by John Curran
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, August 20, 2008

WHATI/LAC LA MARTRE - Michael Rabesca knows a good thing when he sees it and he's got no complaints about his employer in Whati.

For the bulk of the last 14 years, Rabesca has worked for the Lac La Martre Development Corporation and he couldn't be happier.

Whati journeyman carpenter Michael Rabesca has been working for the Lac La Martre Development Corporation for 14 years now and said he enjoys helping to make his community a better place. - John Curran/NNSL photo

"It was on and off when I first started with the Dev Corp while I was still going to Aurora College," he said. "They started hiring me when I was home for the summer."

Long since a certified journeyman carpenter, he said he is proud to have been able to devote so much of his professional life toward improving his community.

"Dev Corps are important here in Whati and elsewhere," he said. "We need our people to be able to find work so they can stay in their home communities with a job."

He said he thinks development corporations also play an important role for elders - giving them a way to benchmark changes in the community.

"It's important for the elders because they can see the progress," he said. "They can see people working."

For Rabesca, the positives of his trade far surpass the negatives. One plus in particular outweighs more than most, he said.

"My favourite part of the job is building all of the houses here in the community," he said. "It's really nice to know you helped make such an improvement in someone else's life."

Most recently, Rabesca helped build the new arbour in his community ahead of Whati's hosting of the Annual Tlicho Gathering.

"It's been a good project to work on," he said. "It will be a great space for the community to use for drum dances and things like that."