TIMMINS – Leadership is deeply rooted in Jennifer Constant’s family.
The Mattagami First Nation Chief spoke at a virtual leadership lunch on Monday (Jan. 20), sharing her experiences, her vision for sustainable and inclusive mining practices, and her commitment to community empowerment.
The event, hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce and Trimeda Consulting, brought together industry and community stakeholders.
Constant, recently recognized as the 2024 Indigenous trailblazer at the Sudbury Women in Mining Awards, discussed her leadership journey.
She began her political career in 2003 and served nine consecutive times as a councillor before being elected chief.
“My mother, my grandfather, my uncle, and my great-grandfather were all chiefs,” she said.
“Not begrudgingly, but knowingly, I grew up in my own territory feeling like a stranger, and now, as chief, I have the opportunity to address the messages and challenges we grew up with.”
Constant’s great-grandfather, Andrew Luke, was a signatory of Treaty 9. However, she acknowledged the legacy of systemic exclusion that followed.
“After signing, my great-grandfather protested his treaty annuity for 13 years because he felt he had failed his people. What was written was very different from what was told to them,” she said.
“Now, not only are we securing a future for our generations that are coming up … we're also honouring our ancestors and what their intentions were when they signed that treaty.”
Advocating for sustainable mining
Mattagami First Nation has had a long-standing relationship with the mining industry.
“Timmins is situated within Mattagami's territory which has, and always has had, a long history of extractive activities as the main industry for the area," she said.
For a long time, Constant said Indigenous communities were purposefully excluded from the prosperity created on their land. But now, they’ve positioned themselves as key stakeholders.
Constant outlined her long-term vision for the relationship between Mattagami First Nation and the mining industry, emphasizing the need for meaningful partnerships. She said they “expect to be at the table” for conversations about projects in their territory.
Constant also addressed criticism from those opposed to mining in their territory.
“Mining has been happening in my territory long before I was even a thought,” she said.
“My First Nation, we recognize that there's a different lens that we view mining in. So environmentally, we have to be on par, because we are stewards to the land. We do need to make sure that things are passing a threshold, that our community members are engaged, and that their concerns are being brought forward.”
Moving forward, she said she envisions more equity stakes for First Nations.
The Wawa to Porcupine Transmission Line project as an example of successful collaboration.
SEE: Hydro One wins bid to build Wawa-Porcupine transmission line
Hydro One and Wabun Tribal Council, which Mattagami FN is a member of, have a 50-50 partnership for the new transmission line that’s expected to go into service in 2030.
“It goes through the majority of Wabun’s territory, and we did a lot of leg work to make sure that we advocated for our communities to be involved in that aspect. So, we're looking forward to that and the opportunity that that brings,” she said.
The project will create jobs, provide long-term benefits and help them achieve growth, Constant said.
Empowering women and youth
Constant said she’s excited for the growing Women in Mining Timmins group.
“It's important, I think, in the north, especially, for women, to have a space to have their voices heard, because a lot of times there isn't a lot of opportunity for that,” she said.
Within Mattagami First Nation, Constant said she’s worked to address barriers for Indigenous women in the workforce, advocating for childcare, training programs, and industry-specific meetings that consider their unique needs.
“We haven't quite met all of the identified obstacles or challenges, but we are trying to actively work towards them,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of inspiring youth, especially young girls, in her community.
“The opportunities are limitless… In my lifetime, and certainly in my mother's, my grandfather's and my great-grandfather's, a lot of their full potential was stifled by various designs that were imposed upon them. And we're trying to kind of lift those layers up so that people can actually live their lives in a very meaningful way,” she said.
“I honestly think that you're going to see some really great things come in the next few years because we're positioned now to be able to help that, transpire, flourish, whatever you want to call it.”
