These are exciting but also anxious times for members of the Tsawwassen First Nation as they move further into their post-treaty life.
That's Chief Kim Baird's take on the mood in her community as her government moves steadily forward with a series of economic development initiatives aimed at improving the lives of TFN members.
"There's mixed feelings about rapid change," Baird told the Optimist in an interview.
"Change is difficult at the best of times, so there's a mixed sort of mood, from the record number of post-secondary applications as a really positive indicator of people wanting to go after opportunities, to concerns about how the new regulatory regime can impact individual members and their quality of life, to the opportunity to look at programs and services and having autonomy of delivering them in a new way based on our priorities.
"So there's a mixed mood, part apprehension, part excitement, but the things we have taken on have gone well, including our new legislature and new institutions. It's hard to believe we're reaching the end of the first full term of self governance."
Baird noted with so much happening, members may be "a bit saturated with information overload" but it's also a great opportunity for people to be engaged and involved with everything happening in the community.
As far as social change, the chief said members are wondering how the government will manage the economic development and its proceeds.
Consultations will take place on that as well as what should be the priorities regarding programs, services and capital infrastructure.
Baird said the TFN will also look at what type of "safety nets" should be in place for members when it comes to social services and what should be the First Nation's approach.
She noted a low percentage of members living at the First Nation are on social assistance, however, many are not earning an adequate wage to properly support their families.
"There's a chicken-and-egg thing here because people need to have better skills to take advantage of higher paying jobs. So it's something we're trying to match those up better to ensure our members are able to take advantage of the opportunities that are being created."
Baird said her biggest passion, and where she wants to see progress, is in the realm of education.
"We're looking at best practices in other areas on how to overcome our graduation levels. One new thing we've decided to do is make daycare services for Tsawwassen children free of charge in our early childhood education centre, so that will be a major benefit and a great opportunity for Tsawwassen children to have more structured early childhood education at an early age," she explained.
"Those are sort of the small initiatives we're looking to now and as we have income from economic development proceeds we will be able to look at cultural revitalization and other programs in areas that we desperately need in the community."
Baird noted a goal for her First Nation is to have its own elementary school governed by a TFN board of education in about five years, although high school students will likely still attend the Delta school district for some time to come.
While the graduation rate for aboriginal students in the Delta system is among the highest in the province, it's still not acceptable in that it's in the 60 per cent range, Baird said.
"I think it's really important we have control over our education and to ensure our kids have better chance for success in the school system. They're not doing that well in the Delta school system," she said.
"There's a lot of opinions about whether our kids will succeed or not just by where they come from, so there's those biases in the system.
"I think the only way to get away from that is to have our own system, a system that believes in our kids."
Baird added the TFN wants a new education strategy that looks at the individual from birth to adult.
"We plan on collaborating with educators from all over the place, whether it be the universities or First Nations' Employment Society, there's a lot of help out there we want to take advantage of."
She pointed out the treaty is simply a toolbox that will enable the First Nation to properly deal with multigenerational issues.
"We have a lot of road ahead of us but at least we have the tools to deal with it where we didn't before."
The next TFN government election will take place in the fall of 2012.
