Bring back hard work: Chief Clarence Louie

Wednesday November 18, 2009

Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band in B.C. with a gift he received from students at Pelican Falls First Nation High School outside Sioux Lookout. Louie was also a keynote speaker at the Sioux Lookout Economic Development Summit Nov. 16.
-Brent Wesley/Wawatay News

[purchase photo]

I once interviewed an Elder from Pikangikum First Nation who epitomized the ideals of hard work. While the rest of the world seems content to label Native people as lazy and unmotivated, I argue that perhaps this is true today in certain cases, but it wasn’t always this way. Laziness is a learned behaviour.

And this Pikangikum Elder, to me, was proof that our people worked hard. This Elder, in his early 90s, was still working hard when I went to visit him a few years ago. He often chopped his own wood. In fact, he was still earning an income as a taxi driver in his community.

He was born on the land so hard work came naturally. As it was in the old days, you worked or you starved or froze – simple as that. Sadly, he passed on over a year ago.

But perhaps there is hope that hard work is not a lost concept among First Nation people.

Chief Clarence Louie from the Osoyoos Indian Band in B.C. is a modern example of success through hard work.

“You only go as far as your work ethic,” Louie says to students at Pelican Falls First Nation High School outside Sioux Lookout Nov. 17. He is talking to the students about opportunities that only come through hard work.

His message is clear, simple and concise. It’s a message he has no problem passing on to others as he did to delegates at the Sioux Lookout Economic Development Summit the night before.

“Bring back our First Nation working culture,” he says to the crowd, speaking of this work ethic once evident among Native people, such as the Elder from Pikangikum.

Before the arrival of European settlers, Louie says, everyone worked, everyone took care of themselves – if they didn’t work, they didn’t eat.

Louie has been chief of his community since 1985. He’s managed to continually get elected based on a simple platform: to create enough jobs for the future generations.

His community of 450 people has very little unemployment, if any at all. The band owns and operates several successful businesses including golf courses, a winery and vineyard, a four-star resort and conference centre, and a construction company. These businesses employ over 1400 people, both Native and non-Native. Each year, revenues continue to rise and have allowed the community to establish such things as a youth centre, recreation complex, health fund and patient travel fund.

His work is all part of his passion: he loves creating jobs and making money.

Economic Development, he says, should be the main focus of First Nation leaders across the country. The economy is always the number one priority in mainstream society and Louie believes First Nations need to adopt this mindset.

“Native people need to start talking about money,” he says. “Money is not a bad word.”

After all, he says, everything in today’s world costs money and economic development will get First Nations out of poverty and on a path toward self-sufficiency.

He’s tired of a formula that is not working, of government spending that hasn’t helped Aboriginal people. He says 96 per cent of government funding goes to social programs and assistance, while the remaining 4 per cent goes towards economic development.

While critical of government spending habits, he’s just as quick to point out that real leadership (band or municipal) will do whatever it can to employ the constituents who vote them in.

“If you’re collecting a pay cheque every two weeks then you have a responsibility to make sure your constituents are collecting a pay cheque.”

But it needs to be done smartly. Louie says First Nation leaders need to change their thinking from spending money to making money.

And from his point-of-view, two benchmarks can determine the measure of a community: what is the biggest employer and where does all the income come from?

Employment in most First Nations, he says, is through “under funded, government controlled” band offices. Income is dependant on government funding. Money received through land claims or other settlements can offer employment in the short term, but the money won’t last. Investments need to happen. Business and industry needs to be the biggest employers on any First Nation.

“Making your own money is the best way to get rid of poverty.”

Louie proudly says the Osoyoos have not received government contributions since 1995. In his eyes, economic self-sufficiency leads to self-governance.

“The reality is strong First Nations makes for a strong Canada.”

But the current state of affairs on reserves is comparable to the days of the Great Depression in the 1930s when unemployment rates were at 70 per cent. On First Nations, unemployment rates are often higher.

“There’s something wrong with that,” he says.

It’s time government and business stop looking at immigrant workers to fill jobs, but to invest in First Nation workers.

And leaders must do their part as well, he continues to stress, especially when it comes to youth. Why would any young person leave the community to get educated, he questions, if all they have to come back to is “under funded band office jobs?”

And he doesn’t stop there. While making these demands of leaders, he also calls on individuals to take pride in themselves. He’s not a fan of so called warriors who can’t pay child support. A real warrior provides for their family.

“There is no dignity in collecting a welfare cheque.”

Louie admits some find offense in what he preaches. But he’s unapologetic.

“I’ll never see you again, you’ll never see me again. Get over it.”