Shane Chegahno
Senior Vice-President,
Makwa Development Corporation
Mediaplanet spoke with Shane Chegahno, Senior Vice-President of Makwa Development Corporation, to explore how partnerships between Indigenous communities and the nuclear sector are evolving, the integration of Indigenous knowledge into projects, and initiatives empowering Indigenous youth to become future leaders in the industry.
How important are partnerships between Indigenous organizations and the nuclear sector?
Partnerships between Indigenous organizations and the nuclear sector are tremendously important. No matter where a nuclear project goes, it will be operating within someone’s traditional territory. In Indigenous country, trust, honesty and respect are integral to the success of any relationship, agreement, or project. Without progressive partnerships to serve as the baseline for early engagement with Indigenous Nations, projects do not get completed, and reconciliation is never truly achieved.
How is Makwa Development ensuring that Indigenous cultural practices and knowledge are integrated into nuclear energy projects? What impact does this have on project outcomes?
We have a very down-to-Earth business model. We endeavor to foster a true spirit of collaboration, first and foremost. Especially with matters to do with the land, the water, and the creatures of Turtle Island, we deem it a necessity to reach out to the Elders within our community, in order to incorporate their knowledge and experience into our decision making. As for the impact this has on projects, it allows our community to have their say, which has a direct impact on the final satisfaction that our people will have with the project, as well as allowing the project to incorporate the approach of the original knowledge keepers of the land.
What new initiatives has Makwa Development introduced to empower Indigenous youth in the nuclear industry? How do these initiatives help in building future leaders within the community?
For Makwa, our goal is not about being the end-all-be-all Indigenous company. Our goal is to further the economic empowerment of our people. We are currently working on several programs aimed at training our youth, to assist them with finding employment within the nuclear sector. For example, we have recently had conversations with some local trade unions about reserving some spots for Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) youth in their pre-apprenticeship programs. This would then lead directly into employment opportunities within the aforementioned unions. And in turn, our present workforce on these nuclear sites is growing.
These initiatives are building the next generation of leaders by showing them the opportunity in this industry. Historically, our people have not seen this sector as a place to build a career or a family around, and we are aiming to change that. We understand that not all of the individuals who pursue these opportunities will stay with us forever, but we encourage that. If one of our employees wants to branch out and start their own business, we would be supportive and proud of the hand we played in giving them their start.
What strategies are being employed to build capacity within Indigenous communities to engage more deeply in the nuclear industry? How can the industry better support these efforts?
The programs that I previously mentioned are a big piece of that capacity building. Capacity funding from proponents is also a major part of assisting with building that capacity. Life on an Indigenous Reservation is challenging. It’s hard to care about what’s going on in the nuclear industry when you’re worried about where your next meal is coming from. On my reserve, we have many greater concerns facing our people. We are faced with an opioid crisis, a mental health crisis, unclean drinking water, and severe poverty. Combine this with the multiple infrastructure improvement and housing projects that are taking place, and our leadership is stretched to their maximum. Proponents continuing to provide capacity funding is paramount to meaningful Indigenous Engagement within the industry. Our people do not require a handout, they require a helping hand to be able to stand at the same level as those who have existed in this sector since the beginning.
What is your vision for the future of Indigenous participation in the nuclear sector? How do you see this evolving over the next decade?
My vision is for there to be hundreds of Indigenous businesses across Canada in the nuclear sector, sharing similar goals and ideals that we do. We can achieve genuine reconciliation through continued economic opportunities, commitments to action, and support of Indigenous Initiatives. We are still taking small steps as a Nation, but every long and successful endeavour begins somewhere. There will be bumps along the way, but we will eventually get to where we want to be.
The time for pleasantries and discussion is great, but we at Makwa Development are ready for contracts and actionable objectives to further our people’s opportunities in the nuclear space.
