May 4, 2010 - 9:35am
Vancouver Island University graduate Chief
Douglas White is carrying on a family legacy of community service.
White left his fast-paced job in Vancouver
as a lawyer with one of Canada’s top aboriginal law firms to be a candidate for
Chief during the Snuneymuxw First Nations elections last December.
“I knew that one day I would return home to
serve my people,” said White, who won the right to represent over 1,600
Snuneymuxw people. “I just didn’t expect it would happen now. The Snuneymuxw
suffered a great tragedy last summer when we lost our beloved Chief Viola Wyse,
and I was called home by family and duty to my people.”
“Chief Wyse brought heart and soul into the
job,” said White. “I can learn a lot from her example and I will honour her
legacy and commitment to education.”
Knowing education was a key to his future,
White completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in First Nations Studies with
distinction at VIU in 2000, followed by a law degree from the University of
Victoria.
White’s mother, Joyce helped develop the
First Nations Studies program at VIU, alongside Dr. Richard Atleo, father of
Shawn (A-in-chut) Atleo, VIU’s first Chancellor and National Chief of the
Assembly of First Nations.
“It’s a pleasure to work closely with
Chancellor A-in-chut Atleo,” said White. “His guidance is valuable as we work
to bridge gaps between cultures and provide students with an increased
awareness and appreciation for Aboriginal ways of knowing and being.”
One of White’s first official acts as Chief
was signing a Memorandum of Understanding with VIU and School District #68 in
support of the House of Learning program in February to promote educational
collaboration between the partners and continued support for the Snuneymuxw
First Nation adult learning program.
“The House Learning program can transform the lives of students by
providing them with skills, knowledge and education,” he said.
Vancouver Island University has one of the
highest Aboriginal post-secondary participation rates in BC and in the country.
This strong participation is reflective of the positive relationships that
exist between VIU and the First Nations on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine
Coast. More than 1,000 First Nations students are enrolled in a wide variety of
programs at VIU including First Nations Studies, Child and Youth Care and
Forestry.
Throughout his working life, Chief White
has worked on a range of issues on behalf of Aboriginal people including
resource use analysis, intergovernmental relations, gaming, treaty
negotiations, and institutional capacity development.
White’s commitment to his people also led
him to volunteer on various boards, ranging from the Cool-Aid Society in
Victoria (that provides housing, medical and dental care for the homeless), to
the Indigenous Bar Association of Canada.
White’s grandfather, Doug White I (Tiqwup),
served as Chief of the Snuneymuxw in the 1960s and was a great inspiration,
teaching White the qualities necessary to be a good leader.
One of White’s proudest moments occurred
when he was called to the bar in 2008. At the time he said, “I have had the
great fortune to have had many amazing mentors and teachers in my life. What
makes someone a master of what they do is not what they know, but what is in
their hearts and in their souls and the strength of their spirit. It’s in the
way they approach life and how hard they work to make the world a better
place.”
This is a philosophy White keeps close to
his heart as he serves the Snuneymuxw people.
Tags: In the Community
