 MILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE Tsawwassen First Nation and Vancity have signed a $40 million financing deal.

Chris Hartman

Tony Jacobs

TSAWWASSEN AWARDS ABOUT BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS The First Nation was honoured twice at the 21st annual national conference of the

T

Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers

sawwassen First Nation and its economic development corporation won two awards at the recent CANDO conference in Nanaimo.

The awards were largely based on the nation and its economic development corporation working together in support of all members. The nation is in the midst of large retail, housing and industrial developments along with major infrastructure works (see sidebar).

Chris Hartman, CEO of Tsawwassen’s economic development corporation, received an individual award, while the nation picked up an award in the community category.

“I truly believe that successful economic development means looking beyond basic business principles,” said Hartman.

Hartman said the key at Tsawwassen has been focusing on the balanced delivery of social and economic opportunities, which has meant working closely with the nation’s legislative council.

He said that all members are shareholders in the corporation. Both a short and longterm vision was required so that “30, 40 and 50 years down the road, members not even born yet can still enjoy the benefits.”

He said the benefits are not just financial, but also social, which includes health, wellness, training and jobs.

“As we go forward, we will create more jobs than we have members,” Hartman said.

“So that will allow us to focus on community amenities and see how we can start bringing those social benefits forward.”

Tony Jacobs, a member of the nation’s executive council, expanded on Hartman’s theme when he received the community award.

“Economic development has allowed us to achieve independence for our children and grandchildren…so we may carry on the advice and wisdom given to us by our elders,” Jacobs said.

Chief Bryce Williams said the arrangement will assist the nation in building the critical infrastructure required for the development of the nation’s economy, including a new sewage treatment plant, roads and utility services.

“These key projects will support the full build-out of our comprehensive land use plan, including our commercial district, our strategically located industrial lands and our oceanfront residential community,” Williams said.

“Vancity is helping us make up the infrastructure deficit we faced when we left the Indian Act.” The two-part deal is for two $20 million loans, one for the sewage plant scheduled for completion in mid-2015. The second is for roads and other work that are scheduled to be finished in time for the opening of commercial developments in early 2016.

Chief Bryce Williams

SALISH SEA SENTINEL 3

SENTINEL PROFILE

SALISH EYE STAYS IN FOCUS DESPITE PAIN

A traumatic injury laid Tricia Thomas low, but hasn’t stopped her from looking at the big picture.

I

T HAPPENED IN AN INSTANT. Last January, two days before the first big job for her new company, a car accident changed the life of Tricia Thomas.

She was returning from dropping a friend’s child off at school and her car was t-boned by another vehicle, leaving her with serious muscle tissue injuries that have since rendered her unable to pick up a video camera or even her own children, who are two and four.

Almost immediately after her trauma, still in shock, Thomas sat down with her partner, Isaac Jack. He works with heavy equipment operator, but comes from a film background. He offered to help.

“I wasn’t able to do it without him,” she said. “It’s been like that ever since. Every time there’s a job, I’m not alone.”

Since the accident in January, Salish Eye Productions – a

4 SALISH SEA SENTINEL

Coast Salish photography, videography and design company – has thrived with the two of them working together. Jack is in charge of hauling and setting up camera equipment, while Thomas focuses on the creative side.

“With the challenge came an opportunity,” Thomas said.

“It forged a partnership in our work, where, if I hadn’t been injured, I would have been trying to do this all on my own and it wouldn’t be as much fun.

“Isaac already has experience in the field and we both have different personalities. We work together really well as a team and the people that hire us know that.”

Thomas is from the Halalt First Nation, where Salish Eye is based, and Jack is from Penelakut. They live in Ladysmith.

The couple is both driven and good-humoured. They laugh about the fact that they could have started dating each

SENTINEL PROFILE other much sooner, but both wrongly assumed they were related in some way.

Together they have continually blown past obstacles with the aim to give Coast Salish people a voice through their work.

It all started as a hobby for Thomas, who always liked to hold a camera. She started Isaac Jack and Tricia Thomas making money when she was hired to produce a video of Tribal Journeys. The video she made was sent to several Vancouver Island universities and is now being used for educational purposes in First Nations studies classes.

In 2009, she went into business under a different name, but since broke off with her previous partner after the partner decided to work for the Kinder Morgan pipeline company fulltime.

“I wasn’t really into it, so I started up Salish Eye Productions,” Thomas said.

“We try to be clear on what we’re about. It was a hobby that turned into the profession because the demand was there.”

Thomas and Jack are currently working on indigenous cultural competency videos for the government, including one project that involves protocol on respectfully approaching elders.

“It’s easier to talk to another First Nations person than to have, you know, CHEK News come in and interview you,” Thomas observed.

“It’s always easier to have someone you’re familiar with. So, being that vehicle to help people be heard is kind of what we’re working towards.”

Jack said he enjoys the variety of being in a city filming one day, to being out on the water in a fishing boat the next, as well as constantly learning and connecting.

“It’s a lot different to read words on paper, you can twist the meaning to understand it any which way you want,” Jack said. “In video, you get to see facial expressions and where the emphasis is in what people are saying. You get to create the understanding of how that person wants it to be heard.”

Both Jack and Thomas enjoy producing educational and political videos, but also aim to produce longer documentaries: “Because we believe there’s a demand for them. And to tell those stories the way they’re supposed to be told instead of someone from the outside looking in like, ‘I think this is how it is.’”

Eventually Salish Eye hopes to have its own studio, but “Right now, with where we are, I’m kind of laying low,” Thomas said.

“But we’d like to have a studio where we can have our doors open to people and offer a type of community service. People want to be heard.”

More information about Salish Eye Productions along with samples of their work are available at www.salisheye.com.

“You get to create the understanding of how that person wants it to be heard.”

THE HERONS NEST Salish Eye Productions is one of the several enterprises receiving assistance from The Herons Nest, the grassroots economic development project of Naut’sa mast Tribal Council. The project provides advice, from marketing to business planning, as well as funds for entrepreneurs to upgrade their skills and techniques.

SALISH SEA SENTINEL 5

6 SALISH SEA SENTINEL

BEHOLD THE BEARS OF BUTE Photos by Todd Peacey of Homalco First Nation

HOMALCO FIRST NATION ‘BEARS OF BUTE’ TOURS had a record year in 2014.

Tourists from around the world visited the viewing sites on the Orford River in Bute Inlet.

Among notable recent visitors on the Homalco Wildlife Tours was Microsoft founder Bill Gates and members of the Royal family from the United Kingdom.

The prime grizzly and black bear habitat in Homalco’s traditional territory makes for stunning sights for visitors in the viewing towers in the late summer and fall, when the bears come out to feast on coho and chum salmon.

The Orford River is located halfway between the entrance to Bute Inlet and its headwaters.

When not watching the bears, guests can learn more about the Homalco traditional territory at the nearby information centre. Displays tell the stories of Orford Bay, the settlement at Church House (Aupe) and other significant places for the Xwemalhkwu people. Woven cedar hats, baskets, carvings and drums are also on view.

More info at www.bearsofbute.net SALISH SEA SENTINEL 7

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

MALAHAT WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT MOVES FORWARD The project will be first-ever economic development for the nation and could eventually create up to 30 full-time jobs

By Cara McKenna

M

alahat Nation is preparing the final plans for an oceanfront development in Mill Bay that will also serve as a new community-gathering place.

The planned boat launch and parking lot as well as a potential café represents a $2.2 million investment for the nation. It is also entering into the aquaculture business, and will be harvesting scallops and sea cucumbers in the area.

Malahat leadership solidified the plan in early October by signing a letter of understanding with the Mill Bay Marina Group and Cowichan Valley Regional District. CVRD chairman Rob Hutchins called the contract a “historic” step; the first time such an agreement – between Malahat, the regional district and a private business – has ever been signed.

Duane Shaw, managing partner of the Mill Bay Marina, added that he feels the agreement represents “a lot more” than just building a boat launch or parking lot. “It’s about building community, it’s about building relationships and it’s about building a future for this area,” he said.

Malahat manager Lawrence Lewis said the hope is that the development, slated for completion in July 2015, will serve both the Mill Bay/Shawnigan Lake communities and Malahat members. It will consist of 28 boat and trailer parking stalls, 100 regular parking stalls, a green space on the shoreline and a small café.

“What we wanted to do was create a much more usable and friendly space along that foreshore which is already heavily used,” Lewis said. “It’ll calm the traffic a bit and create a much more amenable place and space for people to come and enjoy the views, the fresh water and hang out with family and friends.”

The hope is to eventually create 20 to 30 permanent jobs for Malahat members.

8 SALISH SEA SENTINEL

Chief Harry with the project plans

Artwork from Malahat youth will be part of the project. A group is in the process of learning traditional art forms.

Chief Michael Harry added that the nation will also harvest scallops and sea cucumbers from the north end of its reserve.

He said, until now, Malahat has not undertaken any major economic development projects. “The location is fantastic, our land is undeveloped which makes it even better,” he said. “It gives us the opportunity to shape what we want it to be.”

Malahat will vote to start the First Nations Land Management process in early 2015. If approved, the nation will take back control of its lands and will be able to advance its development plans more efficiently.

MALAHAT GETS JOBS GRANT FOR TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT Malahat Nation recently announced $30,000 in federal funding to be invested in employment for community members. The grant will go towards Malahat’s LifeSkills program, creating employment and training opportunities for members who have already created a job plan.

“LifeSkills is about trying to identify a better mechanism to engage Malahat on what the nation is up to, future opportunities, mentorship and the day-to-day process to build life plans,” explained band manager Lawrence Lewis.

Chief Michael Harry added: “We push them hard. There’s no better love than tough love.”

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

Duance Shaw, Chief Harry and Rob Hutchins with Malahat members in the background

urbansystems.ca

SALISH SEA SENTINEL 9

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

DECADES-OLD KNOWLEDGE COMBINED WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY AT KLAHOOSE An expanded T’oq Kimuq language app and Salishan dictionary will be assets to the next generation.

(A previous version of the article first appeared on Klahoose.org)

I

n 1974, the late Joe Mitchell penned a message to Klahoose members in one of two booklets containing over 2000 words, place names and phrases in his native language: “Guard this with your life.”

Over four decades ago, Mitchell’s father, fluent T’oq Kimuq speaker Bill Mitchell, recorded the Klahoose language into booklets with his wife Rose and translator Randy Bouchard. For many years, their recordings have been in language coordinator Jessie Louie’s collection.

Now, Louie has obtained a grant from the First Peoples’ Cultural Council to record 1,000 T’oq Kimuq words and 1,000 phrases into the FirstVoices indigenous language app, adding to 849 existing words and phrases.

The app’s ingenuity is a shining example of blending the old ways with the new, allowing anyone with a smartphone or tablet to easily read and hear words and phrases in various indigenous languages.

One of the booklets at Louie’s disposal mostly consists of place names along the coast of Klahoose traditional territory

10 SALISH SEA SENTINEL

By Johnny Hanuse with a file from Cara McKenna and has some intriguing details of origin.

For example, at the beginning of Toba Inlet, Brem River, translated means, “getting humpback salmon.”

There are some handwritten notes on the booklets from translator Bouchard, as well as Mitchell and his son. Bouchard’s note read: “This is specifically the Tl’ ú hus (Klahoose with old style orthography) dialect of mainland Comox, but it is not that distinct from the xwúmalhkwa (Homalco) and lhá7 amin (Tla’amin) dialects, as far as I have been able to determine, to date.”

“We have the words, now we just need the speakers,” Louie said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s a good challenge. It’s carrying on and moving forward. We have a big job ahead of us.”

One of her tasks will be be transferring all the words from the old style orthography to the new style. Afterwards, the mission will be to track down fluent speakers from Klahoose, and record them saying each word and describe the meanings. Fluent speakers are harder and harder to come

by. They are moving on or moving away.

Not only is Klahoose adding more words to the First Voices app, but it is also in the process of creating a a Coast Salishian dictionary of the Comox dialect with Tla’amin (Sliammon). Currently Tla’amin has 3,668 words and 2,466 phrases. Klahoose has 544 words and 305 phrases. If Homalco got involved, a ‘super-dictionary’ could be created.

Alex Wadsworth, one of the developers of FirstVoices, said linguists from the University of Victoria will also soon be partnering on the project to provide support.

Thanks to this grant, Klahoose is looking forward to preserving its language, which in turn is going to be an asset to the next generation.

Language coordinator Jessie Louie

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

SEAFOOD, ESPECIALLY SALMON, ON OUR MENUS

Salmon, of course, is the number one seafood eaten in all five communities. It makes up more than half of the seafood diet in every community.

On average, 38 kg of salmon is eaten per person every year.

But there are other favourite seafoods, depending on where one lives.

For example, the top five favourites in Snuneymuxw were prawns, crabs, halibut, butter clams and Manila clams. In Ahousaht the top five were halibut, Manila clams, herring eggs, butter clams and sea urchins. And on the north end of the Island, at Quatsino, the favourites were halibut, prawns, eulachon grease, rockfish and crab.

The Vancouver Island Traditional Foods Conference is being hosted in late October by the tukʷaaʔatḥ (Toquaht) First Nation in Ucluelet. In 2008, Snuneymuxw First Nation hosted the first of these gatherings.

A notable report from that initial conference showed how important seafood is to Indigenous people around the coast.

Where do our seafoods come from?

If there were any doubts about how vital the Aboriginal food fishery is to coastal First Nations, they were put to rest by the consumption patterns found in the traditional seafoods survey.

The study* questioned people living in five communities around Vancouver Island and discovered that: • First Nations people eat 15 times more seafood than the average Canadian • Total seafood consumption of all people surveyed averaged 60 kilograms per person per year. That equals two servings a day.

• About 90 per cent of that food comes directly from the sea, not from supermarkets or restaurants.

(KG/YEAR) 100 80

RESTAURANT (3%) SUPERMARKET (8%)

TRADITIONAL HARVESTING (89%)

* The seafoods survey was done by Tom Child, then a University of Victoria graduate student who is Kwakiutl, from the Hunt family, at Fort Rupert near Port Hardy.

How much seafood do we eat?

SALMON SEAFOOD

THIS IS TUM’QWA’UNHW (NOVEMBER) SEASON OF THE DOG SALMON IN THE HUL’QUMI’NUM LANGUAGE NOV

13

Ts’its’uw’atul’ (formally Native Brotherhood of William Head Institution) in Victoria invites community elders to share a meal at 1 p.m. in Scianew O’Yen (Salmon House). Contact Joan Brown at 250-740-2300.

NOV

17-18

First Nations Education Steering Committee regional session in Campbell River at the Coast Discovery Inn. Eligibility and travel reimbursement details at http://www.fnesc.ca/regional NOV

22

Christmas craft fair at Halalt First Nation, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 8023 Chemainus Road. Proceeds to support travel expenses for Elders conference in 2015.

Contact Erin at (250) 246-4736.

DEC

60

3-5

40 20 0

CALENDAR

Weiwaikum

Snuneymuxw

Quatsino

Pacheedaht

Ahousaht

AFOA BC Financial Management Conference at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in Vancouver. More info at conference@ afoabc.org or 604-925-6370.

Average seafood consumption in five Vancouver Island First Nations communities.

SALISH SEA SENTINEL 11

AROUND THE SALISH SEA

TRANSITION TO THE CORPORATE SECTOR Kim Baird of Kim Baird Strategic Consulting

FORMER CHIEF BAIRD LANDS TWO PRIVATE CONSULTING JOBS

K

IM BAIRD is using skills acquired over six terms as chief of Tsawwassen First Nation – including guiding her nation to BC’s first urban treaty – in the corporate sector.

She has started work as an advisor for the Vancouver offices of two international consultancies – EY (formerly Ernst and Young) as well as Hill and Knowlton. And she says the recent Tsilhqot’in decision in the Supreme Court of Canada has only helped the importance of her resume.

“I now have contractual arrangements with two firms,” Baird said. “Both have been in the works for several months and the court case further illustrated that their relationship with me is timely.”

The EY announcement came in early October while the Hill and Knowlton job came in mid-August, just weeks after Baird was named a member of the Order of Canada. EY was once known mainly for its accounting services while Hill and Knowlton focused on public relations, but both have emerged as multinational professional services companies.

“My main role will be to advise those firms and their clients about aboriginal relations generally,” she said, adding that her other experience with engagement, public and government relations will also be put to use.

But variety is the spice of life for Baird. “I’m doing a wide variety of work right now, which I really enjoy. I still do work for First Nations directly, and hope to always do so, particularly in relation to community building and governance development, but also with industry and government relations, and economic development.”

Her company – Kim Baird Strategic Consulting – operates from her home on Tsawwassen Drive.

12 SALISH SEA SENTINEL

Located on Stz’uminus First Nation land, this space is ideally suited for a single or multiple aboriginal-owned organizations who can benefit from tax-free status. Close proximity to major transportation hubs allows for easy commuting and access to major business centres.  12 private offices + shared space

 30’x50’ board room/ Classroom

 3 washrooms, kitchen  Tax Benefits for Aboriginal Organizations

 Beautiful Location,

Steps to Waterfront

For further information call

250-924-2444

referrals@coastsalishdevcorp.com

THE HERONS NEST

A HERON’S-EYE VIEW OF CANDO FOR THIS NESTER Patricia McDougall is one of the people in the Herons Nest, Naut’sa mast Tribal Council’s grassroots economic development project. As a graphic recorder and facilitator, she participated in the recent CANDO event in Nanaimo and helped out at the NmTC booth at the conference’s trade show. This is her report.

A

Patricia McDougall with a visual record of NmTC

boriginal economic developers from all over Canada gathered to collaborate and share their knowledge, practices and stories at the CANDO conference. The three-day event was chock full of fun and informative events.

My role was three-fold: as a delegate, a participant in the Herons Nest and as member of Klahoose First Nation. It was fantastic how beautifully everything came together at this, NmTC’s inaugural trade show. Our team coordinated a professional and informative booth for delegates to learn who NmTC is and what it does. Now, we just needed a banner.

Fortuitously, the Herons Nest coordinator suggested I showcase my work as a graphic facilitator by illustrating the framework of the organization that graphically shows delegates who and what NmTC is. This was a great way to showcase my work through images, colours, text and icons…a picture of NmTC. One highlight for me was presenter Patrick Michell from the Kanaka Bar First Nation. He is a straight shooter who does not mince words.

I loved how he was not afraid to use the word ‘Indian’; we are who we are and it’s important to be proud of it.

After his talk, I learned about his impressive credentials as a formal criminal lawyer. But I also saw his passion for empowerment and collaboration for his community members.

There is no room in his vocabulary for ‘nepotism’. He expects everyone who works on projects to pull their own weight and if they don’t he will not be there to fix it for them. He expects people to take responsibility for their own actions.

Youth were inspirational panelists, dedicated to their causes and passions. It was uplifting and evident throughout the room. There was the young man who already had two businesses at age 22, and the videographer who helps save other youth from risky lifestyles by helping them discover that arts will allow them to express their identities.

Another notable speaker was Chris Hartman from Tsawwassen First Nation who was a nominee for economic developer of the year. And there was Dr. Roslyn Kunin from Haida Enterprise Corporation, smart and bottom-line focused, yet full of heart and soul for the community she serves.

For me, as a participant in the Herons Nest initiative, I was left with a hankering for more. I did not want to leave, having just enjoyed three days of networking with likeminded professionals and being part of NmTC that was elevated in the way it operates as an organization.

NmTC chair Chief James Thomas of Halalt talks with Snuneymuxw Chief John Wesley

Patricia operates her New Ways Consulting business from her home in Gold River. More info: newways.ca

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Isn’t it about time that you had a financial system built for your needs?

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Band Membership & Community Database General Ledger Budget Management Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Housing & Asset Management Payroll Human Resources Management (Q1 2014) Post-Secondary (Q1 2014) Purchase Orders Income Assistance Patient Travel (Travel Warrents) Child Welfare Electronic Requisitions G/L Bank Reconciliation GST Tracking & Recovery Electronic Banking DoculinX™ - Electronic Filing Cabinet Report Writer & Designer Remote Backup & Disaster Recovery Service

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A Canadian Aboriginal Company

Systems

Call 1-866-699-6829 www.xyntax.com