“When it comes to leadership, holding your cards to your chest all the time doesn't really help.”
–Ronnie Chickite
Ronnie Chickite is a fourth generation fisherman re-elected chief of We Wai Kai First Nation in January. No wonder. Under his leadership, investments, partnerships and economic development have shot through the roof. Building on previous successes, his community has grown or diversified its interests in retail businesses, real estate, housing, education, tourism, forestry and more.
“A healthy economy is a healthy community,” Chickite says. In We Wai Kai, the benefits of economic prosperity are building resiliency, capacity and community pride. Members own their homes, every post-secondary student last year got a $3,000 scholarship, and each resident can access up to $30,000 for private addiction treatment health care.
Chickite credits his council and members for guiding many of the community’s achievements and he says“good communications” are the foundation of its relationship with neighbouring first nations and collaborations with Campbell River’s mayor and council.
Which is not to say We Wai Kai has been without its challenges.
Last year, it became the site of the largest known safe supply drug bust on reserve land in BC. While the incident shocked members – several kilos of illegal drugs were also seized – it didn’t slow the pace of progress.
The first Indigenous nation in Canada to own a Starbucks, it will soon also be the only First Nation in BC to own and operate a licensed medical addiction treatment centre.
“Healing people is far more valuable than a tourism destination,” Chickite said of the decision to renovate a vacation resort into a treatment facility. Treatment will consist of half clinical therapies, half land-based care, and will be open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants.
Guiding all these investments and ventures like a North Star is the community’s multi-generational vision of achieving self-determination and economic self-sufficiency.
Still, Chickite knows that rapid change can feel alarming, particularly when it relates to reconciliation efforts.
“First Nations aren't coming to take everything, as some people think. We just want to be included. I think we have a lot of value to bring, which at times, some people forget that,” he said.
“We're running a government just like the municipal government or the provincial government or the federal government… governments that have constituents that they're answering to.”
I hope you enjoy the podcast.
Fran
Podcast producer: Rob Shaw
Info: Fran@NorthernBeat.ca
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