Sandford Big Plume
Chief, Tsuu T'ina Nation

As chief of the 1,400 people of the Tsuu T'ina Nation situated on the southwestern edge of Calgary, Chief Sandford Big Plume's efforts have focused on striking what is often a tenuous balance between preserving aboriginal culture and increasing economic opportunities for his people. Since the Tsuu T'ina Nation was first approached about the use of its land for a highway in 1947, Big Plume is credited for breaking the stalemate. In June 2004, together with Premier Ralph Klein and then Transportation Minister Ed Stelmach, Big Plume signed the agreement in principle allowing the construction of a much-needed ring road through the Tsuu T'ina Nation. In March 2005, Big Plume signed the final framework of this important infrastructure agreement. As well, he has carefully negotiated the leveraging of land for a Las Vegas-style casino and business park. Creating an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 jobs for people on and outside the reserve, the commercial centre is heralded as the largest First Nations development project in Canadian history. Such revenue generators will go toward educational programs, building affordable housing and creating a bright and prosperous future for generations to come. Always striving to present the Tsuu T'ina Nation in a positive light, Big Plume publicly expressed his outrage at being relegated to token aboriginal status during the Queen's recent visit to Calgary. And though a private audience with Her Majesty was denied, Big Plume and other chiefs had hoped to discuss the breaching of land claim treaties that their ancestors had signed with Queen Victoria's representatives 28 years before Alberta became a province in 1905. In March 2005, Big Plume and his family were honoured with an Alberta Centennial Pinnacle Award in recognition of their significant contributions to the development of southern Alberta over the last 100 years. -DH

How will your planned economic development initiatives affect the future of the Tsuu T'ina Nation people? What barriers have you faced in implementing those initiatives?
The best way I can answer that, and the first way, is the members of my Nation told me 'Chief, get us out of poverty.' That has never left my mind in everything and anything that I do. What we want to do is create prosperity first and foremost for Tsuu T'ina to give our children an opportunity to have careers, not jobs - careers in the white--collar society. Instead of them leaving home and going off the reserve, I want to create opportunities for them here. This is why I want educational institutions and medical facilities. I'm a visionary. I'm a dreamer and it's right there. It only takes one to go and get it. That is my job. The barriers Ive faced are with the federal government, Indian and Northern Affairs, Department of Justice, and I guess maybe us not being the risk takers we should be. The barriers that Indian and Northern Affairs lay out in front of us by the way of the Indian Act are very discriminatory. It's very racist. Yes they are fiduciary, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't work with us. They should be working with us for what's best.

Who do you think is the greatest Albertan ever?
Chief Bull's Head Chiila, Tsuu T'ina. He was the one who picked this area where we reside. The federal government had set us down on the southwest corner of the big Blackfoot Nation, east of Calgary. He didn't want to live there - that we'd get swallowed up by the Blackfoot, which was true because we're Dene. Yes, they were our allies. He made the decision to move us away from there to where we are today, looking after us and knowing that some day, some day the land, the little land that we have will benefit every Nation member, man, woman and child. Back then, the holy people said, 'There's going to be lots of little white boxes around where we are.' That's why we're doing this. They must have known that we'd prosper where we were located. He was born approximately 1833 and died here at home on Tsuu T'ina in 1911.

In 100 years, will you warrant your own chapter in the history books, a footnote to great events or a single Google hit?
My own chapter in the history books - never. I want to be known as a visionary that would take this dream and this vision and we make it reality. So if they do honour me by putting me in history equal to the Tsuu T'ina chiefs before me, that itself is an honour. Having the title of head chief of the Tsuu T'ina alone is an honour. It's not the man. It's the title.