Membertou First Nation’s Evolution ‘Truly Remarkable’ — Sen. Daniel Christmas
By Corey LeBlanc
Membertou – The view from the window of his house has changed greatly over the past couple of decades.
“When people walked by – their heads were hanging,” Sen. Daniel Christmas remembers of a pervading mood in Membertou First Nation in the early 1990s. Now, as they pass each morning – whether walking, biking, or driving – he sees a huge difference.
“There is spring in their step,” he says.
Christmas is the first Mi’kmaw in the Senate of Canada. He was appointed by B Justin Trudeau, as an Independent senator for Nova Scotia in late 2016.
In a phone conversation with The Macdonald Notebook, he reflects on the growth and prosperity that has come to his home community, a transformation from being on the verge of bankruptcy to becoming one of the most successful First Nations in Canada.
“It is truly remarkable,” says Christmas, a former Membertou band manager and councillor.
Even more so, he notes, considering that the rise to prosperity only began a little more than 20 years ago.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Daniel Christmas as a Nova Scotia Senator in 2016. Christmas made history becoming the first Indigenous member to take a seat in the Senate of Canada.
The website membertou.ca, under the heading ‘Our story’, notes the Cape Breton community in 1995 was on a “steady path of economic decline,” which included soaring unemployment and staggering debt.
The community, which neighbours Cape Breton’s only city, Sydney, had only 37 employees, along with a $4 million budget and an annual operating deficit hovering at approximately $1 million.
Chief Terry Paul and the band council decided to start recruiting community members – ones who left home to pursue an education and employment opportunities – to help facilitate change. As part of the effort to get its economic house in order, they concentrated on generating new revenue that would lessen its dependence on federal transfers.
With an eye on creating new economic opportunities, Membertou melded current innovations with Indigenous knowledge focused on ‘conversation, sustainability of resources, and reverence for the land and the waters’.
They launched the Membertou Corporate Office in Downtown Halifax, taking office pads in the iconic Purdy’s Wharf complex, while also becoming the first Indigenous organization to receive an ISO 9001 certification, which acted as a key ingredient in forming several partnerships with private industry players.
In order to increase employment opportunities stemming from these partnerships, Membertou also focused on improving education and career-related training programs.
And the rest – as they say – is history.
Membertou First Nations in the 1990s took an office pad in the ultimate bastion of the business community in Downtown Halifax, the Purdy’s Wharf complex.
Membertou now boasts an annual operating budget of $112 million, while its workforce – which includes community and non-community members – is nearly 600.
Christmas credits “great leaders and strong staff” for their continuing contributions, noting some of their myriad attributes, including “ability, talent, and vision.”
He says Membertou really started to rise in the years following the hiring of Bernd Christmas as chief executive officer in 1995. The first Mi’kmaw to become a lawyer in Canada is widely credited as a driving force behind the revitalization during his time in that role.
Sen. Christmas describes brokering gaming and fishing agreements as key components that fuelled the unprecedented growth.
“They were really the start,” he says.
Membertou Trade and Convention Centre includes a covered walkway that connects to the neighbouring Hampton Inn Membertou. COREY LEBLANC/The Notebook photo
Christmas notes they had no idea of the levels of success they would reach with those ventures. “The transportation has been remarkable.”
In those early days, Christmas remembers the focus was on taking baby steps as part of reaching their goal of generating revenue and creating jobs for residents.
“Everyone should be very proud – we have turned the corner,” he offers.
Along with fishing, which Christmas notes “continues to grow”, and gaming, he explains Membertou has become a player in the hospitality and tourism industries.
Membertou Trade and Convention Centre. COREY LEBLANC/The Notebook photo
There are also real estate interests, including ones outside the First Nation community.
Christmas notes the importance of creating economic diversity rather than being solely dependent on fishing and gaming revenue streams.
“We are pretty well self-sufficient,” he says, but adds, ““we have a ways to go.”
Christmas explains the continuing successes will not only benefit Membertou and its residents, but also the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and the whole island.
“This isn’t the end,” he says.
