May 14, 2024 • 73 mins
Aaron Pete sits down with Colette Trudeau to discuss how to build strong teams, leadership strategies, and fostering a healthy workplace culture. They delve into Colette's deep connection to her Métis heritage and her passion for music, underscoring the importance of cultural awareness.
Colette Trudeau is a Métis singer-songwriter and the CEO of Métis Nation British Columbia, known for her leadership in advancing Métis culture and rights, as well as her diverse music career spanning rock to EDM.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Aaron Pete (00:00):
Welcome back to another episode of the Bigger
Than Me podcast.
Here is your host.
Colette Trudeau (00:05):
Aaron.
Aaron Pete (00:07):
P.
Today I'm speaking with the CEOof Métis Nation, british
Columbia.
We talk about Indigenous peoplein Canada, reconciliation and
the impact good leadership canhave.
My guest today is ColetteTrudeau.
Colette, it is such an honor tosit down with you today.
I have been fascinated by theleadership that you've shown
(00:28):
through Métis Nation BC.
But before we get into things,would you mind first just
briefly introducing yourself?
Colette Trudeau (00:33):
Sure.
So Tansi, dinesh Nakashu andColette Trudeau.
Hello, my name is ColetteTrudeau, a proud citizen of
Métis Nation, british Columbia.
My family is originally fromManitoba, with roots that go
right across the Northwest, andI have been in BC all my life.
I'm a mom of a four-year-oldand really proud to serve my
(00:57):
nation as the Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Métis Nation, british
Columbia.
Aaron Pete (01:01):
Fantastic.
I'm going to pull us all theway back to the very beginning.
You've shared this story andI've had the opportunity to hear
it.
I think it's emblematic of manyof the challenges Indigenous
people face across Canada, whichis this deep disconnect from
their culture and theirunderstanding.
Would you mind sharing how youdiscovered your Métis ancestry?
Colette Trudeau (01:20):
Yeah, happy to.
And it's a story I really liketo share because it speaks to
the experience of a lot of Métispeople.
And so I was eight and I was inelementary school and I was
approached by an Aboriginalsupport worker and they said hey
, did you know you're Indigenous?
(01:41):
And it's a really interestingway, now that I reflect back on
it, how to learn that you're anindigenous person.
So I remember going home andspeaking to my mom and I said
hey, mom, I hear I'm indigenous.
She goes go speak to your dad.
So I speak to my dad.
Dad, I hear we're indigenous,you need to go speak to your
(02:03):
grandma.
So I call my grandma and I wason the phone with her.
She kept saying no, no, no,we're not indigenous.
And I always say I'm pretty sureI was really persistent because
finally she caved and said okay, we're Métis, but you're going
to tell everybody we're French,canadian.
(02:24):
Okay, we're Métis, but you'regoing to tell everybody we're
French-Canadian.
And so I knew I was Métis, butthere really wasn't that
connection.
And even as I grew up and eventhrough high school, the only
time I ever got to experience myculture truly was through
attending different events thatI would get to experience
(02:46):
through high school.
But as I connected into mycommunity and I really do say I
was very, very lucky to actuallyget a job with Maintenance in
British Columbia.
I was 23 and hired as thedirector of youth and was still
on that journey of reallylearning about who I am and
(03:08):
learn about my culture and myhistory.
And I always express so muchgratitude to our chartered
communities across the provincebecause that is really how I was
able to learn about my Métisculture, our story, my family
story and you know, alwaysreally proud to say that when,
(03:36):
just before my grandmotherpassed away, you know she had
really become proud of who shewas as a Métis person.
And I think that's such anamazing thing because I hear the
story so often how young peopleare bringing that pride back to
their families.
They're doing thatrevitalization work that is
really really important in ourcommunities and so I was happy
to do that for my grandmother.
(03:57):
I remember the story of her.
So I was heading to Batoche forBack to Batoche days for the
very first time and out ofnowhere, as I'm just getting to
the airport, my, my grandmotherwas there to see me off and I
still remember to this day hersaying how proud she was of me
(04:19):
for reconnecting our family toour, our Métis culture.
And I remember taking photos.
I went into the cemeterybecause I have family members
who fought and died in theBattle of Batoche and so
actually being able to go intothe cemetery, take photos of our
family members and share thatwith her.
When I got back, she was, youknow, there was a lot of pride
(04:41):
there.
Aaron Pete (04:42):
Can you describe a little bit more of the Battle of
Batoche?
Colette Trudeau (04:45):
You know there was a lot of pride there.
Can you describe a little bitmore of the Battle of Batoche?
Yes, it was.
You know the Métis people havebeen displaced over and over and
over again and you know we hadfound community, that sense of
community in Batoche, and Canadawas busy colonizing Canada and
(05:07):
we're trying to move our peoplealong as they do.
And I remember Elder MariaCampbell sharing that the Battle
of La Tosh was really thebattle of the old men.
There was a lot of older Métismen who went and fought while
they sent the younger Métis mento leave because we went to
battle against Canada to preventthem from moving us again,
(05:31):
moving another communitywestward.
And we had many Métis peoplefall in that battle and you know
there's so many stories abouthow we were impacted.
There's, you know, the story ofthe Bell of Batoche and what
had happened with that duringthe battle, where the bell was
(05:54):
stolen.
You know, going back to Batoche, there's now it's now a park
and a museum where you can goand learn about Métis history.
You see where our Métisfighters were hiding, in
different bunkers.
Some of those are still there.
And I would say when you getonto the land in Batoche, you
(06:22):
immediately feel that connectionto our story, that heartbreak
of families having to fight tobe together and have that
community.
And so there's so much more tothe story and I'm really just
hitting the tip of the iceberg.
But so many families wereimpacted and that moved so many
(06:43):
families westward again to tryand find that sense of community
.
We often hear about Métisfamilies that moved to different
communities, as they moved west, as being those lighthouses and
letting other Métis familiesknow you can come here, this is
a safe space for you to come andlive.
(07:04):
But we were always a mobilepeople.
We would go and we'd move todifferent areas, set up
trapper's tents or teepees andwe would do our harvesting
activities and we would alwaysmove, but always as community,
as one community of people.
Aaron Pete (07:22):
Within the Stolo culture we have this word,
Tomiuk, which means to look backseven generations and forward
seven generations.
What did it mean to you to findout about that lineage and what
your people stood for?
Colette Trudeau (07:34):
It meant a lot.
You know, for me it meanseverything.
It means, you know, when I getto look back, it means I
actually get to tell the story,because my grandmother was never
comfortable sharing that story.
And that's why I'm reallygrateful for our communities now
, because they're the reason whyI know my story.
I meet different family membersthrough the kinship ties of hey
(07:57):
, are you a Hamlin, are youVandell, are you a Carrier, are
you a Beaudry?
And so being able to connect toour families and learn that
story, it means that I can thenshare that story.
Those stories aren't lost andas we share that amongst our
families, we continue to ensurethat our culture, our history,
stays alive.
(08:18):
And I remember talking withsome youth who said when they
finally found community afterhaving their Métis culture go
underground within theirfamilies, they said I never
really felt like I belongedanywhere.
And now that I'm with my Métiscommunity, I know I belong and
(08:39):
that's so important.
And I would say that you knowthat sentiment is true for
myself and I would say that youknow that sentiment is true for
myself.
But as I look forward, I have afour-year-old daughter and she
gets to grow up knowing she'sMétis.
And well, you know we'll go out.
She sees a jigging troop and Ican't keep her near me.
(09:00):
She just she wants to go outthere, like she feels the fiddle
, which is amazing.
And you know I, when we're outat community events, she'll.
She'll look at me.
She's like mommy, I'm Métis andI yes, baby, you are Métis, and
it's about knowing that.
You know I'm contributing toher being really proud of who
(09:22):
she is, and that's that iswhat's most important to me is
making sure she has a healthy,safe, strong community and
nation to connect to.
That means everything to me.
Aaron Pete (09:37):
There's a version where you aren't persistent and
you don't follow up with yourgrandmother and you don't ask
those questions, and maybe thiswhole path of your life goes
differently.
You reflect what made youpersistent in that moment.
Colette Trudeau (09:51):
I don't like to hear no, if I'm being honest
and it's not, you know, I thinkreally it's wanting to connect,
the why.
Why would somebody come and saysomething to me if it wasn't
true?
And I'm grateful that I'mpersistent.
(10:15):
Do I remember exactly what Isaid to my grandmother?
Absolutely not.
I don't remember.
But our story would lookdifferent, our family story
would look different, and maybedown the road I would learn that
I was Métis but still not knowhow to connect to that, and I'm
grateful for the community thatI have been able to connect with
(10:40):
the stories, the language, allof those pieces.
But you know, I actually hadthis conversation with other
Métis folks whose families wentunderground, and then we also
get into a conversation well, amI indigenous enough, am I Métis
enough to now start exploringthat part of me?
Well, if you're authentic andit's something that you're
(11:02):
interested in and that youconnect to, yes, and so that's
the important piece.
We have to acknowledge whathappened.
What happened was our familieswere safer going underground.
My family specifically wentunderground because my
(11:24):
grandmother's cousins were allgoing to residential school and
my grandparents didn't want tosee my grandmother and her
sisters go to residential school, and so they're French Canadian
.
My grandmother spoke this verybroken French so saying
(11:44):
French-Canadian was a bit easierfor them.
But there's still the impactsand I spoke with family members
who had connected with familymembers who did go to
residential school and theimpacts on our family who did go
to residential school and theimpacts on our family and even
(12:04):
the impacts on my grandmotherand her siblings and based on
even having to go undergroundand not going to res— you're
still being assimilated at theend of the day, whether you go
to residential school or you'regoing underground.
That ultimate goal is toassimilate and that's what
happened to so many families.
Aaron Pete (12:24):
I need to assimilate to be safe the reason that I
find that moment so interestingis because I do think we have a
bad habit of underestimatingyoung people and what they're
gaining, and we were justtalking before we started that
oftentimes you get something outof a conversation that's not
always clear, and so I'm justthinking about the idea that
maybe there was some trepidationwhen she said no, maybe there
(12:47):
was some hesitation that theAboriginal support worker didn't
show that you saw that therewas a thread that needed to be
pulled on, and the consequenceof pulling on that thread is
your ability to bring those twogenerations back together and to
revitalize the culture, and soit's not an insignificant moment
.
It's actually one of the mostsignificant moments when you
(13:07):
think about the downstreameffects.
Colette Trudeau (13:10):
Absolutely.
Like I said, I'm grateful thatyou know I had that conversation
because I don't know what thetrajectory of my life would be
otherwise.
I mean I'm sitting here, youknow, really honored, and to be
in service to my nation everysingle day.
That brings me so much purposeand you know, I'm sure there are
(13:34):
many different things that Icould be doing with my life, but
there is nothing morepurposeful to me than to do that
work, that connection work,bringing pride to our nation and
to, you know, ensure that folksknow that.
You know our nation has allthese different stories where we
(13:56):
have folks who you know wereable to grow up in Métis
communities, or folks whosefamily went underground, or
folks who knew but needed thatadditional connection to
community.
And all those stories matter.
And we, you know, as we cometogether as a community of
people, we get to share thosestories and I love that.
(14:20):
You know storytelling is soimportant and I love that you
know storytelling is soimportant and as I sit with our
elders and hear their stories,then I get to bring that forward
into the future.
It's an honor to be able to bein this type of role to help
connect people to the nation.
Aaron Pete (14:41):
It really is, we're going to take a detour now.
Colette Trudeau (14:44):
Yes.
Aaron Pete (14:45):
We have to talk about the music for you.
Yes, would you mind telling usabout how that came about for
you?
Colette Trudeau (14:52):
I've loved to sing since I was very young.
First concert I ever performedconcert was in a park, singing
Mr Sun, and I still rememberthat performance to this day,
and so I loved to sing all mylife.
I wanted to be Celine Dion, orI wanted to sing in Andrew Lloyd
(15:13):
Webber's different operas, Iwanted to be Christine in the
Phantom of the Opera, anyways.
But you know what?
I also grew up watching a showcalled Power Hour with my dad.
So it was all this rock music,acdc and a bunch of bands like
that.
Anyways, I love music.
(15:34):
My dad played guitar and myuncle played drums just part of
who I am and so I pursued music,going and performing at
different festivals as a youngperson.
And one day my sister wasactually working at a restaurant
(15:55):
, ran into Biff Naked and hermanager and his daughter, who
was actually a friend of mine inhigh school manager, and his
daughter, who was actually afriend of mine in high school,
and we connected the dots that Iwas a singer, she played bass
but wanted to start playingguitar.
And not too far after that, westarted an all-girl rock band
(16:20):
called Live On Release and atthe age of 15, I released well,
we released our single I'mAfraid of Britney Spears no, I
am not afraid of Britney Spearsanymore and we toured North
America and it was a wonderfulexperience, but also a really
(16:41):
challenging experience.
As a young person, and eventhrough the challenges that came
with being in that band, Icontinue to love music.
So I actually have doneeverything, from rock to country
music to EDM, and I loveeverything.
(17:03):
So I have had an opportunity toperform, you know, at big
country festivals, had anopportunity to perform at big
rock music festivals and havebeen able to DJ in front of, you
know, thousands of peopleperforming my music and love to
write songs and sing and perform, and so it's just, it's a big
(17:26):
part of me and I'm grateful forevery opportunity that came with
that as well.
I got to perform in 2010 at theAboriginal People's Choice
Music Awards, which was awesome.
I was nominated for Best RockAlbum.
I didn't win, but it was stilla very, very cool experience and
such an amazing place to be andconnect to all the different
(17:51):
Indigenous artists and groupsacross Canada.
It was something I was reallyproud to be a part of.
Aaron Pete (17:57):
What lessons do you think you took away from that
work and those experiences?
Colette Trudeau (18:03):
Well, I've had to have a lot of resilience.
There's been a lot of ups anddowns in music.
You're put in reallychallenging positions and you
get to choose where your ethicslie, and I have very high moral
(18:24):
standard, and so that wassomething that came out through
all of those really challengingtimes, and you know not letting
a bad situation prevent you frompursuing something that you
love.
Also, not letting people whoare trying to take you down stop
you from doing what you'redoing, because you, you know the
(18:46):
the number of you know, havingto have a lawyer at 17, having
to get you out of a musiccontract is not, is not
something that many young peoplehave to go through.
Or you know, there's there areso many transferable things that
you know.
There are so many transferablethings that you know have really
brought me into a place where,without all of those experiences
(19:10):
, I wouldn't be who I am today,and so I'm grateful for that.
I'm grateful for all the timesI got really, really nervous and
still got on stage, like I'mreally proud.
It really built me in a waywhere, yeah, I've been able to
really bump up against adversityand see the other side of it,
and so, yeah, I would say, thatprobably covers it Okay.
Aaron Pete (19:37):
So then, after that, do you start to look at joining
Métis Nation and pursuing thatpath, or is there a chapter in
between that?
Colette Trudeau (19:45):
and pursuing that path, or is there a chapter
in between that?
Oh no, I did it all.
I never stopped.
So my husband always says howproud he is of me, and I didn't
really have an opportunity tomarket my album at the time.
But essentially in 2020, I hadmy daughter and a week later,
(20:09):
released my EDM album, and so Ihad been touring and working at
MNBC, doing work all at the sametime, and at the time, I had
support from my directsupervisor to pursue my passion,
and I remember, even when I wasat the Indigenous People's
(20:30):
Choice Music Awards, so many ofmy colleagues came out to see me
perform, and so I've been verylucky to walk in both worlds and
continue to do my music as wellas follow another path.
You know, follow a a anotherpath that was very purposeful to
me and continues to be.
Aaron Pete (20:50):
Right School trustee was also another chapter that
you were involved in.
How did that come about?
It sounds like it was driven byyour want to support your child
and be more involved in thatprocess.
Colette Trudeau (21:03):
Yeah, I had a really big interest in what is
it like to be the political willto do good and I had joined
another board.
But there was an interest forme because I knew the challenges
that Métis communities werehaving and connecting it with
(21:24):
school districts and thoughtwhat a great opportunity to get
involved in my own community andsee if I can create positive
change.
And so I decided to run and wasvery lucky to have the support
of my community and was elected,have the support of my
(21:48):
community and was elected andspent four years bringing
forward Indigenous perspectivesbut also being able to be a
really strong voice for Métisstudent learners.
And I loved my four years, eventhough you know two of those
years were deep in COVID andexperiencing, you know, those
shifts that needed to happenwithin the school district.
(22:09):
But it was really about beingpolitical will for good and I
was able to bring that up to theBC School Trustees Association
and be part of the IndigenousEducation Committee School
Trustees Association and be partof the Indigenous Education
Committee.
And what is something that I'mreally grateful for is I was
actually with a number of mycolleagues just this past week
(22:32):
and you know having them come upto me and say you know you
taught me so much about theMétis community.
I always think about that whenI'm at the table.
And how are we ensuringinclusion and how are we, you
know, being thoughtful about allIndigenous learners?
(22:53):
And you know to know that Imade that impact.
I would have ran again, but Iknew when I was appointed as
chief executive officer anddecided also to pursue my
master's, it probably wasn'tsomething that I was going to do
to the level that I would havewanted to, and I know there's
really amazing people sitting atthat table right now and I'm
(23:17):
grateful for those four yearsand we'll see what happens in
the future.
But it was something that I'mreally grateful that I had an
opportunity to experience.
Aaron Pete (23:26):
My understanding is that you were interim CEO to
start with.
I was Would you mind telling usabout being invited to take on
that position and what thatinitial moment meant to you?
Colette Trudeau (23:41):
So one of our board members called me two days
before to ask me what my careergoals were, and I would say it
was a very, very challengingtime for me at that specific
point in time.
And I said, you know, I willstep up if my nation needs me,
(24:02):
and it was.
You know, it was one of thosetimes where you know you sit
there and you say if I had theability to make changes, I would
do amazing things.
So I always jokingly say it wasmy opportunity to show up and
(24:27):
do it.
And so it was when I acceptedthat call, that request, that my
nation needed me.
I remember I was vibrating forweeks, like physically vibrating
, because it was challenging, itwas a huge transition for staff
(24:50):
, for myself, and there was alot of complexities that were
happening at the exact same time.
And I'm actually reallygrateful that I was pursuing my
master's at the same time.
And the reason I say that isbecause during my first
residency we were doing thisexercise called alignment
(25:13):
coaching and I was confusinghumility with being small Right,
with being small Right.
And it was when one of mycolleagues asked me through the
alignment coaching, you keepsaying big, this is big, is it
(25:35):
too big for you and it was likethis aha moment for me where I
was like, no, it's not.
No, I can do this.
And it was this full mindsetswitch where I know I can do
this.
I know I can do really greatthings.
It's going to take time, I needto be patient and I will be
(25:59):
able to accomplish what I'msetting out to accomplish.
And so it was big.
However, it was something thatyou know I'm grateful.
I took on, I'm grateful, thatconfidence because so many
people you know experience thatimposter syndrome but through
(26:20):
some really good work, buildingtrust with our board building.
You know I had greatrelationships with community but
continuing to build trust withour communities.
I was then confirmed inSeptember so six months later
and then have been in the rolefor just over two years now and
(26:43):
it has been a ride.
We have amazing staff, we havean incredible board, we have
incredible communities ofvolunteers and you know we are
building the profile of MaytonNation, bc and the province and
nationally we're getting noticefar more than we ever have.
(27:06):
And I always say we had toclean up our house and now that
I feel like we've done that, nowit's time to make sure that
we're sharing our story, sharingwho we are, sharing what we're
trying to do as a nationexternally.
Aaron Pete (27:24):
You have a very unique leadership style and I'm
just wondering if you canreflect on the pieces from being
a school trustee to being amusician.
What pieces do you think youpulled in during those initial
six months to lead?
Colette Trudeau (28:09):
Well, I have had the opportunity to watch
leaders that I looked up to,that I saw as mentors, and from
doing music and being able to goand present and be on and not
to say perform, because it needsto come from a really genuine
(28:31):
place.
But you know, you need to havethat energy and you need to
bring that forward and bringthat story forward.
And that takes that additionalenergy to get in front of people
and make connections and buildrelationships.
And so the relationship pieceis so important.
Being a trustee, being able tobe involved in what is good
(28:54):
governance, is something that Iwas able to also bring into this
role, will bring into this role, and so having really strong
mentors, having a very goodexample of what good governance
is, and knowing how to bringthat confidence, that energy
(29:15):
into the work I'm doing, all, Ibelieve, all helped set me up
for success.
But you know, I spoke aboutthat leader, that role model
that I had and you know, beingable to watch her be the calm in
the storm was something that Iwanted to bring to the role,
(29:37):
even in the interim capacitythat I was in at the time.
I wanted to be that calm Evenif internally I was spiraling,
because you know that happens,but I wanted to always be that
calm.
Let's take a balanced approach.
Let's think about this and howwe want to be seen, how we want
to do things and role modeling,the values, the cultural values
(30:02):
that I have and for me that wasalso important was leading with
my values.
Aaron Pete (30:09):
That's one of the pieces that I'm trying to get a
better understanding of, becauseI see so many people in
leadership roles that ofteneither feel weighed down by the
amount of responsibility that'son their shoulders or they're
almost trying to fit in with thecorporate structure that exists
around them and, rather thanbringing their own flavor, their
(30:33):
own passion, their own energyto the position, they're more
just trying to make sure thatthey check the boxes and the
mission of the organization, thevalues, the culture that's
supposed to guide them, isn'tresembled in the person sitting
at the helm.
And you see this acrosscorporations, you see this in
governments, that they'remissing that piece.
(30:55):
And when I think about yourjourney, it seems like the music
background that you have, yourability to lead as a school
trustee has given you theopportunity to almost sit in the
chair and not look at it as apower position over other people
, where so many people get lostin the like you.
You started out as ceo and thenyou have envisioned yourself as
(31:17):
being the ceo one day andyou're going to have more
authority and you're just goingto have that more power and not
necessarily how you would wieldthat or how you would create a
good environment with that.
That seems to be missing withother organizations that I see
and I'm just curious do younotice that?
Do you think a lot about thoseissues, and was that something
that you brought in?
Colette Trudeau (31:39):
Yes.
So I said, you know, I've hadan opportunity, I like watching
people and I I like to learnfrom how they deal with with
different situations, and so forfor me, you know, I said
(32:01):
earlier and I didn't say it thisway but I'm like, ah, it's one
of those situations you get intothis type of role.
If you're going to sit thereand say I'm going, if I had the
chance to do something, I woulddo things differently, and so
you put up or you shut up isreally the way that I talk about
(32:22):
it, when I'm just talking aboutit.
But I see so many leaders belike to get what I want.
I'm going to bang on a table,I'm going to bring it to the
media, I'm going to.
You know, every single issue isgoing to be done in a certain
(32:47):
way.
I stepped into this role andthe first thing I said we need
to focus on is relationship, andI would just say, you know why
maybe I lead differently isbecause I don't see myself as
special.
(33:07):
Being in this role Like I, I seeit as a critical position that
is in service to everyone else,everyone else.
(33:30):
And you know I've also jokinglysaid I don't know why anyone
ever really feels like they'resuper powerful as the CEO in
different spaces?
Because it's not about power,it's about lifting up other
people and it's about ensuring.
You know, it's not all my work.
The work that we're doing isbecause of the incredible people
that we have within MNBC.
I think about thingsdifferently because we haven't
(33:53):
ever had anyone who's thoughtabout making MNBC different.
We haven't had anybody who'sthought about, you know,
ensuring that our culturalvalues are at the center, have
thought about making ourpolicies human centric, have
thought about, you know,focusing on community first,
(34:14):
have thought about all of thatgood governance work that we've
needed to do.
And I don't think you can sitin these types of roles when you
know that there is a biggerpurpose than yourself and say I
have a legacy and my legacy isgoing to be to leave something
behind for them.
This isn't about me and it'snot about anybody else.
(34:39):
It's about, you know, it'sabout my daughter.
It's about other people'schildren having a strong,
healthy nation to come home to,and so when I'm leading MNBC, I
(35:00):
don't see that the power is inthe work.
It is not me, and so I don'tthink, you know, there's any
specific thing.
There's those values.
Again, it comes back to leadingwith your values, and my value
is humility.
(35:20):
My values, you know, areaccountability.
My values are about the greatergood, it's not about one person
(35:46):
, and I think that that's what alot of people get caught up in
is.
We're a success because ofeveryone, and so that's really
how I approach the work, and Iwant to do things differently,
and so, even through my master'scapstone, it focused on
embedding Métis culturalpractice into the workplace.
So how do we embed Métisculture into MNBC Recognize we
have a diverse workforce ofdifferent folks who come from
different worldviews, and how dowe all come together in this
workspace that's distinctivelyMétis but where everyone feels
(36:09):
that sense of belonging?
Because if everyone has thatconnection to our why, our
purpose, people are going to doamazing things to support the
nation, and I can't do thatsingle-handedly.
I need everyone on board, andso that's really how I approach
(36:30):
this work.
It's not about me, it's aboutus, it's about community, it's
about leaving things better forfuture generations, and that's
how I approach the work futuregenerations, and that's how I
approach the work.
Aaron Pete (36:48):
How do you teach that and how do you hire four
people like that?
From my perspective, I don'tknow if I even like the resume
cover letter process anymore,because so many people have
degrees where I knew the peoplegoing through their degree.
They didn't care, they didn'ttake anything away, they got C's
all the way through and theygraduated and they weren't
connected to any of thosecourses, and so I don't feel
(37:11):
like they're pulling a lot fromthe degree they invested time in
, and so I'm hesitant to say youhave a degree, so you know more
and you're better at this thansomebody without a degree.
I'm hesitant to say you'veworked at this place for five
years, therefore you're going tobe great at transitioning those
skills, because you could havedone a medium job for five years
and not really put yourselfinto that.
And so, hiring strategically, Ifeel like Métis Nation BC does
(37:36):
have a good team.
How do you make sure to not getlost in credentials and make
sure that you hire based onvalues?
Colette Trudeau (37:44):
Well, that's just it.
We've really started focusingon how people see themselves and
our cultural values.
You know, I've thought a lotabout our hiring process and how
are we ensuring that we'reasking really good questions to
ensure alignment, really goodquestions to ensure alignment,
(38:10):
because if people don't alignwith our culture, then they
don't fit.
And really, at the end of theday, you can have five PhDs and
be, on paper, the most qualifiedperson for the role, but at the
end of the day, you need toalign to our values.
And the place where I'm wantingto eventually get to and it
(38:31):
takes time is where I want us todo business in a different way,
where people come and work forMNBC and they immediately feel
the difference.
We just do things differentlyand that's how we do it here.
We do it grounded in Métisculture, we do it grounded in
our values, and I want to buildsuch a Métis government that
(39:01):
people who do not align with ourvalues then opt out, because
those who align with our valuesare the people who are connected
to the work, want to do thework, feel that purpose behind
the work, and so that's reallymy focus is that how do we
continue to embed and entrenchthose values, because I think
(39:23):
values are everything.
I've thought about this before.
I was part of an interview panelfor the Indigenous Youth
Internship Program and Iremember having folks who were
done their degrees, folks whohad not completed high school
(39:45):
degrees, folks who had notcompleted high school, and I
still remember those who werebringing forward their story,
their lived experience.
So many of them were soqualified and were the ones that
I was saying we need to givethese people a chance, because
so often we miss out Westernapproaches to hiring the cover
(40:06):
letter, the resume, the you haveto have this credential or else
we can't hire you, because it'sour minimum requirement.
It's not taking intoconsideration the lived
experience and you know we'remaking that shift too, where
we'll or you know, or equivalent, but there is a move to
(40:28):
recognizing that livedexperience that really does
support the work.
And so if you have strongvalues, if you're connected to
the purpose, I think you findgreat people.
But I do agree that there'ssuch a shift where, if you are
doing things only in this oneway, you're only going to find
(40:51):
these people.
You need to dive deeper, youneed to get to those values and
that purpose to find alignment.
So you know that, yes, you'regrowing a team of great subject
matter experts, but that arealso wanting to do this work
because they know it's for thegreater good, right, yeah?
Aaron Pete (41:13):
Who are the Métis from your perspective?
Colette Trudeau (41:16):
Who are the Métis from my perspective?
Well, that is a big questionand I know there's a lot of
debate out there right now.
From my perspective, it is theMétis people who came from the
ethnogenesis that took place inhistoric Métis communities.
So Red River, yes, but ourstory also moves westward, and
(41:41):
so there was a specific timethat ethnogenesis happened where
we had the coming together ofcultures to create one unique
culture, nation heritage, and soI believe personally very much
in the 2002 Métis NationalCouncil's definition of who is a
(42:05):
Métis, and so that's what MétisNation BC does as well.
We make sure that anybody who isregistered with Métis Nation,
british Columbia meets thedefinition of being Métis as per
the 2002 definition, because wethen have our kinship ties.
I'm able to say are you aHamlin, are you a Vandell, are
(42:26):
you a Beaudry, are you a Gladue?
And I'm able to find thosekinship connections.
We are all connected withinMétis Nation.
We are not a mixed community,we are not European and First
Nations.
That's not who we are.
And I love having conversationswhere people will say I'm Métis
(42:49):
and then I'm like, oh, what'syour background?
And then also being thateducator in those moments where
someone says I'm Cowichan andScottish, cowichan and Scottish.
I'm like, okay, no, you're not,but let's talk about that,
(43:10):
let's be proud of who you areand where you come from.
But it's really that educationof we are a distinct nation of
people.
We have our own language,culture, history and that is
really important to me history,and that is really important to
me to make sure that those whoare of our nation belong to our
nation and are recognized withinour nation.
Aaron Pete (43:31):
That seems like one of the challenges from my
perspective I've seen take placeis a reductionist view of Métis
people.
When we talk about Indigenouspeople generally, there's First
Nations, inuit and Métis peopleand it seems like in common
conversations Métis are somewhatreduced.
Do you experience that and doyou see that?
Colette Trudeau (43:52):
I do, and I think a lot of that comes from a
lack of understanding of who weare.
A lot of people that I've hadconversations with don't
understand our history, don'tunderstand that you know Métis
people went to residentialschool.
Métis people were part of the60s scoop.
We have those intergenerationalpieces that happen and continue
(44:18):
to impact our people and so,without that education and
understanding that, you know, wehave a shared history.
Indigenous people have a sharedhistory.
We have unique experiences.
We have unique, lots ofuniqueness to who we all are.
But there are sharedexperiences.
(44:38):
And so you know, when I thinkabout, you know, apologies for
residential school or differentrecognition for people never
been recognized or apologized tofor their experiences.
And I know Métis Nation,saskatchewan, is working really
(45:19):
hard to advocate and bring thatforward.
Even at the United NationsForum it was brought forward,
and those elders are passingaway without any acknowledgement
of their experience.
And so that's the hard piece iswe.
(45:44):
The Métis Nation has always beenknown as the forgotten people
and we continue to be.
But we've also, you know,always been very feisty.
I'll characterize this asfeisty.
I'll characterize this asfeisty, but we need to be better
at sharing our story so thatpeople know who we are and
(46:09):
understand our history andunderstand the shared history,
the times where, you know, firstNations and Métis would work
together and support each other.
We were the translators and inin many situations, and so you
know, we were the ones who, youknow, canada was scared we'd get
(46:33):
, you know, first Nations riledup and not sign treaties.
You know, we, we were those,those people and and we've gone
into the shadows for for manydifferent reasons, but but we
are here and we are proud and weexist and we are living our
culture, we are revitalizing ourlanguage, we are doing all of
that work and you know, we'reworking really hard to close the
(46:54):
socioeconomic gaps that need tobe closed for Métis, people who
are struggling because theycontinue to be forgotten in so
many systems.
And so I know the harm thatcomes with that, that denialism
and, and you know, or feelinglesser than not Indigenous
(47:17):
enough to be recognized, and andI know, I know a lot of harm
has happened for families thathave that.
But I think, at the end of theday, it's it's those
conversations, it's theeducation that that needs to
happen and um, and I know, oncethose conversations happen, the,
the, the story will turn and itwill change Um.
(47:40):
So it's really important thatthere is we don't do harm to one
another, we lift each other up.
There's so many areas whereMétis people have really been a
critical part of our history,and so I think it's important
that we don't forget that.
Aaron Pete (48:01):
This is the one piece I still, like I'm having
my trouble wrapping my mindaround, which is we talk about
reconciliation of all of thesepast harms and atrocities that
have taken place.
One might want to find a rubric, an example of the best case
scenario, and to me, métispeople are that, when we talk
(48:22):
about the beginning days ofCanada, there was a convergence
and a sharing of two distinctcultures to make one, and that's
often argued.
What Canada is is a place whereyou can come and share your
culture and learn from othercultures and grow as a
consequence.
It seems like we would put theMétis communities forward as an
(48:45):
example of that, and I'm justwondering why that hasn't
happened from your perspective.
Colette Trudeau (48:51):
I don't know.
I you know again it's, it's astatement of the forgotten
people.
I agree with you.
I mean I've heard elders referto us, as you know, the true
Canadians by you know, just byway of the ethnogenesis that
(49:12):
happened through Canada'screation.
But there are still so manyharms and terrible things that
came with that.
And so saying true Canadians isnot representative of you know,
not being very much a center ofcolonialism, and I think you
(49:40):
know it's a result of a lot offamilies going underground, it's
a result of that assimilationthat you're better to go
underground than identify asMétis.
There's such an amazing storythere that is truly coming
forward and as our communitiesbecome stronger, that story will
(50:01):
come out and people will learnabout us and about our
contributions.
But I think, you know, I thinkthere's still a lot of time
until we really get to thatpoint, but I hope one day that
the Métis are brought forward.
(50:22):
As you know, this is a reallycritical part of our history.
That is not just Louis Riel andnot just Gabriel Dumont.
We are so much more than thatand we, you know, our
communities and our culture isalive and well.
Culture is alive and well, andso how do we share that more
(50:48):
broadly and very clearly withthe rest of the country?
Aaron Pete (50:51):
Can you tell us about Métis culture for people
who might just be learning aboutit and trying to understand?
Colette Trudeau (50:59):
Yes, I can, and this kind of talks, the
ethnogenesis.
So when I think about jigging,jigging is our, our dance, and
it's actually using a fancy stepand Scottish dancing and it
amalgamated into jigging, whichis just this super fun,
(51:21):
wonderful workout.
But it's this energetic dancethat you can't help but tap your
toe or clap your hands.
We have our Métis sash, whichis distinctively ours, and it's
made its way through to acontemporary approach where we
(51:43):
have started to change thecolors of our sash to represent
different things, whether it's2SLGBTQQIA+ or women's sash.
We have really taken that intoa contemporary place.
But historically, we have ourred sash, but it was not always
that because we were incrediblypoor.
It was not always that becausewe were incredibly poor.
(52:05):
So the sash would often be usedfor many different things, like
if you hurt your arm, it'd be asling, you would take a piece
off if you needed to mend yourclothing, and so on and so forth
.
We're known as the flowerbeadwork people, so beautiful
beadwork was done by ourgrandmothers.
But also we have so many Métisartisans who are reclaiming our
(52:30):
material arts and it's wonderful.
And for those who would like tosee it, go and check out our
Amelia Douglas Institute inSurrey.
And we've done weaving, we'vedone the beadwork.
There's so many wonderfulmaterial arts that Métis people
(52:52):
have done and again has happenedthrough the ethnogenesis from
our grandmothers and from someof those European styles as well
.
We were hunters and trappers.
We were very connected to theNorthwest Company and the Hudson
(53:18):
Bay Company and we were oftenknown for our capotes, so they
were made with the Hudson Bayblankets and they were very,
again, distinctively Métis andso very proud of the capot which
we would again tie with a sash.
But there's just the beginning.
We were voyagers.
We were often helping peoplenavigate tough terrain.
(53:41):
Canada was being explored andas voyageurs we would often go
in canoes and explore new areas.
And yeah, really proud of ourhistory and that is just high
level.
You know there is so much depthto our culture and Machif
(54:04):
language, which is, you know, wehave Northern Machif, southern
Machif, french Machif.
We have different dialects.
We were the folks who werecommunicating with local nations
and being those translatorsbetween, you know, settlers and
(54:28):
different First Nationscommunities.
That was our role and so that'sour history.
But again there is a culturethat is alive and well now as
well.
That is, you know, proudly wearour beadwork proudly, wear our
sash proudly, jig, and we havealways, always been Otepemisawak
(54:54):
.
We have always governedourselves Captain of the hunt.
When we would go out to huntbison or buffalo, we governed
the way that we would do that onbehalf of our communities.
And so, yeah, that's just animportant piece.
(55:15):
Is that, métis?
People have always lovedgovernance, so it's the way we
have had structured ourcommunities.
Aaron Pete (55:28):
What would you say to external stakeholders from
municipalities, the province,the federal government?
What would you say to them whenthey're considering sitting
down at these tables, whenthey're considering learning
more?
How do we encourage people tolearn more about Métis people?
Colette Trudeau (55:46):
Talk to us.
There's some really great booksout there, but I would say
experiential meeting the people,hearing the stories, is always
the best way to learn about apeople and connect with Métis
Nation, british Columbia.
We have 39 charteredcommunities across the province
(56:08):
that are communities of peoplethat are connected to our
culture, heritage and language.
How many citizens?
We have over 25,000 registeredcitizens that meet the 2002
Métis National Councildefinition and you know again,
(56:33):
really MNBC is providing greatprograms and services and
supports and from housing tohealth, to education, child care
.
We are doing that work andbringing forward Métis voice in
BC.
And you know, I think what'sreally important is to recognize
(56:53):
that Métis are distinct.
You know I am not an advocatefor a one-size-fits-all and so
recognizing that everyone isdistinct.
But in doing that work arounddistinctions of different
indigenous people, differentnations, different communities,
(57:15):
you need to speak to the people.
You don't know better than thepeople.
So come back to the people andso that would really be an
important piece Recognize thatnot all language means the same
thing to every nation as well.
So I mentioned Ota Pemisawakpeople who govern themselves.
(57:37):
Self-government to us means theability to govern our people,
and that's a really importantpiece.
We're talking about being ableto do that important work, to
provide services and programs topeople, to bring our children
(57:58):
home.
We have so many Métis kids inthe child welfare system that,
without being recognized forgoverning ourselves and
governing our people that wecan't bring home, that are
caught in a system ofassimilation Again, another
system that is meant to takethem away from their nation, and
(58:20):
that is heartbreaking.
And so learn about us, get toknow us, find out what we're
trying to do.
Don't put a narrative on uswithout talking to us.
That is so important.
Recognize that if we're doingdistinctions-based work, that
(58:41):
we're actually doingdistinctions-based work.
Aaron Pete (58:45):
The only other area I'd like to ask about, and it's
more of a provocative questionand it's just around why does
culture matter from yourperspective?
What have you seen the impactof culture have?
Colette Trudeau (59:02):
I believe that culture is identity and I think
it makes us who we are.
And you know, for me culture iscommunity and connection and
(59:27):
identity.
It is that knowing of who youare and where you belong, and I
think that rings true for anyculture that people are from.
I think it's so beautiful whenpeople embrace their different
cultures and there's differentvalues there, there's different
(59:53):
lived experiences, and what Ialways find so amazing is, when
we think about culture, there'salso those abilities to connect
culture and find the samenessand uniqueness as well.
But it's identity.
For me, being strong in who I amas a Métis person is such an
(01:00:18):
important part of my life and itbrings purpose, it brings
grounding, it's just something,it's a way of being, and so I
think it's an important part ofbeing able to be true to
yourself.
(01:00:39):
Yeah, it's a lofty questionbecause you know, if you really
get down to it, it it's at thecenter of of who, who we are,
and I think without culture I'mnot saying this is true for
everyone, but that thatbelonging that comes with
(01:01:04):
culture you you have that senseof belonging, that place to be,
that sense of community, and Ithink when people don't have
that, it's easier to get lostand lose yourself.
Aaron Pete (01:01:20):
I agree is that we see people who are struggling
with overdoses, drug use, mentalhealth crises, depression,
anxiety and from what I gatherjust experientially knowing
people who've been through thatit just doesn't seem like they
have a pillar to fall back on ora community to go to.
(01:01:42):
I think one of the big pusheswithin Western culture is this
idea of being independent.
Go get your own house, go liveyour own life.
Then go do whatever you want todo and it's not linked back to
anything.
And I think you can find thatculture through religion,
through community, in differentways.
But that is often whatsafeguards you against some of
(01:02:04):
those negative aspects.
You can find community in doingsportsards you against some of
those negative aspects.
You can find community in doingsports.
And this is some of the thingswhen we talk about exercise,
when we talk about community.
These are some of thesafeguards that can protect you
against some of the heavy thingsyou'll go through in your life.
And you can't not have heavythings that you go through in
your life, but you can have asupport system in place that
will help you get through thosetimes.
(01:02:26):
And I think the challenge whenyou have a word like culture is
it can be underestimated, thatpeople won't always understand
the vast impacts it can haveover a person's life, the
resources that they need.
When we talk about sendingsomeone who's struggling with
addiction to AA, you'rebasically telling them to go
find a community that doesn'tnecessarily need to be that
(01:02:49):
center for those people.
There's different ways to findthat community to help them get
through these difficult times.
And I think one challenge weface when we're trying to
address all of these issues iswe go to doctors and nurses and
that immediate clinical care,which is absolutely important,
but if you don't have thataftercare, if you don't have
(01:03:10):
those community supports, if youdon't have those resources,
then the day they leave thehospital, the day they're done
their medication, what is thatnext step for them to make sure
that they're grounded?
And I also think culture can bea huge tool to ask people what
does your full potentialactually look like?
I think we stop asking people 16, 17, 18, that question, because
(01:03:32):
once you're 20, you're startingto figure it out, or once
you're 30, we're expecting youfigured it out, and I don't
think we've embraced this ideathat you're different things
through different chapters ofyour life and that's something
to be embraced and not somethingto be underestimated, and so
when I'd work as a native courtworker, the question would be
like where would you be if youcould be anywhere, like if you
(01:03:53):
had the life you wanted and it'susually not in the Bahamas, by
yourself on a beach.
It's usually with their familyback, connected with a loved one
, being able to talk to theirlost family member Like it's
real things.
It's that community that we'retalking about, that culture that
we're talking about, thatbecomes so key, and it seems
like we need to find a differentway to have those important
(01:04:15):
conversations, because it's soeasy to underestimate.
Like I need to get access tothe support systems, to the
sense of community, to peoplewho understand and respect where
I'm coming from and who havesimilar understandings of their
lived experiences, so that wecan all rise up together and
(01:04:37):
reach our full potential.
Colette Trudeau (01:04:54):
The number of times I've heard culture has
saved my life, I can't evencount.
And I absolutely agree.
I mean, I love going back toour cultural ways.
I think about being raised by acommunity of people.
That is my daughter'supbringing.
She is raised by a community ofpeople.
Yes, you know, mom and dad areat home, but I will tell you the
moment she can go see hergrandparents.
She is thrilled and she willask me how many days she gets to
(01:05:16):
be there.
Um, and, and you know I, whenwe go out into community, she,
she gets to connect withdifferent folks that are outside
of you know, just our littlefamily.
And it's through knowing youhave those connections that,
regardless of you know what mayhappen to me, or you know my
(01:05:41):
husband, my daughter has aculture, a community to connect
back into, and I think thatthat's so important because we
all need other places to go andto feel ourselves.
(01:06:02):
And you know, yes, I would loveto go to the Bahamas for a trip,
but at the end of the day, Idon't leave my community because
I feel that sense of belonging.
Number of them I know, I knowof one young person who, you
know, lived in BC, went toSaskatchewan to go to school and
(01:06:30):
got involved in the MétisNation Métis communities there,
because that's that belonging,that's that community, those are
the people that know who youare and can connect and so you
know, no matter where we are.
We're looking for thoseconnections to our culture and I
(01:06:51):
think that that's so importantto find that sense of community,
but also having again thoselighthouses, those contemporary
lighthouses.
My community's there too.
I can go there and connect inand I think that, you know,
culture is, you know, as youwere mentioning, it's just it's
so connected to wellness.
Aaron Pete (01:07:12):
What's one piece of wisdom or sage advice from the
Métis culture that you're ableto share?
Colette Trudeau (01:07:22):
Hmm, hmm.
Well, I don't know if it'sspecific to the Métis Nation,
but it's the first thing thatcame to my mind and the first
(01:07:42):
time I ever heard it, and I knowit's a statement that's been
made by others as well.
But our elder Philip Gladue willoften say that for this
distance is from your head toyour heart, and, recognizing
that we so often get caught upin our own heads that we don't
always think about the heart, hetells the story of you know.
(01:08:06):
He wanted to connect to Métisspirituality and then when he
came back, after talking to somany people, he recognized it
was right where he was, and Iguess that still connects back
to culture, that identity, thatknowing who you are.
(01:08:27):
But really for me and againit's not specific to Métis
there's so many amazingteachings and stories out in our
community, but I would saysomething that really resonates
with me right now is that let'smove away from our heads, let's
(01:08:51):
go back to our hearts, let'slearn about each other, let's
get out of the politics we'reall very good at politicking.
Let's get away from that andlet's get back to that, that
heart work, Cause there's somuch good that can happen
through unity and understandingthat I would really love to see
(01:09:14):
us get to Two more questions.
Aaron Pete (01:09:17):
One, as we discussed , your leadership style is
particularly unique in that it'sfocused on thinking for future
generations, and I think that'sone thing that when you think
about the stock market, how oursystems function, they're very
short term.
How do we support peopleindividually and at a broader
(01:09:38):
scale in thinking longer term?
Colette Trudeau (01:09:46):
well, I think it's.
There's so much that I'vegained from people where I've
just been able to watch them,and so I I don't think we put
enough value in living yourvalues, walking your talk.
(01:10:12):
I think people are alwayswatching, even if you don't know
they're watching.
People are watching, and Ithink that if you stay true to
yourself, you never know who'swatching.
You never know who you'reimpacting, you never know whose
mind is shifting because of howyou're doing things in a
(01:10:33):
different way.
And so, again, it's that valuesconnect.
When people connect to yourvalues.
You know, when I see people whoI'm like, I want to be like,
that they don't know in thatmoment that I'm recognizing that
strength and and, and so Ireally think we just need more,
(01:10:57):
more leaders out there who areshifting their mindsets, and I
think the way that happens is byseeing others who are making
changes, seeing shifts in theway people are doing business or
interacting with others, andare just watching that happen
(01:11:21):
authentically.
And so I can say, hey, thinkabout future generations and the
work that you're doing, andthen go off and do something.
That's the complete opposite,but I've told you that you
should be thinking about that.
Yeah, there's so much to besaid about doing it, and maybe
(01:11:45):
not always being aware thatpeople are watching, but you
make an impact by beingauthentic.
Aaron Pete (01:11:53):
How can people follow not only your work, but
Métis Nation BC's?
Colette Trudeau (01:11:57):
Well, they can visit our website, mnbcca.
Lots of great social mediachannels.
Um, we have uh the may tea,which is uh ran by our
communications team.
They do a wonderful job ofsharing great events and
programs.
Um even did a recent one on onum some words that you know, I
(01:12:21):
don't, I don't use, like what'sthe T mean?
Or I don't know, I don't evenknow all those words.
Now I'm aging myself, oh gosh.
But our social media channelsare full of cultural information
as well as stories from ourcommunities.
For myself, I'm on LinkedIn andI'm on Facebook and other
(01:12:44):
channels, but to connectprofessionally, linkedin's the
way to go.
Otherwise you're just gettingphotos of my daughter.
Aaron Pete (01:12:53):
Perfect.
Collette, thank you for beingwilling to share your time.
I think there's a lot to belearned from other cultures and
when we get into, how do weactually utilize that and lead
in that style?
I think you set an amazingexample on how that difference
can look and how it can impactothers in how they choose to
lead.
So I think that's reallyinspiring and really important,
(01:13:14):
because I think sometimes weforget one person can make a
difference and it's important toremind others of that.
So thank you for sharing yourtime.
Colette Trudeau (01:13:21):
Thank you, Aaron.
Welcome back to another episode of the Bigger
Than Me podcast.
Here is your host.
Colette Trudeau (00:05):
Aaron.
Aaron Pete (00:07):
P.
Today I'm speaking with the CEOof Métis Nation, british
Columbia.
We talk about Indigenous peoplein Canada, reconciliation and
the impact good leadership canhave.
My guest today is ColetteTrudeau.
Colette, it is such an honor tosit down with you today.
I have been fascinated by theleadership that you've shown
(00:28):
through Métis Nation BC.
But before we get into things,would you mind first just
briefly introducing yourself?
Colette Trudeau (00:33):
Sure.
So Tansi, dinesh Nakashu andColette Trudeau.
Hello, my name is ColetteTrudeau, a proud citizen of
Métis Nation, british Columbia.
My family is originally fromManitoba, with roots that go
right across the Northwest, andI have been in BC all my life.
I'm a mom of a four-year-oldand really proud to serve my
(00:57):
nation as the Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Métis Nation, british
Columbia.
Aaron Pete (01:01):
Fantastic.
I'm going to pull us all theway back to the very beginning.
You've shared this story andI've had the opportunity to hear
it.
I think it's emblematic of manyof the challenges Indigenous
people face across Canada, whichis this deep disconnect from
their culture and theirunderstanding.
Would you mind sharing how youdiscovered your Métis ancestry?
Colette Trudeau (01:20):
Yeah, happy to.
And it's a story I really liketo share because it speaks to
the experience of a lot of Métispeople.
And so I was eight and I was inelementary school and I was
approached by an Aboriginalsupport worker and they said hey
, did you know you're Indigenous?
(01:41):
And it's a really interestingway, now that I reflect back on
it, how to learn that you're anindigenous person.
So I remember going home andspeaking to my mom and I said
hey, mom, I hear I'm indigenous.
She goes go speak to your dad.
So I speak to my dad.
Dad, I hear we're indigenous,you need to go speak to your
(02:03):
grandma.
So I call my grandma and I wason the phone with her.
She kept saying no, no, no,we're not indigenous.
And I always say I'm pretty sureI was really persistent because
finally she caved and said okay, we're Métis, but you're going
to tell everybody we're French,canadian.
(02:24):
Okay, we're Métis, but you'regoing to tell everybody we're
French-Canadian.
And so I knew I was Métis, butthere really wasn't that
connection.
And even as I grew up and eventhrough high school, the only
time I ever got to experience myculture truly was through
attending different events thatI would get to experience
(02:46):
through high school.
But as I connected into mycommunity and I really do say I
was very, very lucky to actuallyget a job with Maintenance in
British Columbia.
I was 23 and hired as thedirector of youth and was still
on that journey of reallylearning about who I am and
(03:08):
learn about my culture and myhistory.
And I always express so muchgratitude to our chartered
communities across the provincebecause that is really how I was
able to learn about my Métisculture, our story, my family
story and you know, alwaysreally proud to say that when,
(03:36):
just before my grandmotherpassed away, you know she had
really become proud of who shewas as a Métis person.
And I think that's such anamazing thing because I hear the
story so often how young peopleare bringing that pride back to
their families.
They're doing thatrevitalization work that is
really really important in ourcommunities and so I was happy
to do that for my grandmother.
(03:57):
I remember the story of her.
So I was heading to Batoche forBack to Batoche days for the
very first time and out ofnowhere, as I'm just getting to
the airport, my, my grandmotherwas there to see me off and I
still remember to this day hersaying how proud she was of me
(04:19):
for reconnecting our family toour, our Métis culture.
And I remember taking photos.
I went into the cemeterybecause I have family members
who fought and died in theBattle of Batoche and so
actually being able to go intothe cemetery, take photos of our
family members and share thatwith her.
When I got back, she was, youknow, there was a lot of pride
(04:41):
there.
Aaron Pete (04:42):
Can you describe a little bit more of the Battle of
Batoche?
Colette Trudeau (04:45):
You know there was a lot of pride there.
Can you describe a little bitmore of the Battle of Batoche?
Yes, it was.
You know the Métis people havebeen displaced over and over and
over again and you know we hadfound community, that sense of
community in Batoche, and Canadawas busy colonizing Canada and
(05:07):
we're trying to move our peoplealong as they do.
And I remember Elder MariaCampbell sharing that the Battle
of La Tosh was really thebattle of the old men.
There was a lot of older Métismen who went and fought while
they sent the younger Métis mento leave because we went to
battle against Canada to preventthem from moving us again,
(05:31):
moving another communitywestward.
And we had many Métis peoplefall in that battle and you know
there's so many stories abouthow we were impacted.
There's, you know, the story ofthe Bell of Batoche and what
had happened with that duringthe battle, where the bell was
(05:54):
stolen.
You know, going back to Batoche, there's now it's now a park
and a museum where you can goand learn about Métis history.
You see where our Métisfighters were hiding, in
different bunkers.
Some of those are still there.
And I would say when you getonto the land in Batoche, you
(06:22):
immediately feel that connectionto our story, that heartbreak
of families having to fight tobe together and have that
community.
And so there's so much more tothe story and I'm really just
hitting the tip of the iceberg.
But so many families wereimpacted and that moved so many
(06:43):
families westward again to tryand find that sense of community
.
We often hear about Métisfamilies that moved to different
communities, as they moved west, as being those lighthouses and
letting other Métis familiesknow you can come here, this is
a safe space for you to come andlive.
(07:04):
But we were always a mobilepeople.
We would go and we'd move todifferent areas, set up
trapper's tents or teepees andwe would do our harvesting
activities and we would alwaysmove, but always as community,
as one community of people.
Aaron Pete (07:22):
Within the Stolo culture we have this word,
Tomiuk, which means to look backseven generations and forward
seven generations.
What did it mean to you to findout about that lineage and what
your people stood for?
Colette Trudeau (07:34):
It meant a lot.
You know, for me it meanseverything.
It means, you know, when I getto look back, it means I
actually get to tell the story,because my grandmother was never
comfortable sharing that story.
And that's why I'm reallygrateful for our communities now
, because they're the reason whyI know my story.
I meet different family membersthrough the kinship ties of hey
(07:57):
, are you a Hamlin, are youVandell, are you a Carrier, are
you a Beaudry?
And so being able to connect toour families and learn that
story, it means that I can thenshare that story.
Those stories aren't lost andas we share that amongst our
families, we continue to ensurethat our culture, our history,
stays alive.
(08:18):
And I remember talking withsome youth who said when they
finally found community afterhaving their Métis culture go
underground within theirfamilies, they said I never
really felt like I belongedanywhere.
And now that I'm with my Métiscommunity, I know I belong and
(08:39):
that's so important.
And I would say that you knowthat sentiment is true for
myself and I would say that youknow that sentiment is true for
myself.
But as I look forward, I have afour-year-old daughter and she
gets to grow up knowing she'sMétis.
And well, you know we'll go out.
She sees a jigging troop and Ican't keep her near me.
(09:00):
She just she wants to go outthere, like she feels the fiddle
, which is amazing.
And you know I, when we're outat community events, she'll.
She'll look at me.
She's like mommy, I'm Métis andI yes, baby, you are Métis, and
it's about knowing that.
You know I'm contributing toher being really proud of who
(09:22):
she is, and that's that iswhat's most important to me is
making sure she has a healthy,safe, strong community and
nation to connect to.
That means everything to me.
Aaron Pete (09:37):
There's a version where you aren't persistent and
you don't follow up with yourgrandmother and you don't ask
those questions, and maybe thiswhole path of your life goes
differently.
You reflect what made youpersistent in that moment.
Colette Trudeau (09:51):
I don't like to hear no, if I'm being honest
and it's not, you know, I thinkreally it's wanting to connect,
the why.
Why would somebody come and saysomething to me if it wasn't
true?
And I'm grateful that I'mpersistent.
(10:15):
Do I remember exactly what Isaid to my grandmother?
Absolutely not.
I don't remember.
But our story would lookdifferent, our family story
would look different, and maybedown the road I would learn that
I was Métis but still not knowhow to connect to that, and I'm
grateful for the community thatI have been able to connect with
(10:40):
the stories, the language, allof those pieces.
But you know, I actually hadthis conversation with other
Métis folks whose families wentunderground, and then we also
get into a conversation well, amI indigenous enough, am I Métis
enough to now start exploringthat part of me?
Well, if you're authentic andit's something that you're
(11:02):
interested in and that youconnect to, yes, and so that's
the important piece.
We have to acknowledge whathappened.
What happened was our familieswere safer going underground.
My family specifically wentunderground because my
(11:24):
grandmother's cousins were allgoing to residential school and
my grandparents didn't want tosee my grandmother and her
sisters go to residential school, and so they're French Canadian
.
My grandmother spoke this verybroken French so saying
(11:44):
French-Canadian was a bit easierfor them.
But there's still the impactsand I spoke with family members
who had connected with familymembers who did go to
residential school and theimpacts on our family who did go
to residential school and theimpacts on our family and even
(12:04):
the impacts on my grandmotherand her siblings and based on
even having to go undergroundand not going to res— you're
still being assimilated at theend of the day, whether you go
to residential school or you'regoing underground.
That ultimate goal is toassimilate and that's what
happened to so many families.
Aaron Pete (12:24):
I need to assimilate to be safe the reason that I
find that moment so interestingis because I do think we have a
bad habit of underestimatingyoung people and what they're
gaining, and we were justtalking before we started that
oftentimes you get something outof a conversation that's not
always clear, and so I'm justthinking about the idea that
maybe there was some trepidationwhen she said no, maybe there
(12:47):
was some hesitation that theAboriginal support worker didn't
show that you saw that therewas a thread that needed to be
pulled on, and the consequenceof pulling on that thread is
your ability to bring those twogenerations back together and to
revitalize the culture, and soit's not an insignificant moment
.
It's actually one of the mostsignificant moments when you
(13:07):
think about the downstreameffects.
Colette Trudeau (13:10):
Absolutely.
Like I said, I'm grateful thatyou know I had that conversation
because I don't know what thetrajectory of my life would be
otherwise.
I mean I'm sitting here, youknow, really honored, and to be
in service to my nation everysingle day.
That brings me so much purposeand you know, I'm sure there are
(13:34):
many different things that Icould be doing with my life, but
there is nothing morepurposeful to me than to do that
work, that connection work,bringing pride to our nation and
to, you know, ensure that folksknow that.
You know our nation has allthese different stories where we
(13:56):
have folks who you know wereable to grow up in Métis
communities, or folks whosefamily went underground, or
folks who knew but needed thatadditional connection to
community.
And all those stories matter.
And we, you know, as we cometogether as a community of
people, we get to share thosestories and I love that.
(14:20):
You know storytelling is soimportant and I love that you
know storytelling is soimportant and as I sit with our
elders and hear their stories,then I get to bring that forward
into the future.
It's an honor to be able to bein this type of role to help
connect people to the nation.
Aaron Pete (14:41):
It really is, we're going to take a detour now.
Colette Trudeau (14:44):
Yes.
Aaron Pete (14:45):
We have to talk about the music for you.
Yes, would you mind telling usabout how that came about for
you?
Colette Trudeau (14:52):
I've loved to sing since I was very young.
First concert I ever performedconcert was in a park, singing
Mr Sun, and I still rememberthat performance to this day,
and so I loved to sing all mylife.
I wanted to be Celine Dion, orI wanted to sing in Andrew Lloyd
(15:13):
Webber's different operas, Iwanted to be Christine in the
Phantom of the Opera, anyways.
But you know what?
I also grew up watching a showcalled Power Hour with my dad.
So it was all this rock music,acdc and a bunch of bands like
that.
Anyways, I love music.
(15:34):
My dad played guitar and myuncle played drums just part of
who I am and so I pursued music,going and performing at
different festivals as a youngperson.
And one day my sister wasactually working at a restaurant
(15:55):
, ran into Biff Naked and hermanager and his daughter, who
was actually a friend of mine inhigh school manager, and his
daughter, who was actually afriend of mine in high school,
and we connected the dots that Iwas a singer, she played bass
but wanted to start playingguitar.
And not too far after that, westarted an all-girl rock band
(16:20):
called Live On Release and atthe age of 15, I released well,
we released our single I'mAfraid of Britney Spears no, I
am not afraid of Britney Spearsanymore and we toured North
America and it was a wonderfulexperience, but also a really
(16:41):
challenging experience.
As a young person, and eventhrough the challenges that came
with being in that band, Icontinue to love music.
So I actually have doneeverything, from rock to country
music to EDM, and I loveeverything.
(17:03):
So I have had an opportunity toperform, you know, at big
country festivals, had anopportunity to perform at big
rock music festivals and havebeen able to DJ in front of, you
know, thousands of peopleperforming my music and love to
write songs and sing and perform, and so it's just, it's a big
(17:26):
part of me and I'm grateful forevery opportunity that came with
that as well.
I got to perform in 2010 at theAboriginal People's Choice
Music Awards, which was awesome.
I was nominated for Best RockAlbum.
I didn't win, but it was stilla very, very cool experience and
such an amazing place to be andconnect to all the different
(17:51):
Indigenous artists and groupsacross Canada.
It was something I was reallyproud to be a part of.
Aaron Pete (17:57):
What lessons do you think you took away from that
work and those experiences?
Colette Trudeau (18:03):
Well, I've had to have a lot of resilience.
There's been a lot of ups anddowns in music.
You're put in reallychallenging positions and you
get to choose where your ethicslie, and I have very high moral
(18:24):
standard, and so that wassomething that came out through
all of those really challengingtimes, and you know not letting
a bad situation prevent you frompursuing something that you
love.
Also, not letting people whoare trying to take you down stop
you from doing what you'redoing, because you, you know the
(18:46):
the number of you know, havingto have a lawyer at 17, having
to get you out of a musiccontract is not, is not
something that many young peoplehave to go through.
Or you know, there's there areso many transferable things that
you know.
There are so many transferablethings that you know have really
brought me into a place where,without all of those experiences
(19:10):
, I wouldn't be who I am today,and so I'm grateful for that.
I'm grateful for all the timesI got really, really nervous and
still got on stage, like I'mreally proud.
It really built me in a waywhere, yeah, I've been able to
really bump up against adversityand see the other side of it,
and so, yeah, I would say, thatprobably covers it Okay.
Aaron Pete (19:37):
So then, after that, do you start to look at joining
Métis Nation and pursuing thatpath, or is there a chapter in
between that?
Colette Trudeau (19:45):
and pursuing that path, or is there a chapter
in between that?
Oh no, I did it all.
I never stopped.
So my husband always says howproud he is of me, and I didn't
really have an opportunity tomarket my album at the time.
But essentially in 2020, I hadmy daughter and a week later,
(20:09):
released my EDM album, and so Ihad been touring and working at
MNBC, doing work all at the sametime, and at the time, I had
support from my directsupervisor to pursue my passion,
and I remember, even when I wasat the Indigenous People's
(20:30):
Choice Music Awards, so many ofmy colleagues came out to see me
perform, and so I've been verylucky to walk in both worlds and
continue to do my music as wellas follow another path.
You know, follow a a anotherpath that was very purposeful to
me and continues to be.
Aaron Pete (20:50):
Right School trustee was also another chapter that
you were involved in.
How did that come about?
It sounds like it was driven byyour want to support your child
and be more involved in thatprocess.
Colette Trudeau (21:03):
Yeah, I had a really big interest in what is
it like to be the political willto do good and I had joined
another board.
But there was an interest forme because I knew the challenges
that Métis communities werehaving and connecting it with
(21:24):
school districts and thoughtwhat a great opportunity to get
involved in my own community andsee if I can create positive
change.
And so I decided to run and wasvery lucky to have the support
of my community and was elected,have the support of my
(21:48):
community and was elected andspent four years bringing
forward Indigenous perspectivesbut also being able to be a
really strong voice for Métisstudent learners.
And I loved my four years, eventhough you know two of those
years were deep in COVID andexperiencing, you know, those
shifts that needed to happenwithin the school district.
(22:09):
But it was really about beingpolitical will for good and I
was able to bring that up to theBC School Trustees Association
and be part of the IndigenousEducation Committee School
Trustees Association and be partof the Indigenous Education
Committee.
And what is something that I'mreally grateful for is I was
actually with a number of mycolleagues just this past week
(22:32):
and you know having them come upto me and say you know you
taught me so much about theMétis community.
I always think about that whenI'm at the table.
And how are we ensuringinclusion and how are we, you
know, being thoughtful about allIndigenous learners?
(22:53):
And you know to know that Imade that impact.
I would have ran again, but Iknew when I was appointed as
chief executive officer anddecided also to pursue my
master's, it probably wasn'tsomething that I was going to do
to the level that I would havewanted to, and I know there's
really amazing people sitting atthat table right now and I'm
(23:17):
grateful for those four yearsand we'll see what happens in
the future.
But it was something that I'mreally grateful that I had an
opportunity to experience.
Aaron Pete (23:26):
My understanding is that you were interim CEO to
start with.
I was Would you mind telling usabout being invited to take on
that position and what thatinitial moment meant to you?
Colette Trudeau (23:41):
So one of our board members called me two days
before to ask me what my careergoals were, and I would say it
was a very, very challengingtime for me at that specific
point in time.
And I said, you know, I willstep up if my nation needs me,
(24:02):
and it was.
You know, it was one of thosetimes where you know you sit
there and you say if I had theability to make changes, I would
do amazing things.
So I always jokingly say it wasmy opportunity to show up and
(24:27):
do it.
And so it was when I acceptedthat call, that request, that my
nation needed me.
I remember I was vibrating forweeks, like physically vibrating
, because it was challenging, itwas a huge transition for staff
(24:50):
, for myself, and there was alot of complexities that were
happening at the exact same time.
And I'm actually reallygrateful that I was pursuing my
master's at the same time.
And the reason I say that isbecause during my first
residency we were doing thisexercise called alignment
(25:13):
coaching and I was confusinghumility with being small Right,
with being small Right.
And it was when one of mycolleagues asked me through the
alignment coaching, you keepsaying big, this is big, is it
(25:35):
too big for you and it was likethis aha moment for me where I
was like, no, it's not.
No, I can do this.
And it was this full mindsetswitch where I know I can do
this.
I know I can do really greatthings.
It's going to take time, I needto be patient and I will be
(25:59):
able to accomplish what I'msetting out to accomplish.
And so it was big.
However, it was something thatyou know I'm grateful.
I took on, I'm grateful, thatconfidence because so many
people you know experience thatimposter syndrome but through
(26:20):
some really good work, buildingtrust with our board building.
You know I had greatrelationships with community but
continuing to build trust withour communities.
I was then confirmed inSeptember so six months later
and then have been in the rolefor just over two years now and
(26:43):
it has been a ride.
We have amazing staff, we havean incredible board, we have
incredible communities ofvolunteers and you know we are
building the profile of MaytonNation, bc and the province and
nationally we're getting noticefar more than we ever have.
(27:06):
And I always say we had toclean up our house and now that
I feel like we've done that, nowit's time to make sure that
we're sharing our story, sharingwho we are, sharing what we're
trying to do as a nationexternally.
Aaron Pete (27:24):
You have a very unique leadership style and I'm
just wondering if you canreflect on the pieces from being
a school trustee to being amusician.
What pieces do you think youpulled in during those initial
six months to lead?
Colette Trudeau (28:09):
Well, I have had the opportunity to watch
leaders that I looked up to,that I saw as mentors, and from
doing music and being able to goand present and be on and not
to say perform, because it needsto come from a really genuine
(28:31):
place.
But you know, you need to havethat energy and you need to
bring that forward and bringthat story forward.
And that takes that additionalenergy to get in front of people
and make connections and buildrelationships.
And so the relationship pieceis so important.
Being a trustee, being able tobe involved in what is good
(28:54):
governance, is something that Iwas able to also bring into this
role, will bring into this role, and so having really strong
mentors, having a very goodexample of what good governance
is, and knowing how to bringthat confidence, that energy
(29:15):
into the work I'm doing, all, Ibelieve, all helped set me up
for success.
But you know, I spoke aboutthat leader, that role model
that I had and you know, beingable to watch her be the calm in
the storm was something that Iwanted to bring to the role,
(29:37):
even in the interim capacitythat I was in at the time.
I wanted to be that calm Evenif internally I was spiraling,
because you know that happens,but I wanted to always be that
calm.
Let's take a balanced approach.
Let's think about this and howwe want to be seen, how we want
to do things and role modeling,the values, the cultural values
(30:02):
that I have and for me that wasalso important was leading with
my values.
Aaron Pete (30:09):
That's one of the pieces that I'm trying to get a
better understanding of, becauseI see so many people in
leadership roles that ofteneither feel weighed down by the
amount of responsibility that'son their shoulders or they're
almost trying to fit in with thecorporate structure that exists
around them and, rather thanbringing their own flavor, their
(30:33):
own passion, their own energyto the position, they're more
just trying to make sure thatthey check the boxes and the
mission of the organization, thevalues, the culture that's
supposed to guide them, isn'tresembled in the person sitting
at the helm.
And you see this acrosscorporations, you see this in
governments, that they'remissing that piece.
(30:55):
And when I think about yourjourney, it seems like the music
background that you have, yourability to lead as a school
trustee has given you theopportunity to almost sit in the
chair and not look at it as apower position over other people
, where so many people get lostin the like you.
You started out as ceo and thenyou have envisioned yourself as
(31:17):
being the ceo one day andyou're going to have more
authority and you're just goingto have that more power and not
necessarily how you would wieldthat or how you would create a
good environment with that.
That seems to be missing withother organizations that I see
and I'm just curious do younotice that?
Do you think a lot about thoseissues, and was that something
that you brought in?
Colette Trudeau (31:39):
Yes.
So I said, you know, I've hadan opportunity, I like watching
people and I I like to learnfrom how they deal with with
different situations, and so forfor me, you know, I said
(32:01):
earlier and I didn't say it thisway but I'm like, ah, it's one
of those situations you get intothis type of role.
If you're going to sit thereand say I'm going, if I had the
chance to do something, I woulddo things differently, and so
you put up or you shut up isreally the way that I talk about
(32:22):
it, when I'm just talking aboutit.
But I see so many leaders belike to get what I want.
I'm going to bang on a table,I'm going to bring it to the
media, I'm going to.
You know, every single issue isgoing to be done in a certain
(32:47):
way.
I stepped into this role andthe first thing I said we need
to focus on is relationship, andI would just say, you know why
maybe I lead differently isbecause I don't see myself as
special.
(33:07):
Being in this role Like I, I seeit as a critical position that
is in service to everyone else,everyone else.
(33:30):
And you know I've also jokinglysaid I don't know why anyone
ever really feels like they'resuper powerful as the CEO in
different spaces?
Because it's not about power,it's about lifting up other
people and it's about ensuring.
You know, it's not all my work.
The work that we're doing isbecause of the incredible people
that we have within MNBC.
I think about thingsdifferently because we haven't
(33:53):
ever had anyone who's thoughtabout making MNBC different.
We haven't had anybody who'sthought about, you know,
ensuring that our culturalvalues are at the center, have
thought about making ourpolicies human centric, have
thought about, you know,focusing on community first,
(34:14):
have thought about all of thatgood governance work that we've
needed to do.
And I don't think you can sitin these types of roles when you
know that there is a biggerpurpose than yourself and say I
have a legacy and my legacy isgoing to be to leave something
behind for them.
This isn't about me and it'snot about anybody else.
(34:39):
It's about, you know, it'sabout my daughter.
It's about other people'schildren having a strong,
healthy nation to come home to,and so when I'm leading MNBC, I
(35:00):
don't see that the power is inthe work.
It is not me, and so I don'tthink, you know, there's any
specific thing.
There's those values.
Again, it comes back to leadingwith your values, and my value
is humility.
(35:20):
My values, you know, areaccountability.
My values are about the greatergood, it's not about one person
(35:46):
, and I think that that's what alot of people get caught up in
is.
We're a success because ofeveryone, and so that's really
how I approach the work, and Iwant to do things differently,
and so, even through my master'scapstone, it focused on
embedding Métis culturalpractice into the workplace.
So how do we embed Métisculture into MNBC Recognize we
have a diverse workforce ofdifferent folks who come from
different worldviews, and how dowe all come together in this
workspace that's distinctivelyMétis but where everyone feels
(36:09):
that sense of belonging?
Because if everyone has thatconnection to our why, our
purpose, people are going to doamazing things to support the
nation, and I can't do thatsingle-handedly.
I need everyone on board, andso that's really how I approach
(36:30):
this work.
It's not about me, it's aboutus, it's about community, it's
about leaving things better forfuture generations, and that's
how I approach the work futuregenerations, and that's how I
approach the work.
Aaron Pete (36:48):
How do you teach that and how do you hire four
people like that?
From my perspective, I don'tknow if I even like the resume
cover letter process anymore,because so many people have
degrees where I knew the peoplegoing through their degree.
They didn't care, they didn'ttake anything away, they got C's
all the way through and theygraduated and they weren't
connected to any of thosecourses, and so I don't feel
(37:11):
like they're pulling a lot fromthe degree they invested time in
, and so I'm hesitant to say youhave a degree, so you know more
and you're better at this thansomebody without a degree.
I'm hesitant to say you'veworked at this place for five
years, therefore you're going tobe great at transitioning those
skills, because you could havedone a medium job for five years
and not really put yourselfinto that.
And so, hiring strategically, Ifeel like Métis Nation BC does
(37:36):
have a good team.
How do you make sure to not getlost in credentials and make
sure that you hire based onvalues?
Colette Trudeau (37:44):
Well, that's just it.
We've really started focusingon how people see themselves and
our cultural values.
You know, I've thought a lotabout our hiring process and how
are we ensuring that we'reasking really good questions to
ensure alignment, really goodquestions to ensure alignment,
(38:10):
because if people don't alignwith our culture, then they
don't fit.
And really, at the end of theday, you can have five PhDs and
be, on paper, the most qualifiedperson for the role, but at the
end of the day, you need toalign to our values.
And the place where I'm wantingto eventually get to and it
(38:31):
takes time is where I want us todo business in a different way,
where people come and work forMNBC and they immediately feel
the difference.
We just do things differentlyand that's how we do it here.
We do it grounded in Métisculture, we do it grounded in
our values, and I want to buildsuch a Métis government that
(39:01):
people who do not align with ourvalues then opt out, because
those who align with our valuesare the people who are connected
to the work, want to do thework, feel that purpose behind
the work, and so that's reallymy focus is that how do we
continue to embed and entrenchthose values, because I think
(39:23):
values are everything.
I've thought about this before.
I was part of an interview panelfor the Indigenous Youth
Internship Program and Iremember having folks who were
done their degrees, folks whohad not completed high school
(39:45):
degrees, folks who had notcompleted high school, and I
still remember those who werebringing forward their story,
their lived experience.
So many of them were soqualified and were the ones that
I was saying we need to givethese people a chance, because
so often we miss out Westernapproaches to hiring the cover
(40:06):
letter, the resume, the you haveto have this credential or else
we can't hire you, because it'sour minimum requirement.
It's not taking intoconsideration the lived
experience and you know we'remaking that shift too, where
we'll or you know, or equivalent, but there is a move to
(40:28):
recognizing that livedexperience that really does
support the work.
And so if you have strongvalues, if you're connected to
the purpose, I think you findgreat people.
But I do agree that there'ssuch a shift where, if you are
doing things only in this oneway, you're only going to find
(40:51):
these people.
You need to dive deeper, youneed to get to those values and
that purpose to find alignment.
So you know that, yes, you'regrowing a team of great subject
matter experts, but that arealso wanting to do this work
because they know it's for thegreater good, right, yeah?
Aaron Pete (41:13):
Who are the Métis from your perspective?
Colette Trudeau (41:16):
Who are the Métis from my perspective?
Well, that is a big questionand I know there's a lot of
debate out there right now.
From my perspective, it is theMétis people who came from the
ethnogenesis that took place inhistoric Métis communities.
So Red River, yes, but ourstory also moves westward, and
(41:41):
so there was a specific timethat ethnogenesis happened where
we had the coming together ofcultures to create one unique
culture, nation heritage, and soI believe personally very much
in the 2002 Métis NationalCouncil's definition of who is a
(42:05):
Métis, and so that's what MétisNation BC does as well.
We make sure that anybody who isregistered with Métis Nation,
british Columbia meets thedefinition of being Métis as per
the 2002 definition, because wethen have our kinship ties.
I'm able to say are you aHamlin, are you a Vandell, are
(42:26):
you a Beaudry, are you a Gladue?
And I'm able to find thosekinship connections.
We are all connected withinMétis Nation.
We are not a mixed community,we are not European and First
Nations.
That's not who we are.
And I love having conversationswhere people will say I'm Métis
(42:49):
and then I'm like, oh, what'syour background?
And then also being thateducator in those moments where
someone says I'm Cowichan andScottish, cowichan and Scottish.
I'm like, okay, no, you're not,but let's talk about that,
(43:10):
let's be proud of who you areand where you come from.
But it's really that educationof we are a distinct nation of
people.
We have our own language,culture, history and that is
really important to me history,and that is really important to
me to make sure that those whoare of our nation belong to our
nation and are recognized withinour nation.
Aaron Pete (43:31):
That seems like one of the challenges from my
perspective I've seen take placeis a reductionist view of Métis
people.
When we talk about Indigenouspeople generally, there's First
Nations, inuit and Métis peopleand it seems like in common
conversations Métis are somewhatreduced.
Do you experience that and doyou see that?
Colette Trudeau (43:52):
I do, and I think a lot of that comes from a
lack of understanding of who weare.
A lot of people that I've hadconversations with don't
understand our history, don'tunderstand that you know Métis
people went to residentialschool.
Métis people were part of the60s scoop.
We have those intergenerationalpieces that happen and continue
(44:18):
to impact our people and so,without that education and
understanding that, you know, wehave a shared history.
Indigenous people have a sharedhistory.
We have unique experiences.
We have unique, lots ofuniqueness to who we all are.
But there are sharedexperiences.
(44:38):
And so you know, when I thinkabout, you know, apologies for
residential school or differentrecognition for people never
been recognized or apologized tofor their experiences.
And I know Métis Nation,saskatchewan, is working really
(45:19):
hard to advocate and bring thatforward.
Even at the United NationsForum it was brought forward,
and those elders are passingaway without any acknowledgement
of their experience.
And so that's the hard piece iswe.
(45:44):
The Métis Nation has always beenknown as the forgotten people
and we continue to be.
But we've also, you know,always been very feisty.
I'll characterize this asfeisty.
I'll characterize this asfeisty, but we need to be better
at sharing our story so thatpeople know who we are and
(46:09):
understand our history andunderstand the shared history,
the times where, you know, firstNations and Métis would work
together and support each other.
We were the translators and inin many situations, and so you
know, we were the ones who, youknow, canada was scared we'd get
(46:33):
, you know, first Nations riledup and not sign treaties.
You know, we, we were those,those people and and we've gone
into the shadows for for manydifferent reasons, but but we
are here and we are proud and weexist and we are living our
culture, we are revitalizing ourlanguage, we are doing all of
that work and you know, we'reworking really hard to close the
(46:54):
socioeconomic gaps that need tobe closed for Métis, people who
are struggling because theycontinue to be forgotten in so
many systems.
And so I know the harm thatcomes with that, that denialism
and, and you know, or feelinglesser than not Indigenous
(47:17):
enough to be recognized, and andI know, I know a lot of harm
has happened for families thathave that.
But I think, at the end of theday, it's it's those
conversations, it's theeducation that that needs to
happen and um, and I know, oncethose conversations happen, the,
the, the story will turn and itwill change Um.
(47:40):
So it's really important thatthere is we don't do harm to one
another, we lift each other up.
There's so many areas whereMétis people have really been a
critical part of our history,and so I think it's important
that we don't forget that.
Aaron Pete (48:01):
This is the one piece I still, like I'm having
my trouble wrapping my mindaround, which is we talk about
reconciliation of all of thesepast harms and atrocities that
have taken place.
One might want to find a rubric, an example of the best case
scenario, and to me, métispeople are that, when we talk
(48:22):
about the beginning days ofCanada, there was a convergence
and a sharing of two distinctcultures to make one, and that's
often argued.
What Canada is is a place whereyou can come and share your
culture and learn from othercultures and grow as a
consequence.
It seems like we would put theMétis communities forward as an
(48:45):
example of that, and I'm justwondering why that hasn't
happened from your perspective.
Colette Trudeau (48:51):
I don't know.
I you know again it's, it's astatement of the forgotten
people.
I agree with you.
I mean I've heard elders referto us, as you know, the true
Canadians by you know, just byway of the ethnogenesis that
(49:12):
happened through Canada'screation.
But there are still so manyharms and terrible things that
came with that.
And so saying true Canadians isnot representative of you know,
not being very much a center ofcolonialism, and I think you
(49:40):
know it's a result of a lot offamilies going underground, it's
a result of that assimilationthat you're better to go
underground than identify asMétis.
There's such an amazing storythere that is truly coming
forward and as our communitiesbecome stronger, that story will
(50:01):
come out and people will learnabout us and about our
contributions.
But I think, you know, I thinkthere's still a lot of time
until we really get to thatpoint, but I hope one day that
the Métis are brought forward.
(50:22):
As you know, this is a reallycritical part of our history.
That is not just Louis Riel andnot just Gabriel Dumont.
We are so much more than thatand we, you know, our
communities and our culture isalive and well.
Culture is alive and well, andso how do we share that more
(50:48):
broadly and very clearly withthe rest of the country?
Aaron Pete (50:51):
Can you tell us about Métis culture for people
who might just be learning aboutit and trying to understand?
Colette Trudeau (50:59):
Yes, I can, and this kind of talks, the
ethnogenesis.
So when I think about jigging,jigging is our, our dance, and
it's actually using a fancy stepand Scottish dancing and it
amalgamated into jigging, whichis just this super fun,
(51:21):
wonderful workout.
But it's this energetic dancethat you can't help but tap your
toe or clap your hands.
We have our Métis sash, whichis distinctively ours, and it's
made its way through to acontemporary approach where we
(51:43):
have started to change thecolors of our sash to represent
different things, whether it's2SLGBTQQIA+ or women's sash.
We have really taken that intoa contemporary place.
But historically, we have ourred sash, but it was not always
that because we were incrediblypoor.
It was not always that becausewe were incredibly poor.
(52:05):
So the sash would often be usedfor many different things, like
if you hurt your arm, it'd be asling, you would take a piece
off if you needed to mend yourclothing, and so on and so forth
.
We're known as the flowerbeadwork people, so beautiful
beadwork was done by ourgrandmothers.
But also we have so many Métisartisans who are reclaiming our
(52:30):
material arts and it's wonderful.
And for those who would like tosee it, go and check out our
Amelia Douglas Institute inSurrey.
And we've done weaving, we'vedone the beadwork.
There's so many wonderfulmaterial arts that Métis people
(52:52):
have done and again has happenedthrough the ethnogenesis from
our grandmothers and from someof those European styles as well
.
We were hunters and trappers.
We were very connected to theNorthwest Company and the Hudson
(53:18):
Bay Company and we were oftenknown for our capotes, so they
were made with the Hudson Bayblankets and they were very,
again, distinctively Métis andso very proud of the capot which
we would again tie with a sash.
But there's just the beginning.
We were voyagers.
We were often helping peoplenavigate tough terrain.
(53:41):
Canada was being explored andas voyageurs we would often go
in canoes and explore new areas.
And yeah, really proud of ourhistory and that is just high
level.
You know there is so much depthto our culture and Machif
(54:04):
language, which is, you know, wehave Northern Machif, southern
Machif, french Machif.
We have different dialects.
We were the folks who werecommunicating with local nations
and being those translatorsbetween, you know, settlers and
(54:28):
different First Nationscommunities.
That was our role and so that'sour history.
But again there is a culturethat is alive and well now as
well.
That is, you know, proudly wearour beadwork proudly, wear our
sash proudly, jig, and we havealways, always been Otepemisawak
(54:54):
.
We have always governedourselves Captain of the hunt.
When we would go out to huntbison or buffalo, we governed
the way that we would do that onbehalf of our communities.
And so, yeah, that's just animportant piece.
(55:15):
Is that, métis?
People have always lovedgovernance, so it's the way we
have had structured ourcommunities.
Aaron Pete (55:28):
What would you say to external stakeholders from
municipalities, the province,the federal government?
What would you say to them whenthey're considering sitting
down at these tables, whenthey're considering learning
more?
How do we encourage people tolearn more about Métis people?
Colette Trudeau (55:46):
Talk to us.
There's some really great booksout there, but I would say
experiential meeting the people,hearing the stories, is always
the best way to learn about apeople and connect with Métis
Nation, british Columbia.
We have 39 charteredcommunities across the province
(56:08):
that are communities of peoplethat are connected to our
culture, heritage and language.
How many citizens?
We have over 25,000 registeredcitizens that meet the 2002
Métis National Councildefinition and you know again,
(56:33):
really MNBC is providing greatprograms and services and
supports and from housing tohealth, to education, child care
.
We are doing that work andbringing forward Métis voice in
BC.
And you know, I think what'sreally important is to recognize
(56:53):
that Métis are distinct.
You know I am not an advocatefor a one-size-fits-all and so
recognizing that everyone isdistinct.
But in doing that work arounddistinctions of different
indigenous people, differentnations, different communities,
(57:15):
you need to speak to the people.
You don't know better than thepeople.
So come back to the people andso that would really be an
important piece Recognize thatnot all language means the same
thing to every nation as well.
So I mentioned Ota Pemisawakpeople who govern themselves.
(57:37):
Self-government to us means theability to govern our people,
and that's a really importantpiece.
We're talking about being ableto do that important work, to
provide services and programs topeople, to bring our children
(57:58):
home.
We have so many Métis kids inthe child welfare system that,
without being recognized forgoverning ourselves and
governing our people that wecan't bring home, that are
caught in a system ofassimilation Again, another
system that is meant to takethem away from their nation, and
(58:20):
that is heartbreaking.
And so learn about us, get toknow us, find out what we're
trying to do.
Don't put a narrative on uswithout talking to us.
That is so important.
Recognize that if we're doingdistinctions-based work, that
(58:41):
we're actually doingdistinctions-based work.
Aaron Pete (58:45):
The only other area I'd like to ask about, and it's
more of a provocative questionand it's just around why does
culture matter from yourperspective?
What have you seen the impactof culture have?
Colette Trudeau (59:02):
I believe that culture is identity and I think
it makes us who we are.
And you know, for me culture iscommunity and connection and
(59:27):
identity.
It is that knowing of who youare and where you belong, and I
think that rings true for anyculture that people are from.
I think it's so beautiful whenpeople embrace their different
cultures and there's differentvalues there, there's different
(59:53):
lived experiences, and what Ialways find so amazing is, when
we think about culture, there'salso those abilities to connect
culture and find the samenessand uniqueness as well.
But it's identity.
For me, being strong in who I amas a Métis person is such an
(01:00:18):
important part of my life and itbrings purpose, it brings
grounding, it's just something,it's a way of being, and so I
think it's an important part ofbeing able to be true to
yourself.
(01:00:39):
Yeah, it's a lofty questionbecause you know, if you really
get down to it, it it's at thecenter of of who, who we are,
and I think without culture I'mnot saying this is true for
everyone, but that thatbelonging that comes with
(01:01:04):
culture you you have that senseof belonging, that place to be,
that sense of community, and Ithink when people don't have
that, it's easier to get lostand lose yourself.
Aaron Pete (01:01:20):
I agree is that we see people who are struggling
with overdoses, drug use, mentalhealth crises, depression,
anxiety and from what I gatherjust experientially knowing
people who've been through thatit just doesn't seem like they
have a pillar to fall back on ora community to go to.
(01:01:42):
I think one of the big pusheswithin Western culture is this
idea of being independent.
Go get your own house, go liveyour own life.
Then go do whatever you want todo and it's not linked back to
anything.
And I think you can find thatculture through religion,
through community, in differentways.
But that is often whatsafeguards you against some of
(01:02:04):
those negative aspects.
You can find community in doingsportsards you against some of
those negative aspects.
You can find community in doingsports.
And this is some of the thingswhen we talk about exercise,
when we talk about community.
These are some of thesafeguards that can protect you
against some of the heavy thingsyou'll go through in your life.
And you can't not have heavythings that you go through in
your life, but you can have asupport system in place that
will help you get through thosetimes.
(01:02:26):
And I think the challenge whenyou have a word like culture is
it can be underestimated, thatpeople won't always understand
the vast impacts it can haveover a person's life, the
resources that they need.
When we talk about sendingsomeone who's struggling with
addiction to AA, you'rebasically telling them to go
find a community that doesn'tnecessarily need to be that
(01:02:49):
center for those people.
There's different ways to findthat community to help them get
through these difficult times.
And I think one challenge weface when we're trying to
address all of these issues iswe go to doctors and nurses and
that immediate clinical care,which is absolutely important,
but if you don't have thataftercare, if you don't have
(01:03:10):
those community supports, if youdon't have those resources,
then the day they leave thehospital, the day they're done
their medication, what is thatnext step for them to make sure
that they're grounded?
And I also think culture can bea huge tool to ask people what
does your full potentialactually look like?
I think we stop asking people 16, 17, 18, that question, because
(01:03:32):
once you're 20, you're startingto figure it out, or once
you're 30, we're expecting youfigured it out, and I don't
think we've embraced this ideathat you're different things
through different chapters ofyour life and that's something
to be embraced and not somethingto be underestimated, and so
when I'd work as a native courtworker, the question would be
like where would you be if youcould be anywhere, like if you
(01:03:53):
had the life you wanted and it'susually not in the Bahamas, by
yourself on a beach.
It's usually with their familyback, connected with a loved one
, being able to talk to theirlost family member Like it's
real things.
It's that community that we'retalking about, that culture that
we're talking about, thatbecomes so key, and it seems
like we need to find a differentway to have those important
(01:04:15):
conversations, because it's soeasy to underestimate.
Like I need to get access tothe support systems, to the
sense of community, to peoplewho understand and respect where
I'm coming from and who havesimilar understandings of their
lived experiences, so that wecan all rise up together and
(01:04:37):
reach our full potential.
Colette Trudeau (01:04:54):
The number of times I've heard culture has
saved my life, I can't evencount.
And I absolutely agree.
I mean, I love going back toour cultural ways.
I think about being raised by acommunity of people.
That is my daughter'supbringing.
She is raised by a community ofpeople.
Yes, you know, mom and dad areat home, but I will tell you the
moment she can go see hergrandparents.
She is thrilled and she willask me how many days she gets to
(01:05:16):
be there.
Um, and, and you know I, whenwe go out into community, she,
she gets to connect withdifferent folks that are outside
of you know, just our littlefamily.
And it's through knowing youhave those connections that,
regardless of you know what mayhappen to me, or you know my
(01:05:41):
husband, my daughter has aculture, a community to connect
back into, and I think thatthat's so important because we
all need other places to go andto feel ourselves.
(01:06:02):
And you know, yes, I would loveto go to the Bahamas for a trip,
but at the end of the day, Idon't leave my community because
I feel that sense of belonging.
Number of them I know, I knowof one young person who, you
know, lived in BC, went toSaskatchewan to go to school and
(01:06:30):
got involved in the MétisNation Métis communities there,
because that's that belonging,that's that community, those are
the people that know who youare and can connect and so you
know, no matter where we are.
We're looking for thoseconnections to our culture and I
(01:06:51):
think that that's so importantto find that sense of community,
but also having again thoselighthouses, those contemporary
lighthouses.
My community's there too.
I can go there and connect inand I think that, you know,
culture is, you know, as youwere mentioning, it's just it's
so connected to wellness.
Aaron Pete (01:07:12):
What's one piece of wisdom or sage advice from the
Métis culture that you're ableto share?
Colette Trudeau (01:07:22):
Hmm, hmm.
Well, I don't know if it'sspecific to the Métis Nation,
but it's the first thing thatcame to my mind and the first
(01:07:42):
time I ever heard it, and I knowit's a statement that's been
made by others as well.
But our elder Philip Gladue willoften say that for this
distance is from your head toyour heart, and, recognizing
that we so often get caught upin our own heads that we don't
always think about the heart, hetells the story of you know.
(01:08:06):
He wanted to connect to Métisspirituality and then when he
came back, after talking to somany people, he recognized it
was right where he was, and Iguess that still connects back
to culture, that identity, thatknowing who you are.
(01:08:27):
But really for me and againit's not specific to Métis
there's so many amazingteachings and stories out in our
community, but I would saysomething that really resonates
with me right now is that let'smove away from our heads, let's
(01:08:51):
go back to our hearts, let'slearn about each other, let's
get out of the politics we'reall very good at politicking.
Let's get away from that andlet's get back to that, that
heart work, Cause there's somuch good that can happen
through unity and understandingthat I would really love to see
(01:09:14):
us get to Two more questions.
Aaron Pete (01:09:17):
One, as we discussed , your leadership style is
particularly unique in that it'sfocused on thinking for future
generations, and I think that'sone thing that when you think
about the stock market, how oursystems function, they're very
short term.
How do we support peopleindividually and at a broader
(01:09:38):
scale in thinking longer term?
Colette Trudeau (01:09:46):
well, I think it's.
There's so much that I'vegained from people where I've
just been able to watch them,and so I I don't think we put
enough value in living yourvalues, walking your talk.
(01:10:12):
I think people are alwayswatching, even if you don't know
they're watching.
People are watching, and Ithink that if you stay true to
yourself, you never know who'swatching.
You never know who you'reimpacting, you never know whose
mind is shifting because of howyou're doing things in a
(01:10:33):
different way.
And so, again, it's that valuesconnect.
When people connect to yourvalues.
You know, when I see people whoI'm like, I want to be like,
that they don't know in thatmoment that I'm recognizing that
strength and and, and so Ireally think we just need more,
(01:10:57):
more leaders out there who areshifting their mindsets, and I
think the way that happens is byseeing others who are making
changes, seeing shifts in theway people are doing business or
interacting with others, andare just watching that happen
(01:11:21):
authentically.
And so I can say, hey, thinkabout future generations and the
work that you're doing, andthen go off and do something.
That's the complete opposite,but I've told you that you
should be thinking about that.
Yeah, there's so much to besaid about doing it, and maybe
(01:11:45):
not always being aware thatpeople are watching, but you
make an impact by beingauthentic.
Aaron Pete (01:11:53):
How can people follow not only your work, but
Métis Nation BC's?
Colette Trudeau (01:11:57):
Well, they can visit our website, mnbcca.
Lots of great social mediachannels.
Um, we have uh the may tea,which is uh ran by our
communications team.
They do a wonderful job ofsharing great events and
programs.
Um even did a recent one on onum some words that you know, I
(01:12:21):
don't, I don't use, like what'sthe T mean?
Or I don't know, I don't evenknow all those words.
Now I'm aging myself, oh gosh.
But our social media channelsare full of cultural information
as well as stories from ourcommunities.
For myself, I'm on LinkedIn andI'm on Facebook and other
(01:12:44):
channels, but to connectprofessionally, linkedin's the
way to go.
Otherwise you're just gettingphotos of my daughter.
Aaron Pete (01:12:53):
Perfect.
Collette, thank you for beingwilling to share your time.
I think there's a lot to belearned from other cultures and
when we get into, how do weactually utilize that and lead
in that style?
I think you set an amazingexample on how that difference
can look and how it can impactothers in how they choose to
lead.
So I think that's reallyinspiring and really important,
(01:13:14):
because I think sometimes weforget one person can make a
difference and it's important toremind others of that.
So thank you for sharing yourtime.
Colette Trudeau (01:13:21):
Thank you, Aaron.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.