If there’s one thing that Wayne Smith has valued highly during a remarkable 32-year tenure as chief of Naicatchewenin First Nation, it’s consistency.
While many First Nations see a high turnover in governance – the average length in Canada for a single executive position is around 3.5 years – Smith’s continued re-election over three decades reflects the community’s lasting faith in his leadership, as well as his dedication to the place he calls home.
“Consistency, to me, always goes a long way,” he told The Times. “You’re able to do a lot of things if you maintain with one leadership, you’re able to move things along.”
After retiring on Jan. 17, Smith, 63, looks back fondly on his career with a sense of pride and fulfillment, having made meaningful contributions to his community. Grateful for the multiple re-elections over his career, Smith acknowledged that continuity in his position as chief is what allowed him to stay on top of his work and focus on getting more accomplished.
He highlighted that the ability to make an impact wouldn’t have been possible without the focused effort of motivated leaders and a community working together. “I, for one, could not do it on my own,” Smith said. “I needed the support of my staff, management, council and community. It’s a community initiative. You don’t have that and you’re not going to be there too long.”
Many community projects were completed and goals met during Smith’s political career, the first starting before even being elected as chief in 1995. As a new councillor in 1991, he immediately set his sights on improving administrative structure and policy. Successful efforts to reinforce structure in education, economic development and child welfare inspired Smith to consider he could keep building a stronger community in a position where he could make a bigger difference.
As chief, Smith worked to make strides in health, mental wellness and addiction resources within Naicatchewenin. This began with the introduction of a recovery framework called “healing on our own” which fosters the idea of working oneself through mental health and addiction issues. This process has proved successful by continuing to assist members of the community into recovery from various mental health problems and substance dependency for over three decades.
Smith’s work towards improving Naicatchewenin’s health resources didn’t stop there – he was also prominently involved in an effort to expand the community’s health facility that resulted in an increase in medical staff and boosted assistance for the health needs of children and elderly.
Determined to improve the local economy, Smith worked alongside other community leaders to create the Naicatchewenin Development Corporation (NDC), a 100 per cent Indigenously owned and operated business located about 20km northwest of Fort Frances.
“It was created for the purposes of training, educating, skills development and putting people to work,” Smith said. “At that time, forestry was very high on everybody’s priority list, so we did a lot of that. We have our own contracts for forestry. That was back in ’97, and the corporation is still up and running. It has dabbled in many opportunities over the years.”
During his time as chief, Naicatchewenin and NDC also found new opportunities by partnering with New Gold Inc., with the signing of an impact benefit agreement. Smith said this agreement has resulted in new jobs and opportunities for community members to learn transferrable skills. “We have many partnerships there through security, through the sale of propane, through catering the camp. We host people at the camp from the mine, and we have a nursing health unit there as well.”
“There’s a number of individuals that were working there right from the start of the mine, and they’re still working there,” he said. “I think that’s a very positive thing for our members to be involved in. Both in partnerships, employment and training.”
Beside economic advancements, Smith said he was proud to be involved in two notable strides made in upholding Naicatchewenin’s ancestry and lineage while he was in office. The first was the construction of a new roundhouse, which is used for sacred ceremonies and gatherings throughout the year. Smith said this gave the community grounds to practice their culture and values.
The second was the conclusion of the decades-old litigation over the ownership of Point Park with the Town of Fort Frances, ending with the park’s return to Agency One Reserve, an area shared by Naicatchwenin, Nigigoonsiminikaanmng, Couchiching and Mitaanjigamiing. Smith said this victory was the result of combined efforts from across the four communities.
“That was a good feeling to get land that was taken from us and given back,” Smith said. “That’s really a positive thing, because this is where a lot of our historical knowledge is. It used to be a meeting place for our communities here every spring and fall. It’s a traditional sacred area for us, and to legally say it’s ours again means a lot to me, and it means a lot to the communities.”
The decision that it was nearly time to retire after a long career wasn’t something that came out of nowhere for the former chief. He said he’s been aware this was coming up for several years. But, with more free time, he now looks forward to being able to get caught up on personal hobbies and work.
“This isn’t something that just came up for me,” Smith said. “It was four years of grappling with it. I’m at an age where I need to slow things down. I’m stepping away from politics, and I’m going to take time out, relax, enjoy life for a period of time until I get bored. Then I’ll start seeking for something on a low level, something that’s not going to take me on the road, from days on in, travelling all over the country. Those days are gone.”
“I do renovations, and I know where I live now there’s a list growing there that I need to touch base on,” he said. “I love working on small engines, so I’m going to be doing that. It’s things I miss, things I should do more of. I want to slow things down, and the good thing about that is it’s in my control. If I want to work tomorrow, I can, if I don’t want to work, I don’t have to.”
Smith said he now looks forward to staying near his home and having more chances to unwind and spend time with his nine-year-old son, Jace. “Right now, I’m spending time with him, and I’m close to home and taking her easy. I’m mellowing out, I’m turning the temperature down and enjoying life.”
