b'Corrina Leween, former Chief of Cheslatta Carrier Nation and former member of the FNMPC Board of Directors.Member Profile: CHESLATTA CARRIER NATION By Rick GarrickF ormer Chief Corrina Leween ofFirst Nations Major Projects Coalition,experience in major projects, has made a the Cheslatta Carrier Nation hasI was eager to know more. And whensignificant difference. It all goes back to been involved in the First NationsI got involved in some of the work thatthe technical support they provided toMajor Projects Coalition (FNMPC)they were doing, it gave me hope for myus, because a lot of times we dontfrom the very beginning. In October 2015,community to have access to technicalhave that capacity in [the] community. ToCheslatta was one of 11 Nations in Britishsupport and the ability to look at majorhave the support structure behind us isColumbia to sign the original Terms ofprojects as an actual possibility in very important.Reference that launched the Coalition. our community. That kind of support helps First Nations Eleven of us signed up to hear moreUPLIFTING VOICES make informed decisions about projects about what they were saying, and nowOver the years, the Coalition has becomein their territories. But it also challenges we are national, with well over 100a space where voices like Leweens outdated assumptions.First Nations that are involved in theare heard.organization, she says. The biggest misconception about First What drew her in was a sense of[Proponents] would come through theNations is that they dont have the right to possibility. For Leween, the thoughtcommunities and not hear what wespeak about what happens on their land, of participating in major projects, andwanted and how we wanted to moveLeween says. First Nations are starting overcoming barriers like access to capitalforward, she explains. The First to take control of thatinstead of being and environmental oversight, was aboutNations Major Projects Coalition gave a passenger on the bus, were the drivers creating real opportunities. In our semi- us that arena to be heard as a Firstof the bus.isolated northern communities, we dontNations community. RESPECTING NATION VALUEShave access to capacity resources, sheShe says the expertise FNMPC provides,For Leween, one of the biggest says. So when I had heard abouttheincluding mentorship from people withchallenges in project development 44NATIONS FORWARDIssue 12025'