New female chief for Jean Marie River
Gladys Norwegian wants to see council work together for a strong community
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 23, 2014
TTHEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER
The new chief of Jean Marie River First Nation is taking advice from her late father to heart as she enters the leadership role.
Gladys Norwegian: looking forward to the learning curve that will come with being chief for the first time. Norwegian was acclaimed to the position for Jean Marie River First Nation on Oct. 14. - photo courtesy of Gladys Norwegian
|
"Don't talk about it, just do it. Experience it first, then you will know what you are talking about," said Gladys Norwegian, summarizing the words from her father Louie Norwegian.
Norwegian was acclaimed to the position of chief after being the only person to put their name forward by the Oct. 14 nomination deadline. Acclamations have been common in the small community in recent years. Stan Sanguez, the outgoing chief, was put in power through acclamation in October 2011 as was the chief before him, Isadore Simon in August 2008.
This is the first time Norwegian has been chief. She was a band councillor during the previous three-year term and served approximately half a term on council before that as well.
"It's definitely charting into new areas for me," she said.
"It's exciting in a way. I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can."
Norwegian is bringing the experienced she gained during a more than 30-year career in the field of education with her. She served in a number of capacities including elementary teacher and principal before finishing as a culture and language co-ordinator with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the head office in Yellowknife. After retiring in May she moved back to the community.
Despite having minimal experience in the political arena, Norwegian said it was the people in Jean Marie River who led to her decision to seek election as chief.
"People are wanting something different, a change," she said.
Although she has ideas, building off of her late father's advice, Norwegian said it's too early to talk about them. She hopes to be able to say within a year what the community has done and what has worked for them.
With her background in education, Norwegian said that is one area she would like to focus on. It wouldn't necessarily be about education for school age children, however, but rather education for adults including training for employees and on literacy, she said. Norwegian also wants to look at health, mostly in the area of wellness.
Changes in both education and wellness will lead to positive affects on other areas including economic development, she said.
Whatever changes come, the new chief said she won't be making them by herself.
"I would like to have a very strong council."
The First Nation is running an election for the six council positions with the nomination period between Oct. 23 to 28 with the election on Nov. 3. One of the challenges in a small community is getting enough people on council for the right reasons, said Norwegian.
The First Nation needs to look at its election code policy and decide how many councillors are needed. Some small Saskatchewan communities have a chief and four councillors, she said.
Norwegian also wants the council to draw on some of the values and beliefs Jean Marie River's forefathers used. They worked hard and worked together for the betterment of the community. With the right people that thread can be picked up again and can lead to a productive community garden, global warming initiative and other projects, she said.
On the regional level, Norwegian would like to see progress made on the Dehcho Process and greater accountability and transparency on the part of the leadership in Dehcho First Nations. She's also interested in creating courses for aboriginal leaders. People in management capacities like principals or chief executive officers have professional development, but chiefs don't, she said.
Norwegian is the first female chief for Jean Marie River First Nation since Yvonne Norwegian served in the late 1990s. Gladys' family has a history with the role. Her father Louie was considered a chief by the community and her brother Fred served as both chief and acting chief in the early 2000s.
