Wasaya Group elects first female chair

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) councillor Cecilia Begg was elected as Wasaya Group Inc.’s first female chair on Aug. 28.
“It’s a new challenge for me,” said Begg, who has been on the WGI board of directors since 2007. “My goals will be to have on-going communications with all the ownership communities so they can have a better understanding of Wasaya, their business and all the other businesses within Wasaya.”
WGI president and CEO Tom Kamenawatamin was pleased with Begg’s election as chair of WGI’s board of directors.
“I’m very glad myself that a woman was elected for the first time because we need to see more women in our senior levels in our organization,” Kamenawatamin said. “And she has proven that she supports our goals and vision of Wasaya.”
Begg feels her election as chair will be a positive step for other women in the future.
“They would be more confident to take the risk and be able to run for office or for chairs and leadership roles,” Begg said. “I guess I’m just leading the way and hopefully, my wish is that they will follow my lead. The door to opportunities is always open — it’s just that we need the proper support and encouragement to be there for our people, women, young people and so on.”
Kamenawatamin said Begg has demonstrated her strong support for First Nation goals and activities, noting she was one of the KI6 who were jailed for their opposition to a mining company’s drilling and exploration activities near Big Trout Lake, the body of water which KI depends on for many of their traditional and day-to-day activities.
“This tells me that she is committed to what she is doing,” Kamenawatamin said. “It proves to me that she will be committed to the goals of Wasaya in the future.”
Kamenawatamin noted that Begg is also a mother and grandmother.
“The future of Wasaya is the youth,” Kamenawatamin said. “That is why Wasaya was formed by the communities — that the Wasaya Group will have and develop economic opportunities, train and hire First Nations youth and be able to operate and manage businesses at any level.”
Begg’s first job as chair was to meet with all the Wasaya CEOs in Thunder Bay, where she received an orientation on all the different businesses.
“They will also be seeking direction from me,” Begg said. “And of course I will be needing their input and recommendations as to what options they may have on what we’re trying to work at and the direction we’re going.”
Begg said the more Wasaya consults with the communities, the better an understanding the communities will have about Wasaya.
“That way, if they have information, they can provide us with suggestions,” Begg said.