First Nations Chief and VIU alumnus committed to education

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.