Former chief looking to expand his log construction company

By Sam Laskaris

BEAUSOLEIL FIRST NATION – Guy Monague has no plans to retire. Ever.

Monague, a former Chief of Beausoleil First Nation, now operates Little Ojibway Log Construction.

Having completed a handful of custom log building structures in his community, Monague is now keen to start taking on clients in various other First Nations.

And the 64-year-old has no desire to stop working.

“I’ll just work ‘til I die,” he said.

Monague had served as the Chief of his First Nation from 2018 through 2021. He had also served as a Beausoleil councillor for a couple of terms in the ‘90s.

He also worked extensively promoting trades and helping communities put together employment and training programs, but he yearned to return to one of his previous jobs.

“I was doing construction for probably almost all my life to some degree,” he said. “I had done log home building back in my younger days. And I always wanted to get back into it. I always thought about it. I always thought about log and timber structures and designing them. It was always on my mind.”

While he was serving as the Beausoleil Chief, Monague said he rented a sawmill.

“I cut all these timbers and during COVID[-19] I actually made myself a timber frame porch,” he said.

Monague registered Little Ojibway Log Construction in 2023.

“But our actual first year of activity would have been in 2024,” he said.

Monague started off by building a youth pavilion in his First Nation.

“Youth can gather during the summer months or actually any time of the year,” he said. “They can gather there and do a fire or they can do crafts or whatever youth projects. And it could be a ceremonial thing.”

Monague was then asked to complete a permanent pow wow arbour in his community.

“I think one of my better structures is that octagonal-shaped arbour,” he said, of the project completed this past September.

Monague has also worked on a model mini-log home for his sister, which see will use for her foot massage business. He said new potential clients are able to visit this model home in the hopes of having one built for them.

“Quite often with log structures, that’s really like the selling point,” Monague said. “You really have to see and feel it.”

Monague added he loves having his own business now.

“Every day is a challenge and every day you wake up and decide what you’re going to do today,” he said. “It’s kind of neat to have that freedom. I don’t make a lot of money. There are times when I do make good money, but there’s times in between where it’s a struggle. But that is part of doing business.”

Monague is looking to start expanding his company. He has talked to representatives from a couple of other First Nations about some potential projects. He also said he purposely started his business with some initiatives in his own community.

“This is where we’re starting out because I figured that we had to have a product,” he said. “We had to have somebody behind us to provide a testimonial, to provide some proof that we’ve done this work. And I’ve got four or five projects within the community that I have photos and like real solid proof that we’re actually doing this.”

And now he’s looking for clients outside of his own First Nation.

“Now that we’ve proven ourselves, we’re starting to market,” he said. “I didn’t really market the company until just recently.”

Monague is promoting his business through a Facebook page and an Instagram account.

“I’ve studied online marketing for the longest time because I’ve done communications for the community as well,” he said. “So, I was always working in digital formats, creating newsletters and photos and videos and websites. I’m going to use the skills that I’ve acquired to help me with the online marketing.”