WEBVTT 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:03.069 Welcome to Drumbeats, the must -listen -to podcast 00:00:03.069 --> 00:00:05.710 which explains why Indigenous partnerships are 00:00:05.710 --> 00:00:08.689 the key to securing successful outcomes in natural 00:00:08.689 --> 00:00:11.070 resource and infrastructure investment in Canada. 00:00:13.210 --> 00:00:15.710 I'm Mark McNack and my co -host Robert Brandt 00:00:15.710 --> 00:00:18.370 and I are joined today by Gassanawe Skydeer, 00:00:18.469 --> 00:00:22.649 former Grand Chief of Genowagi and CEO and President 00:00:22.649 --> 00:00:26.589 Skydeer Consulting. Chief Skydeer shares a role 00:00:26.589 --> 00:00:29.289 as Grand Chief right in the midst of key negotiations 00:00:29.289 --> 00:00:32.329 when Hydro -Quebec began to rebuild and repair 00:00:32.329 --> 00:00:36.310 itself. These included working to secure approvals 00:00:36.310 --> 00:00:38.329 from the U .S. from the New York State Energy 00:00:38.329 --> 00:00:41.109 Research and Development Authority and addressing 00:00:41.109 --> 00:00:44.950 concerns from environmental justice groups. Chief 00:00:44.950 --> 00:00:47.270 Skydeer talks about the interconnectedness of 00:00:47.270 --> 00:00:49.469 all things, the importance of balance with the 00:00:49.469 --> 00:00:52.049 natural world, and the role of Indigenous peoples 00:00:52.049 --> 00:00:55.679 as protectors of the environment. Under her leadership, 00:00:55.880 --> 00:00:58.399 the community became co -owners of the energy 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:01.700 infrastructure, securing a guaranteed 10 % equity 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:03.600 stake with the opportunity to purchase up to 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.640 49%. This was a historic, groundbreaking agreement, 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.819 the first time a First Nation in Quebec co -owned 00:01:10.819 --> 00:01:12.760 a major infrastructure project with the Crown 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:18.819 Corporation. Gassana hawe, Skydeer, Sago, so 00:01:18.819 --> 00:01:21.200 great to see you again. Thanks for joining us. 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:24.459 Thank you, Rob, for having me. Hi, Mark. How 00:01:24.459 --> 00:01:28.319 are you? Hi. Very well, Gaston. Welcome back. 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:31.459 Great to be speaking with you again. We're looking 00:01:31.459 --> 00:01:35.959 forward to our chat today. You joined us in London 00:01:35.959 --> 00:01:40.299 for our second annual Canadian Indigenous Investment 00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:44.420 Summit. And since then, I seem to bump into you 00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:48.799 at just about every other conference going. You 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:53.049 are in demand as a speaker. and I know you've 00:01:53.049 --> 00:01:56.329 got a lot of other things on your plate, so I 00:01:56.329 --> 00:01:59.069 appreciate the time spending a few minutes with 00:01:59.069 --> 00:02:01.709 us today. Absolutely. Thank you for the invite. 00:02:02.870 --> 00:02:05.890 You've had a really interesting background and 00:02:05.890 --> 00:02:08.449 done some things over the years. Why don't you 00:02:08.449 --> 00:02:12.129 start by telling us about your background, how 00:02:12.129 --> 00:02:17.330 you rose to Grand Chief, the Mohawks of Kahnawake, 00:02:17.490 --> 00:02:21.560 and then we'll get into... what you're up to 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:25.919 today. Okay, so first off, I grew up in the community 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:29.979 here in Kahnawake. Got the privilege to go to 00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:34.520 Mohawk Immersion School, where I was taught predominantly 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:39.039 by, you know, other Mohawk people. So getting 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:42.460 to learn my language, culture, and being strong 00:02:42.460 --> 00:02:45.460 in my identity from a very early age, I think 00:02:45.460 --> 00:02:48.840 was important. Because as I chose to leave the 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:52.500 community, go to high school in Montreal and 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:55.699 college, and then eventually moving out to Florida 00:02:55.699 --> 00:02:59.879 at the young age of 20 to pursue a dream to play 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:02.659 women's professional tackle football. I always 00:03:02.659 --> 00:03:04.759 carried that everywhere I went, you know, just 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:08.900 being proud of where I came from and being able 00:03:08.900 --> 00:03:16.099 to speak my language. And after football didn't... 00:03:16.750 --> 00:03:20.310 pay like I guess any women's sport doesn't have 00:03:20.310 --> 00:03:24.530 you know the equity as you would see with men's 00:03:24.530 --> 00:03:27.469 sports I opted to go back to school I went to 00:03:27.469 --> 00:03:31.669 well actually because I graduated from a college 00:03:31.669 --> 00:03:33.969 in Canada they didn't transfer all of my credits 00:03:33.969 --> 00:03:36.189 in Florida so I had to start community college 00:03:36.189 --> 00:03:38.889 basically all over only my French credits transferred 00:03:40.219 --> 00:03:42.219 But it guaranteed me entrance to any Florida 00:03:42.219 --> 00:03:44.800 university. So because I was already living in 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:47.900 Orlando, I opted to just go to UCF. So University 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:51.520 of Central Florida, where I graduated in 2008 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.719 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and then 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.860 subsequently moved back to Kahnawake that summer. 00:03:58.699 --> 00:04:01.099 And I thought, you know, maybe I would pursue 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:07.360 a career in social services or maybe become a 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:12.770 psychologist. quickly that door closed and they 00:04:12.770 --> 00:04:15.469 told me come back when I have a master's or a 00:04:15.469 --> 00:04:18.350 PhD because that didn't really get me, it wouldn't 00:04:18.350 --> 00:04:22.170 get me far. So I ended up working in a tobacco 00:04:22.170 --> 00:04:25.990 factory for about nine months, which we know 00:04:25.990 --> 00:04:29.050 was an experience in itself, but it wasn't what 00:04:29.050 --> 00:04:33.329 I went to school to do. I definitely wanted to 00:04:33.329 --> 00:04:35.990 reach higher and see how I could give back to 00:04:35.990 --> 00:04:38.509 the community. So the election was happening 00:04:38.509 --> 00:04:42.230 that summer of 2009. And I ran and on my first 00:04:42.230 --> 00:04:46.589 attempt, I was successful. And then started the 00:04:46.589 --> 00:04:49.089 political career. And I remember my grandmother. 00:04:50.019 --> 00:04:53.180 My father's mom asking me, what do you know about 00:04:53.180 --> 00:04:55.600 politics anyways? You know, you just move back. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:57.959 And I said, well, when you grew up in Kahnawake, 00:04:58.060 --> 00:04:59.860 you can't help but be political, right? Going 00:04:59.860 --> 00:05:03.079 through the Oka crisis in 1990 and just, you 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:06.980 know, I guess when you figure what's ingrained 00:05:06.980 --> 00:05:10.800 in your DNA from all your ancestors, you know, 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.920 we are a very political people. So I said, well, 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:15.620 I'm going to learn along the way because that's 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:19.100 just, you know, the kind of person I am. Right 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:21.379 away, I hit the ground running and got involved 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:25.139 in the files and portfolios that I felt resonated 00:05:25.139 --> 00:05:29.339 with myself, being education, you know, youth, 00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:36.079 justice and laws, governance. And yeah, so I 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:39.560 was a council chief for 12 years. And then unfortunately, 00:05:39.899 --> 00:05:42.339 our grand chief at the time, Joe Norton, passed 00:05:42.339 --> 00:05:45.120 away in the middle of the term. Well, more toward 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.019 the end of the term, but nonetheless. while he 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:50.860 was Grand Chief, so that seat became vacant. 00:05:52.579 --> 00:05:55.459 And I just remember, you know, talking to my 00:05:55.459 --> 00:05:58.279 family and people in my circle, like, you know, 00:05:58.279 --> 00:06:04.699 is this my time? And I know my mom was not too 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:06.339 keen, and she was like, it's going to be really 00:06:06.339 --> 00:06:10.300 hard for you, you know, as the first woman, as 00:06:10.300 --> 00:06:13.939 a gay woman, you know, maybe you should just 00:06:13.939 --> 00:06:16.860 stay in the council. Chief position, you know, 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:18.779 you could ride that out as long as you want. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:22.459 And I was like, no, I think it's my time. I'm 00:06:22.459 --> 00:06:24.579 going to shoot my shot. And no matter what happens, 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:27.420 you know, I'm going to be good. Like, I'll just 00:06:27.420 --> 00:06:30.040 pivot and do something else then if I'm not successful. 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:33.939 But as we know, history was made. I did become 00:06:33.939 --> 00:06:36.579 the first woman Grand Chief here in the community 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:42.899 in 2021. It was one term. I wasn't reelected 00:06:42.899 --> 00:06:48.019 after, but. To me, it was fine because you can't 00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:51.620 do this kind of job forever. You know, it's very 00:06:51.620 --> 00:06:57.019 difficult to make people happy. No matter what 00:06:57.019 --> 00:06:59.839 kind of decision you make, there's naysayers, 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:04.279 there's the haters. So after a 15 -year career 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:07.459 in public service, it was time for me to do something 00:07:07.459 --> 00:07:09.240 else. I would have loved to have done another 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:12.269 term. I think there's some... Legacy projects, 00:07:12.509 --> 00:07:14.410 if you will, like obviously the Hydra project 00:07:14.410 --> 00:07:17.709 was a major milestone that we'll get into later, 00:07:17.889 --> 00:07:22.029 but also being able to cut the ribbon at the 00:07:22.029 --> 00:07:25.430 opening of our cultural arts center, which will 00:07:25.430 --> 00:07:29.879 house our new... cultural center museum theater 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:33.500 and a tourism office so that will is slated for 00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:38.120 spring of 2026 so upcoming next year but i still 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:39.939 got to stay involved i'm still the chairperson 00:07:39.939 --> 00:07:42.319 of the capital campaign so i'll still in essence 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:45.959 be there just not as grand chief but it's equally 00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:48.600 going to be bittersweet and i'm so looking forward 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:52.819 to that i love that i'm jealous as well that 00:07:52.819 --> 00:07:58.949 you speak the language so well And did you, was 00:07:58.949 --> 00:08:01.629 it spoken at home? Did you learn it there as 00:08:01.629 --> 00:08:05.490 well as at school? Because unfortunately for 00:08:05.490 --> 00:08:08.850 my generation and even my parents, although my 00:08:08.850 --> 00:08:13.870 grandparents spoke it, they did not speak it 00:08:13.870 --> 00:08:17.569 around us. And it was a time when they were still 00:08:17.569 --> 00:08:22.889 almost ashamed of their own culture. And so there 00:08:22.889 --> 00:08:27.680 was a lost. a lost generation, and it's coming 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:33.600 back now. But was it all around you growing up? 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:38.200 It definitely wasn't in my home. My mom's not 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:41.720 a speaker. My grandparents on my mom's side didn't 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:44.200 really speak that much, but it was more my dad's 00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:47.779 side of the family, like all his mom. So my grandmother 00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:50.419 and all of her sisters, they were all teachers 00:08:50.419 --> 00:08:54.009 in the school system. So they were. you know, 00:08:54.009 --> 00:08:57.950 kind of catalyst for language revitalization 00:08:57.950 --> 00:09:01.210 in the community. So whenever I seen them, you 00:09:01.210 --> 00:09:03.250 know, it was like an obligation that I had to 00:09:03.250 --> 00:09:05.490 speak the language or, you know, they would always 00:09:05.490 --> 00:09:09.090 talk to me and force me to have to answer. So, 00:09:09.250 --> 00:09:12.710 yeah, I definitely had it around me. And, you 00:09:12.710 --> 00:09:14.870 know, in the community, it was being promoted 00:09:14.870 --> 00:09:18.549 a lot more because of, like you said, that lost 00:09:18.549 --> 00:09:22.000 generation and the impacts of. residential school 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.220 and indian day school which we did have a few 00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:27.460 of them here in the community so yeah i always 00:09:27.460 --> 00:09:29.799 thought it was important and then you know some 00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:32.419 of my my dear friends when we left elementary 00:09:32.419 --> 00:09:36.340 school you know the the kids who knew that we 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:37.740 were going to be going to private school in the 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:39.940 city would tease us and they were like oh you're 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:42.720 going to lose your language and you know you're 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.759 you're just gonna not be connected to the community 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:50.340 anymore and so we made it uh kind of like a vow 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:52.720 that we, you know, we're going to speak as much 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.480 as we can. So we did. We spoke when we played 00:09:55.480 --> 00:09:57.860 sports. We spoke at lunch. We spoke when we wanted 00:09:57.860 --> 00:09:59.779 to talk about other people without them knowing 00:09:59.779 --> 00:10:03.919 what we were saying. So we found ways to keep 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.059 it vibrant and alive, even though we, you know, 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:12.659 attended school in Montreal. So just for background 00:10:12.659 --> 00:10:16.899 for our UK audience, your community is located 00:10:16.899 --> 00:10:20.330 just outside of Montreal? In Quebec? Yeah, it's 00:10:20.330 --> 00:10:23.269 like a 15 -minute drive to get to the heart of 00:10:23.269 --> 00:10:26.389 the city. So it's really close. But the beauty 00:10:26.389 --> 00:10:28.509 of it is we're on the other side of the Mercier 00:10:28.509 --> 00:10:30.690 Bridge on the south shore. So it's kind of like 00:10:30.690 --> 00:10:34.649 we have St. Lawrence Seaway. St. Lawrence Seaway. 00:10:34.830 --> 00:10:37.590 That's right. Again, our UK investors over here 00:10:37.590 --> 00:10:40.529 might not exactly know what the south shore is 00:10:40.529 --> 00:10:44.450 in the context of Montreal. So on the St. Lawrence 00:10:44.450 --> 00:10:47.990 Seaway there. Yeah. So we kind of have our own 00:10:47.990 --> 00:10:52.769 little nice nooked away community that we're 00:10:52.769 --> 00:10:55.309 surrounded either by water or, unfortunately, 00:10:55.690 --> 00:10:58.669 major infrastructure. You know, everything cuts 00:10:58.669 --> 00:11:01.590 through our territory. The Mercia Bridge, the 00:11:01.590 --> 00:11:04.809 highways, 132, 138, Highway 30. So in essence, 00:11:04.889 --> 00:11:09.289 we're like isolated. But you know what? That's 00:11:09.289 --> 00:11:12.149 our economy now. And when you look at other First 00:11:12.149 --> 00:11:15.029 Nations across Canada and Quebec, you know, a 00:11:15.029 --> 00:11:18.190 lot of them have natural resources, mining, logging. 00:11:18.990 --> 00:11:23.090 Our resources, our location. And as a result 00:11:23.090 --> 00:11:25.389 of that, we have a lot of entrepreneurs in Kahnawaka. 00:11:25.389 --> 00:11:28.529 We have a lot of business. I think there's over 00:11:28.529 --> 00:11:34.070 600 businesses in the community. So we're thriving 00:11:34.070 --> 00:11:38.190 in terms of, you know, jobs. economic development. 00:11:38.269 --> 00:11:41.070 There's still a lot more that we could do, obviously, 00:11:41.350 --> 00:11:45.309 but, you know, we definitely see our opportunities 00:11:45.309 --> 00:11:48.490 because of our location and our proximity to 00:11:48.490 --> 00:11:53.389 downtown Montreal being, you know, more abundant. 00:11:53.590 --> 00:11:57.529 And we have some great infrastructure here in 00:11:57.529 --> 00:11:59.809 the community. We have a hospital, right? We 00:11:59.809 --> 00:12:02.570 have our own hospital here, our own police force, 00:12:02.649 --> 00:12:04.610 our own fire brigade. So in essence, we're our 00:12:04.610 --> 00:12:08.429 own self -running community. And I think people 00:12:08.429 --> 00:12:10.509 would be very surprised and impressed, you know, 00:12:10.549 --> 00:12:13.549 to see just how good we have it here. And I think 00:12:13.549 --> 00:12:16.049 that's why it's our responsibility to ensure 00:12:16.049 --> 00:12:20.049 that other First Nations have the same kind of 00:12:20.049 --> 00:12:24.309 lifestyle, right? Live in a nice home, two cars, 00:12:24.450 --> 00:12:26.950 be able to go on vacations. I mean, I think that's 00:12:26.950 --> 00:12:29.309 what everybody would like to provide for their 00:12:29.309 --> 00:12:32.549 families and, you know, to feel that you're taken 00:12:32.549 --> 00:12:37.110 care of. So, you know, I come from a line of 00:12:37.110 --> 00:12:40.470 hard workers. My grandfather and his five brothers 00:12:40.470 --> 00:12:42.889 were all ironworkers. They worked all over the 00:12:42.889 --> 00:12:47.970 eastern coast, New York, Washington, Boston. 00:12:49.090 --> 00:12:52.289 And so, you know, they were away a lot and then 00:12:52.289 --> 00:12:54.649 they would come home on the weekends. But ironworking 00:12:54.649 --> 00:12:58.129 is what was like the first major industry that 00:12:58.129 --> 00:13:01.289 brought revenue into this territory. When you 00:13:01.289 --> 00:13:03.710 mentioned about the iron industry, is this part 00:13:03.710 --> 00:13:06.870 of the group that was seen in historic, well, 00:13:06.909 --> 00:13:09.450 for us now, they're historic photos when they're 00:13:09.450 --> 00:13:12.490 building the Empire State Building and different 00:13:12.490 --> 00:13:15.450 business in the States and in Canada, some of 00:13:15.450 --> 00:13:18.529 the taller structures were always the Indigenous 00:13:18.529 --> 00:13:21.009 people were the iron workers going up to these 00:13:21.009 --> 00:13:24.129 heights. Is that part of that background you're 00:13:24.129 --> 00:13:26.889 referring to? Yes, absolutely. When they were 00:13:26.889 --> 00:13:29.899 building the Dominion Bridge here. connecting 00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:34.080 South Shore and to the island of Montreal. You 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:35.720 know, they were trying to hire the Mohawks just 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:39.220 to pick up all of the scraps and, you know, rivets 00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:41.220 and whatever was left over on the ground. And 00:13:41.220 --> 00:13:43.899 then, you know, they start scaling all the way 00:13:43.899 --> 00:13:46.179 to top and they were like, oh, I guess they're 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:48.840 not afraid of heights. Maybe we should hire them 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:51.519 to do some connecting or some bolting and, you 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:55.559 know, some of the other more dangerous jobs, 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:58.299 I guess, if you could call it that. And they 00:13:58.299 --> 00:14:02.240 opened it. opened up to it with open arms and, 00:14:02.299 --> 00:14:04.700 you know, I guess the rest is history, as they 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:06.940 say. And yeah, you could find those historic. 00:14:08.110 --> 00:14:11.129 documentaries. If you look up Mohawk Skywalkers, 00:14:11.129 --> 00:14:14.029 Mohawk Ironworkers, there's all kind of documented 00:14:14.029 --> 00:14:17.429 history. I remember my grandfather worked on 00:14:17.429 --> 00:14:20.909 the original World Trade Center, the Twin Towers. 00:14:21.250 --> 00:14:24.389 And I think when I was 12, my mom took me to 00:14:24.389 --> 00:14:26.269 New York City and we went up there when you could 00:14:26.269 --> 00:14:28.090 still go on the observation deck and you could 00:14:28.090 --> 00:14:31.049 actually feel the building swaying and, you know, 00:14:31.049 --> 00:14:34.389 just how proud she was. uh telling me that her 00:14:34.389 --> 00:14:37.029 father my grandfather had worked on that building 00:14:37.029 --> 00:14:40.769 and the days before there was a lot of or much 00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:45.269 health and safety uh considered no safety ropes 00:14:45.269 --> 00:14:49.029 just um yeah i know it's it's wild to think that 00:14:49.029 --> 00:14:52.409 they weren't tied off yeah and worked on various 00:14:52.409 --> 00:14:55.769 bridges right tampan sea bridge brooklyn bridge 00:14:55.769 --> 00:14:58.889 you name it there's like i said so much documented 00:14:58.889 --> 00:15:02.950 history of our people and not just from Garawage, 00:15:03.049 --> 00:15:05.289 right? Mohawks from all the different communities 00:15:05.289 --> 00:15:08.809 and a lot of natives even from other nations. 00:15:08.950 --> 00:15:11.610 So they definitely weren't afraid of heights. 00:15:13.330 --> 00:15:15.090 It's really interesting. There must have been 00:15:15.090 --> 00:15:19.490 something in how you approach the world, your 00:15:19.490 --> 00:15:23.149 ancestors and both of your Mohawk today and how 00:15:23.149 --> 00:15:25.450 you see the world and approach the world. It's 00:15:25.450 --> 00:15:28.549 fearless. It's being fearless. That's ultimately 00:15:28.549 --> 00:15:31.750 what I think it is, is in our spirituality and 00:15:31.750 --> 00:15:33.950 our understanding of our time here on earth. 00:15:34.129 --> 00:15:36.870 It's like this isn't the end. And we're spirit 00:15:36.870 --> 00:15:39.350 beings having a human experience. And, you know, 00:15:39.370 --> 00:15:40.950 we believe in the creator. We believe in our 00:15:40.950 --> 00:15:43.710 ancestors. So when it's our time to go, as we 00:15:43.710 --> 00:15:45.710 say, the notch on the stick, then it's our time 00:15:45.710 --> 00:15:48.490 to go. And in the time that we're here, you know, 00:15:48.490 --> 00:15:50.590 we try to live without fear and just go through 00:15:50.590 --> 00:15:53.669 the motions and live life to the fullest. And 00:15:53.669 --> 00:15:55.570 if I aren't working. was what was providing, 00:15:55.730 --> 00:15:59.289 like I said, for families back then and creating 00:15:59.289 --> 00:16:04.690 an opportunity to have a pension. I don't know 00:16:04.690 --> 00:16:07.169 if you know this, but Native people in Canada 00:16:07.169 --> 00:16:11.230 weren't entitled to a pension. We weren't eligible. 00:16:11.649 --> 00:16:15.330 So to have that coming from the United States 00:16:15.330 --> 00:16:18.649 and the fact that we have the Jay Treaty, which 00:16:18.649 --> 00:16:22.509 allowed Canadian -born, if I could call it that. 00:16:23.590 --> 00:16:26.149 Natives to go live in the U .S., work in the 00:16:26.149 --> 00:16:28.549 U .S., go to school there, you know, get a U 00:16:28.549 --> 00:16:30.529 .S. Social Security card. But our brothers and 00:16:30.529 --> 00:16:33.289 sisters to the south aren't allowed to come to 00:16:33.289 --> 00:16:36.149 Canada with the same kind of benefits and privileges. 00:16:36.289 --> 00:16:39.110 It's unfortunate, but we are working on that. 00:16:39.789 --> 00:16:42.429 But if it wasn't for that ability, you know, 00:16:42.450 --> 00:16:46.129 that the U .S. allowed that, you know, I think 00:16:46.129 --> 00:16:47.570 our reality would have been a lot different. 00:16:48.389 --> 00:16:51.669 So thankfully, they exercised those rights and 00:16:51.669 --> 00:16:55.419 were able to. to traverse freely. They didn't 00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:58.759 have to have a green card or an alien resident 00:16:58.759 --> 00:17:01.100 card or any of that kind of stuff. They recognized 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:04.759 the fact that as Iroquois, Haudenosaunee people, 00:17:04.980 --> 00:17:08.460 we predated that border when it was installed 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:14.200 and that we had that right to cross freely. Yeah, 00:17:14.299 --> 00:17:18.299 absolutely. But as you say, those rights are 00:17:18.299 --> 00:17:22.859 not being respected today. But it sounds like 00:17:22.859 --> 00:17:53.960 you're working on that. you know, our U .S. born 00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:57.240 brothers and sisters and family members, right? 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.700 It's such a disparity, like depending on where 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:01.480 you're born, what you're entitled to and what 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:05.539 you're eligible for. So to be able to get some 00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:07.460 kind of legislation, that's what we were pushing 00:18:07.460 --> 00:18:09.819 for instead of, you know, some kind of policy 00:18:09.819 --> 00:18:11.799 where if the next government comes in, they could 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:14.960 just, you know, eradicate it. So we wanted something 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:17.619 long -term, something permanent. I know it's 00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:21.630 still being worked on. Regional chief. of ontario 00:18:21.630 --> 00:18:25.250 abram benedict who was formerly the grand chief 00:18:25.250 --> 00:18:29.529 of aguasasne him and i were working hand in hand 00:18:29.529 --> 00:18:33.990 and also with the co -chair who was the chief 00:18:33.990 --> 00:18:37.309 of the saint regis mohawk tribe on the state 00:18:37.309 --> 00:18:39.289 side so it's funny all of the co -chairs were 00:18:39.289 --> 00:18:41.349 all mohawks from different communities when the 00:18:41.349 --> 00:18:44.849 j treaty border alliance brings you know nations 00:18:44.849 --> 00:18:48.230 and tribes on both sides of the border right 00:18:48.230 --> 00:18:50.630 across Canada, United States, all the way to 00:18:50.630 --> 00:18:55.869 the West Coast. So it just goes to show our resilience 00:18:55.869 --> 00:18:58.730 and our strength and being able to bang the table 00:18:58.730 --> 00:19:01.309 and try to really push for, you know, all of 00:19:01.309 --> 00:19:06.549 our people. Yeah. And maybe take us up to date 00:19:06.549 --> 00:19:10.509 today. When you're not speaking at conferences, 00:19:10.789 --> 00:19:15.250 you're consulting and you've got a couple of 00:19:15.250 --> 00:19:19.279 firms of your own that you're... you're engaged 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.640 with? Yeah, so in July 2024, as I mentioned, 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:28.099 I ran again for Grand Chief. I wasn't successful 00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:31.180 in my re -election. So I took the summer off, 00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:34.519 which was a much needed recharge. And as I was 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:36.900 sitting on my back porch in the summer, just 00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:39.059 soaking up the sun and thinking about, well, 00:19:39.099 --> 00:19:41.720 what's going to be my next chapter? I was like, 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.460 well, you know what? I love doing what I do. 00:19:43.579 --> 00:19:46.619 I love being out there, meeting other people, 00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:49.059 seeing what other nations are doing, where we're 00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:54.009 advancing and economic development. and governance 00:19:54.009 --> 00:19:56.730 and, you know, like I said, creating better opportunities 00:19:56.730 --> 00:19:58.990 for the next generation of youth that are up 00:19:58.990 --> 00:20:01.789 and coming. So I wanted to go out there and share 00:20:01.789 --> 00:20:04.990 my story, you know, to inspire other young people 00:20:04.990 --> 00:20:09.450 who might be maybe worried about their identity, 00:20:09.910 --> 00:20:14.150 who they are and being shamed or not thinking 00:20:14.150 --> 00:20:17.309 that they can reach, you know. being a grand 00:20:17.309 --> 00:20:19.529 chief or being anything they want for that matter. 00:20:19.589 --> 00:20:22.650 Right. Cause I know how it is growing up in a 00:20:22.650 --> 00:20:24.549 small community. There's a lot of bullying. There's 00:20:24.549 --> 00:20:26.569 a lot of lateral violence, right? There's a lot 00:20:26.569 --> 00:20:29.069 of hurt people and it's going to take us time 00:20:29.069 --> 00:20:31.910 to, to get over, you know, what we've been through. 00:20:34.390 --> 00:20:36.710 But that comes with work and it comes with healing 00:20:36.710 --> 00:20:39.710 and it comes with, you know, seeing role models 00:20:39.710 --> 00:20:45.880 also. So I launched Skydeer Consulting and whether 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:48.579 I'm actually consulting or from just out there, 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:50.599 like I said, being a public speaker, getting 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:55.720 on panels, wanting to talk about the different 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:58.599 milestones and achievements that we've made here 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:01.140 in Kahnawake to tell other First Nations that 00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:04.740 it's possible, you know, and other nations are 00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:07.000 doing great things as well. So, you know, just 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:09.839 to be able to share that information, that knowledge, 00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:11.759 we should all be striving to lift each other 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:16.029 up. And yeah, so that's what I started to do 00:21:16.029 --> 00:21:20.369 in August. And it happened where I launched Skydeer 00:21:20.369 --> 00:21:23.930 Consulting was at a CCIB networking event. So 00:21:23.930 --> 00:21:26.690 I was immediately surrounded by, you know, other 00:21:26.690 --> 00:21:30.069 consultants or professionals who said, you know 00:21:30.069 --> 00:21:32.049 what, this is great. I want to support you. I 00:21:32.049 --> 00:21:35.190 want to help you. And, you know, I immediately 00:21:35.190 --> 00:21:39.329 had a resource base to help push me along. you 00:21:39.329 --> 00:21:42.089 know a couple of months later that's when i was 00:21:42.089 --> 00:21:44.970 offered a position at dable advisory and consulting 00:21:44.970 --> 00:21:48.769 services to be vice president and and help them 00:21:48.769 --> 00:21:51.450 along as well but they already came with a team 00:21:51.450 --> 00:21:55.309 of 18 so what in essence how we help each other 00:21:55.309 --> 00:21:58.390 is i have the network they have all of the resources 00:21:58.390 --> 00:22:02.910 of the team and a whole offering, service offering 00:22:02.910 --> 00:22:05.349 that I don't have, right? I mean, I bring to 00:22:05.349 --> 00:22:07.450 the table what I bring to the table, my experience, 00:22:07.569 --> 00:22:11.910 my knowledge from 15 years in public service 00:22:11.910 --> 00:22:15.750 and politics and just life experience as well, 00:22:15.869 --> 00:22:19.009 right? I mean, I did go to school. Like I said, 00:22:19.009 --> 00:22:21.289 I had that bachelor's degree in psychology. So 00:22:21.289 --> 00:22:24.009 understanding people and relationships, that's 00:22:24.009 --> 00:22:27.869 my strength. So when I jokingly say, yeah, my... 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:31.279 forefathers were iron workers but I'm a bridge 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.660 builder but with people and that's kind of been 00:22:34.660 --> 00:22:37.660 you know my strength and going across the country 00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:41.400 and just generating this amazing network and 00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:44.980 I'm just I feel like I'm just at the tip of something 00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:48.059 even greater like I was even featured on the 00:22:48.059 --> 00:22:50.839 cover of Forward Magazine last week at the Forward 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:55.470 Summit West in Calgary right And, you know, just 00:22:55.470 --> 00:22:57.730 people coming up to me and even asking me to 00:22:57.730 --> 00:22:59.910 autograph their magazine. I was like, oh, my 00:22:59.910 --> 00:23:02.549 God, this is a little bit of a shock. But, you 00:23:02.549 --> 00:23:04.569 know, if people look at you as a role model and 00:23:04.569 --> 00:23:07.009 somebody that, you know, is going to do something 00:23:07.009 --> 00:23:10.069 with their lives, like I'm always saying, you 00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:13.650 know, there's so many people who have so much 00:23:13.650 --> 00:23:17.150 passion and they want to do something for their 00:23:17.150 --> 00:23:19.190 nation, for their community, but they just don't 00:23:19.190 --> 00:23:22.509 know how. And I'm telling them there's all kind 00:23:22.509 --> 00:23:24.789 of resources and all you have to have is an idea 00:23:24.789 --> 00:23:28.190 and belief that you can make it happen and find 00:23:28.190 --> 00:23:30.650 the right people. And, you know, you can make 00:23:30.650 --> 00:23:33.869 great things happen. And so that's kind of what 00:23:33.869 --> 00:23:37.549 I'm trying to help do, whether it's through SkyDeer 00:23:37.549 --> 00:23:41.210 or through DABLE, is go into nations and communities, 00:23:41.369 --> 00:23:45.269 inspire them, help them set up whatever it is 00:23:45.269 --> 00:23:48.950 that they need to continue to strive and grow 00:23:48.950 --> 00:23:52.240 and build. build up their people, build up their 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:54.079 nation, build up their community, build their 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:57.619 economy. And we do have a lot of brilliant people. 00:23:58.859 --> 00:24:01.799 It's just they haven't been given the opportunity. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:07.039 We weren't given the ability to apply for funding 00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:10.339 or to get loans in the past. You know, it's such 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:13.019 a different time that I've seen and the changes 00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:17.299 in the last 10 to 15 years. And it's really inspiring. 00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:19.579 So I think we're going to see a lot more success 00:24:19.579 --> 00:24:23.119 stories. I mean, even when I was there in London 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:27.059 talking about the Haisla Cedar LNG project and, 00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:30.039 you know, getting to meet Chief Crystal and just 00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:32.420 her experience. I mean, there's another formidable 00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:35.660 woman leader who's making great things happen 00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:37.680 for her people. And the stories are just going 00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:40.920 to continue to mount. So it's a really exciting 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:44.940 time we're in. It sure is. And that's what brought 00:24:44.940 --> 00:24:52.680 me back to Canada. Exactly just that. Maybe we 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:55.660 should talk a little bit about some of the projects 00:24:55.660 --> 00:24:58.240 you're most proud of at the time when you were 00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:02.920 Grand Chief. I think you mentioned Hydro Quebec 00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:06.799 in that partnership. Maybe tell us a little bit 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:11.960 about how it came about and what is it? Hertel 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:15.160 or Champlain -Hudson Power Express line is a 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:18.440 line that runs from a substation here in La Prairie. 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:21.640 Like you said, it's on our unceded traditional 00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:25.220 territory, runs all the way down Highway 15, 00:25:25.339 --> 00:25:27.779 connects at the border and all the way down 87 00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:32.059 into basically all through the Adirondacks, upstate 00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:37.500 New York and into... New York City. It connects 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:41.259 at Queen's Astoria, but it will ultimately connect 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:44.019 to the grid there and power a million homes with 00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:47.099 clean, renewable hydroelectricity. So at the 00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:49.259 time, I guess they had been considering, you 00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:53.400 know, this project for a good 12 years. And then 00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:56.200 when the previous Grand Chief had heard about 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:59.130 the project, he was like, well. You got to include 00:25:59.130 --> 00:26:01.369 us in this. You know, you're going to be cutting 00:26:01.369 --> 00:26:05.349 through our backyard and in our unceded traditional 00:26:05.349 --> 00:26:09.630 historical territory. So, you know, we want to 00:26:09.630 --> 00:26:11.910 be involved. And at the time, we had already 00:26:11.910 --> 00:26:14.410 been working on reconciling some of the historical 00:26:14.410 --> 00:26:17.750 wrongs, I guess, from the community. Like, you 00:26:17.750 --> 00:26:20.170 know, there was all this major infrastructure 00:26:20.170 --> 00:26:22.769 and tower lines in our territory that weren't 00:26:22.769 --> 00:26:25.190 being utilized. So they were decommissioned. 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:28.920 And they wanted them removed. So that happened. 00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:31.000 And then for the ones that were still existing, 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:36.660 getting fair compensation, even going back retroactively 00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:40.200 and getting some compensation for that. So the 00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:42.380 relationship with Hydro -Québec had already started 00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:46.819 to rebuild and repair itself. And then when this 00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:51.539 project started... You know, I became Grand Chief 00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:55.059 right in the middle of all of the negotiations 00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:59.440 and the, I guess, trying to get approvals from 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:04.700 NYSERDA, which is like the... regulatory body 00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:07.299 out there and then environmental justice groups 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:10.079 that weren't too keen on the project. You know, 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:13.200 so here comes a Mohawk woman out there talking 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:17.339 about Haudenosaunee, you know, the interconnectedness 00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:20.180 of all things and us being in balance and wanting 00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:23.920 to. As protectors of the environment and the 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:26.319 natural world, you know, being involved in this 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:29.319 project and being co -owners of the infrastructure 00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:32.180 and what it would mean to our community. You 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:35.059 know, it's a deal for 40 years. We were guaranteed 00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:38.960 a 10 % equity, 10 % stake in the project, but 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:44.319 with the ability to purchase up to 49%. So it 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:47.559 was historic and groundbreaking because it's 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:50.559 the first time. In this province specifically, 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:53.460 where you had a First Nation being co -owners 00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:55.759 of a major infrastructure with the Crown Corporation 00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:59.059 to the point where it even had to go to Quebec 00:27:59.059 --> 00:28:02.480 City at the National Assembly and, you know, 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:07.900 give my, I guess, expression of how important 00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:10.799 that this was going to be for the relationship 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:14.799 between, you know, the Native people in the province 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:21.119 and with the government. Again, they had to modify 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:23.900 legislation to allow it to happen, and it did 00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:27.319 go through. The approvals happened through NYSERDA, 00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:30.700 so everything went accordingly, and we penned 00:28:30.700 --> 00:28:34.660 this historic deal. And the project, is it the 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:37.819 transmission line? Is it the generation as well? 00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:40.799 Is that part of it? Well, that's part of the 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:46.200 purchase of the equity stake, I think. And is 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:49.730 it just Mohawks of Kahnawake? involved any other 00:28:49.730 --> 00:28:53.710 first nations part of this one no it's just us 00:28:53.710 --> 00:28:57.170 and and that's why i think a lot of those ej 00:28:57.170 --> 00:29:00.210 groups were like saying well what about the nations 00:29:00.210 --> 00:29:03.390 whose land was flooded historically to allow 00:29:03.390 --> 00:29:08.369 you know hydro hydro dams and hydro you know 00:29:08.369 --> 00:29:11.609 like all of that environmental destruction and 00:29:11.609 --> 00:29:14.430 why are only you benefiting and so forth we said 00:29:14.430 --> 00:29:18.460 look We can't go back in history and undo what 00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:22.220 happened, but we can move forward and we could 00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:25.759 be that kind of intermediary with Hydro -Quebec 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:28.940 to say, you know, you've done your best to restore 00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:30.940 relations with the Mohawks of Kahnawake, but 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:33.680 what about the other nations? What about the 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:36.680 Innu? What about the Cree? What about the Naskapi? 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:38.819 You know, there's all these nations that are 00:29:38.819 --> 00:29:44.029 still, yeah, all this historical unjust. That 00:29:44.029 --> 00:29:46.569 happened with them and you got to work on it. 00:29:46.650 --> 00:29:50.750 And then at the time when the Hydro project on 00:29:50.750 --> 00:29:55.150 our end was starting to get momentum was when 00:29:55.150 --> 00:29:57.250 Sophie Brichoux was the CEO. It was the first 00:29:57.250 --> 00:30:01.009 time Hydro Quebec had ever had a woman CEO. And 00:30:01.009 --> 00:30:02.549 it was the first time, like I said, there was 00:30:02.549 --> 00:30:05.450 a woman grand chief myself here in Kahnawake. 00:30:05.569 --> 00:30:08.529 And when we first started meeting, we said the 00:30:08.529 --> 00:30:10.650 approach that we have to take on this project 00:30:10.650 --> 00:30:13.009 has to be different. We've got to think outside 00:30:13.009 --> 00:30:15.650 the box. It's got to be people first, relationships 00:30:15.650 --> 00:30:18.849 first, not always about bottom line. You know, 00:30:18.849 --> 00:30:21.230 because once you have that, because no one had 00:30:21.230 --> 00:30:24.109 really been considering the relations with First 00:30:24.109 --> 00:30:26.509 Nation. It was just like, you know, we have business 00:30:26.509 --> 00:30:29.170 to do. We want to expand. We need to grow. And 00:30:29.170 --> 00:30:30.849 we're just going to do what we have to do. And 00:30:30.849 --> 00:30:33.130 we'll give them an impact benefit agreement, 00:30:33.390 --> 00:30:36.700 a one -time payout. go about our business, but 00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:39.559 that's not the reality of what nations want to 00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:42.079 see anymore. And they want to be partners and 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:46.160 they want to have participation. They want their 00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:49.859 people to be able to develop economies of scale 00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:52.420 based on these projects that are going through 00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:55.160 their territories. And it was never really fair. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:57.799 And I think now that we have the opportunity 00:30:57.799 --> 00:31:00.829 to get in the play box. or the sandbox, I'll 00:31:00.829 --> 00:31:03.869 say, and be able to participate, people are going 00:31:03.869 --> 00:31:08.329 to see a major shift, like I said, because we're 00:31:08.329 --> 00:31:10.549 brilliant people. We bring something different 00:31:10.549 --> 00:31:13.630 to the table. Mark, I impressed you with this 00:31:13.630 --> 00:31:17.119 two -eyed seeing. you know, vision of the way 00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:19.220 we need to go into the future now with taking, 00:31:19.319 --> 00:31:21.480 you know, the gifts and strengths of what the 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:24.480 non -Indigenous bring to the table and bringing 00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:28.000 it in balance with our view, worldview of, you 00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:31.000 know, the interconnectedness of all things and 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:33.920 our environmental stewardship and responsibility 00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:36.960 to our Mother Earth and how we need to have those 00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:40.539 things be in balance. And it works. We find win 00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:45.839 -win situations now. And it's just going to be, 00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:49.559 I think, the trajectory moving forward. And did 00:31:49.559 --> 00:31:52.980 you see from that time a change in Hydro Quebec's 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:56.220 approach to their future projects? Absolutely. 00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:58.539 I understand this was a real inflection point 00:31:58.539 --> 00:32:01.900 for everybody. Yep, absolutely. They came up 00:32:01.900 --> 00:32:04.920 with an Indigenous strategy. Actually, a new 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:07.920 CEO ended up coming in. Sophie Bruchu didn't 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:10.240 see eye to eye with one of the environment ministers 00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:14.220 that had been appointed by Quebec. And she resigned 00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:17.700 her position. And then a new guy came in, Michael 00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:20.759 Sabia, which I was at first like, oh, my God, 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:24.259 you know, I hope he has the same kind of vision 00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:27.299 and sentiment that Sophie did. And he really 00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:31.700 did. And I'm happy to call him a friend. I text 00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:33.759 him every now and then. We got to do a panel 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:37.619 together at the Major Projects Coalition in Toronto 00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:39.700 a couple of weeks ago. That was a great panel, 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:44.359 by the way. uh michael speak before i've never 00:32:44.359 --> 00:32:47.519 seen him so engaged as he was talking to you 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:50.740 about the hydro quebec project and when the session 00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:53.000 finished he was upset because he had a lot more 00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:57.200 he wanted to talk about and say and um so you 00:32:57.200 --> 00:33:00.799 definitely have developed a close relationship 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:05.400 And he's sincere and he's real and what he says 00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:08.700 he means. And because now, you know, they have 00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:13.460 this ambitious strategy by 2035 and all the projects 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:17.059 that they want to do to ensure, you know, Quebec's 00:33:17.059 --> 00:33:20.980 moving toward net zero and wanting to make sure 00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:24.480 that we have the energy supply needed going into 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:27.759 the future. This approach now that, you know, 00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:32.349 we trailblazed as the Mohawks of Kahnawake. is 00:33:32.349 --> 00:33:34.450 now kind of like an expected standard, right? 00:33:34.549 --> 00:33:37.710 And nations are coming to us saying, how did 00:33:37.710 --> 00:33:41.890 you get this? And, you know, help us. And, you 00:33:41.890 --> 00:33:45.089 know, we, although I'll say we, although I'm 00:33:45.089 --> 00:33:48.970 not a part of the MCK anymore, I had gone to 00:33:48.970 --> 00:33:53.049 CDPQ, right? The investment fund here in the 00:33:53.049 --> 00:33:59.029 province to talk about the potential of us. Kind 00:33:59.029 --> 00:34:01.690 of creating a partnership to be able to fund 00:34:01.690 --> 00:34:06.470 other First Nations who want to buy larger amounts 00:34:06.470 --> 00:34:08.949 of equity stake and showing them how we were 00:34:08.949 --> 00:34:12.130 able to get this project done with Hydro. And 00:34:12.130 --> 00:34:15.630 yeah, so we like I said, we're definitely going 00:34:15.630 --> 00:34:19.409 to see the success stories continue because there's 00:34:19.409 --> 00:34:22.769 there's partners, there's willingness to collaborate, 00:34:23.130 --> 00:34:25.150 there's thinking outside of the box. There's 00:34:25.150 --> 00:34:28.920 already kind of been this. you know, trailblazing 00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:32.440 that has happened. So this is the trail we're 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:35.280 on now. And you're only going to see First Nations 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:40.039 participate more in these major projects, major 00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:44.280 infrastructure. And it's about time, right? And 00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:48.179 I think, you know, as the original peoples of 00:34:48.179 --> 00:34:51.400 these lands, we should be able to share in the 00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:57.420 success and the wealth. I'll say that gets generated 00:34:57.420 --> 00:35:00.000 by these major projects. You know, there's so 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:02.119 many billions of dollars being thrown around, 00:35:02.360 --> 00:35:04.619 whether it's through mining, logging, like I 00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:07.579 said, all these different projects. And now energy 00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:11.039 is a big space where we're seeing First Nations 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:15.480 participation. But it has to also impact, you 00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:19.199 know, the broader community. Like when we talk 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:21.539 about the planning, I think for the next 40 years 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:24.219 for this community and, you know, what is the 00:35:24.219 --> 00:35:27.139 revenue is going to be used for. Although we 00:35:27.139 --> 00:35:30.480 are very advanced, there's still a lot of needs. 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:33.340 There's a lot of infrastructure needs. There's 00:35:33.340 --> 00:35:36.039 half of the community still runs off of well 00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:39.059 and septic at the extremities of the territory. 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:45.050 So they're not tied to our water system. needs 00:35:45.050 --> 00:35:47.610 for our language and culture revitalization there's 00:35:47.610 --> 00:35:51.130 elders services there's you know there we have 00:35:51.130 --> 00:35:53.570 a laundry list we need more office space you 00:35:53.570 --> 00:35:55.849 know because we're growing as as professionals 00:35:55.849 --> 00:35:59.849 and business people um you know to develop our 00:35:59.849 --> 00:36:03.469 our lands we did have a major uh return of almost 00:36:03.469 --> 00:36:07.710 350 acres from the quebec government when they 00:36:07.710 --> 00:36:11.579 built the highway 30 so we have a lot of uh commercial 00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:14.179 lands that can be developed into some major, 00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:18.320 you know, revenue generating projects for the 00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:21.960 community. And yeah, just to completely elevate, 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:24.199 you know, everybody's quality of life here in 00:36:24.199 --> 00:36:27.280 the territory. So always striving for that more 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:31.119 education programs. more programs for our kids, 00:36:31.300 --> 00:36:34.139 sports programs. I mean, that's always been already 00:36:34.139 --> 00:36:36.500 at the forefront of everything, but that's why 00:36:36.500 --> 00:36:38.500 the Cultural Arts Centre is so important because 00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:41.539 not every child plays sports. And we know that 00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:44.960 we have those who like to act and to sing. And, 00:36:44.960 --> 00:36:47.139 you know, when we think about our cultural songs 00:36:47.139 --> 00:36:49.380 and dances and all of that, that needs to come 00:36:49.380 --> 00:36:53.219 back as well. Yeah, well done. Congratulations 00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:56.429 on that. deal and everything you're, you're working 00:36:56.429 --> 00:37:01.289 on since you are a great role model. And it's 00:37:01.289 --> 00:37:05.829 been a pleasure to talk to you today. Thank you 00:37:05.829 --> 00:37:09.530 very much. Yeah. Great to have you with us. And 00:37:09.530 --> 00:37:12.849 we'll see you again soon. I'm sure. Until then, 00:37:12.889 --> 00:37:16.989 take care, be well. Hope to see you again next 00:37:16.989 --> 00:37:19.710 April. I'll be there. Back in London. I absolutely 00:37:19.710 --> 00:37:24.880 love London and I will be back. Thank you to 00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:27.219 Gus and Aoi Skydeer for sharing your insights 00:37:27.219 --> 00:37:30.239 with us. And thank you for viewing and listening. 00:37:31.059 --> 00:37:33.699 Be sure to share, subscribe, and leave a review 00:37:33.699 --> 00:37:36.559 on your favorite podcast channel. Thanks for 00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:38.719 listening to Drum Beats. Until next time.