It’s been quite the year since I started my initial website. When I created it – it was geared towards a political campaign. Now, I am re-launching my web site in support of my new business. Well newish business….
It’s been an incredible year, full of challenges, as I transition from a role I’d spent my career on, to becoming an entrepreneur. And the thing about transitions – is that they are a process of much growth and learning – but also ones of great challenge. Transitions are a process you have to endure.

In the meantime, I have had some incredible offers of work of all kinds, from all kinds of organizations and I am very grateful for all the choices I have had available to me. I haven’t wanted to rush into a decision, and as such have decided to continue with consulting which has afforded me a great opportunity to expand my knowledge, skills and relationships. Again I am very fortunate to be in a position where I can pick and choose the work I do.

I don’t know how many times people have asked me about what my passion is, what aligns with my core values and what I want to do next. What I do know to be true is that I continue to have a passion for First Nation Capacity building at all levels – particularly from a community driven vision of economic development and institution building, and justice. But I also enjoy leadership roles, as well and new challenges. Overcoming challenges through problem-solving is immensely satisfying to me – especially when I can draw on my creativity to work with First Nation communities to develop solutions to fit their needs.
One size does not fit all – whether it comes to economic development opportunities, governance models or reconciliation models – but now is the time to advance solutions for First Nation communities. I have the utmost faith that First Nations can thrive if the systemic barriers are removed. That’s not to say that resolving these issues won’t be easy or that there are quick fixes – but we must strive for more and better. The status quo is unacceptable.

I am happy to be contributing to this dialogue through social media, conferences and working with First Nations, Government and Industry. No matter who my dialogue is with – the message is the same, First Nations must overcome the impacts of colonization, the impacts of economic exclusion and the impacts of the Indian Act through their own initiative based on their citizens’s will. We must have the ability to reconcile economic, legal, political, and indigenous rights and title – based on what fits best for individual First Nations. I am delighted by the amount of groups that agree with the need to address these systemic, multigenerational, injustices. This in spite of a lack of progress at treaty tables or with government policy. We can all play a part in making change.