Good relationships the key to finding your own success

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY – Alice Sabourin, from Pic River First Nation, encourages others to find success through good relationships, noting her office is designed like a granny’s kitchen to enhance conversation.

“The foundation of my success is based on our teachings about having good relationships, building good relationships and not spending a lot of time in conflict,” says the owner of Beedaubin Resources. “My approach and my philosophy is about harnessing positive relationships with people and always leaving a good impression. So when you’re finished one thing, you leave something good behind.”

Sabourin follows her grandfather’s teaching — leave it alone — when dealing with conflict.

“If somebody is fighting you, walk away,” Sabourin says. “If you want to move forward, you can’t spend a lot of time and energy in conflict.”

Sabourin also tries to think outside the box.

“I’ve always been out of the mainstream and kind of an adventurer (with) a spirit to be a risk taker,” Sabourin says. “The other thing that has served me really well is my infectious enthusiasm. People always say ‘I don’t quite know how you are going to do this, but I like your ideas.’”

Sabourin credits her grandmother for her ability to connect with people, noting she was a storyteller who visited throughout the community.

“As a really young girl, I remember her telling stories — she would have everybody in a small room just full of laughter,” Sabourin says. “This idea of telling stories and transferring stories as a form of empowerment, to me is the very foundation of decolonizing our history.”

Sabourin credits her Remember Me missing and murdered Aboriginal women project for her recognition as one of the Top 20 PARO Women of the Last 20 Years at the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise Exceeding the Vision celebration on Nov. 13. She opened Beedaubin Resources in 1999 and now offers counselling services through her business.

“We created photography, paintings, fabric art, art appliqué with family members and community to create the story for murdered and missing women here in northwestern Ontario,” Sabourin says about the project. “We then created public awareness of the safety and went to schools and educated young women and men about the issues.”

Sabourin says it is important to present one’s self “with a great deal of honour and integrity and diplomacy,” noting she follows the examples of her grandmothers, aunts and cousin.

“Be proud of who you are, hold your head up high,” Sabourin says. “Be honoured by your history, your culture.”

Sabourin encouraged people to work together with others.

“We can’t go it alone,” Sabourin says. “We’re just one little circle, but if we link together and stand together and support each other, we can make a chain or a strong unity. I like that sweetgrass braid, when you have three braids braided together, you can’t break that braid.”

Sabourin says it is important to work with mentors.

“When I’m talking to people and sharing with young people, (I tell them) don’t try and do it all by yourself,” Sabourin says. “When I was younger, I had Elders that were my mentors. They spent a lot of time with me imparting me with the knowledge that I needed to do my work.”

Sabourin also encouraged youth to avoid alcohol.

“Alcohol has never served our people,” Sabourin says. “You can have just as much fun in life to go to events that don’t have alcohol.”