Curve Lake First Nation’s EDO wins national award
By Sam Laskaris
GATINEAU, QUE. – Moments after being recognized nationally, Katie Young-Haddlesey was quick to deflect praise.
Young-Haddlesey has served as the Economic Development Officer (EDO) for Curve Lake First Nation for the past three years.
Her efforts were recognized on Oct. 30 as she was the recipient of the EDO of the Year award at the Cando Conference, held in Gatineau, Que. from Oct. 27-30.
Cando is the acronym for the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers; and is an organization that promotes economic development in Indigenous communities across Canada.
“It’s a true sense of accomplishment,” Young-Haddlesey said of her award. “Somebody told me that during my presentation I said, ‘We, we, we’ too often. But I truly feel it is a team effort.”
Young-Haddlesey had found out earlier this summer that she was one of the two finalists for Cando’s EDO of the Year award.
The other finalist was Byron Gourley, the EDO for the Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation in New Brunswick.
Both Young-Haddlesey and Gourley were allotted 20 minutes each to make a presentation at the Cando Conference on that morning touting their accomplishments.
Delegates at the conference then voted on which EDO they felt was most deserving of winning the national award.
The winner was announced later that day at a dinner ceremony held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy.
Winners were also announced in the Community of the Year and the Indigenous Private Sector Business categories.
Young-Haddlesey said she tends to be composed but did not feel like herself earlier that day.
“I’m not a person who gets nervous,” she said. “But I was extremely nervous, especially in the morning [when I made my presentation].”
The fact she seemed to click with Gourley from the moment she met him at the four-day conference did put her somewhat at ease.
“It made it a fun experience,” she said.
Young-Haddlesey said this marked the first time in her career that she had been singled out for an accolade.
“I’ve won marketing awards with a team,” she said. “But I’ve never won an individual award before.”
Young-Haddlesey has played a key role recently with a 20,000-square foot commercial centre that Curve Lake First Nation will build. Construction is expected to begin this coming spring.
Upgrades will also take place at the First Nation’s current business centre in the hopes of landing new tenants.
“Our First Nation is recognizing the importance to move forward,” Young-Haddlesey said. “Part of that is building relationships. The last three years I’ve been working towards that.”
Young-Haddlesey added winning the Cando award will provide further incentive to keep doing what she’s doing.
“For me, this just keeps our drive to keep succeeding,” she said.
Though she’s only been employed by Curve Lake First Nation for three years, Young-Haddlesey had done some previous work for the First Nation via her private consulting company.
And prior to that, Young-Haddlesey had worked 13 years for the renamed Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
She also worked for a few years for a company responsible for business development at the Peterborough Municipal Airport.
Young-Haddlesey is also currently continuing her education. She’s now working towards a Governance and Public Policy degree from Ryerson University in Toronto.
Young-Haddlesey is married to husband Brian and has three children; Kenzie (12), Josh (4) and Marshall (2).
Young-Haddlesey credited her husband for her being able to juggle her current work and academic responsibilities.
“He supports me to go back to school and go to the meetings I have to go to at night,” she said.