Can you tell me a bit about who you are and where you’re from?

My name is Ned, and I was born and raised in W̱SÁNEĆ and lək ̓ ʷəŋən territory and I’ve spent my entire life here. I love it here. I graduated from Reynolds Secondary School in 2017 and have continued to live on these lands since then. I’m an outgoing person and I really love spending time with people. I see myself as a people person, but I also can appreciate and value time alone as well. 

Whatever I do, I like to do it with passion and with a lot of energy. I really like to put my all into things. So whether it’s hobbies, other interests, work, or whatever it is — I really believe in putting your all into something. All your energy, and your 100% effort.

What kind of work will you be doing with the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council?

I am the Local Government Program Manager with the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council. I’ll be spending a good chunk of time learning over the next few weeks and months about W̱SÁNEĆ, the history of the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, the W̱SÁNEĆ people’s culture, W̱SÁNEĆ laws and ways of being, and much, much more. 

I’ll also be getting caught up to speed on the work that has been undertaken to date at local government tables, which is primarily what I will be working on. So whether it’s with the CRD, the District of Saanich, other municipalities, or the Islands Trust, my work will revolve around that. 

I’ll be working closely with Joni, who’s the Policy and Negotiations manager for WLC, and I believe that I’ll also be working a lot with the W̱SÁNEĆ Technical Advisory Committee, and with other staff on the team, including the Director of Operations (Gordon), Policy and Negotiations Analyst (Eryn), Referrals Manager (Laurie), and others. My role will really revolve around the work happening at local government tables.

Can you share some of the background and experience you bring to this position?

I come to this position with four years of experience in elected office at the local government level. I was elected to Saanich Council and to the CRD board in 2018 and served there from 2018 to 2022. During that time, I also served on a variety of boards, such as the Royal & McPherson Theatres  Society Board, as well as the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness Board, and I had the chance to serve in some leadership positions during that tenure as well, such as Chair of CRD Solid Waste Advisory Committee and Vice-Chair of CRD Environmental Services Committee, and then Chair of Saanich Parks, Trails and Recreation Advisory Committee.

Most recently, I was working in MP Elizabeth May’s constituency office, so I’ve got some experience in the world of constituency offices, which do a lot of work to help people navigate federal government programs and services, ranging from immigration applications to passport renewal, and so on. I didn’t work as much in that kind of casework specifically, but I served as the Constituency Coordinator and helped to coordinate and manage the constituency office while also serving as MP May’s assistant when she was in the riding — when she was not in Parliament Hill, in Ottawa.

What drew you to want to work with the WLC?

This was a really exciting opportunity because I had the chance to work with the WLC in a council-to-council setting during my time on Saanich Council. So now, to work for the WLC is really exciting. I know that I’m going to learn so much in this position about the work the WLC is doing and about the history and culture of W̱SÁNEĆ, whose territory I’ve spent my entire life in. So, to learn from those whose ancestors have stewarded these lands since time immemorial and to have the chance to work for W̱SÁNEĆ is something that’s really exciting.

What kind of impact do you hope to have during your time with the WLC?

I really hope to contribute positively to the work that is being undertaken at local government tables. There’s so much work that has been undertaken to date, and I think that engagement and work at local government tables is going to grow and expand moving forward. And I hope that I can contribute to that in a positive way, and really help to deliver meaningful progress on the priorities of the WLC and help to further that work and that collaboration at the local government level. 

I think that local government is and will continue to be a big file. There are multiple municipalities, a regional district, the Islands Trust, and electoral areas. So there are a lot of local government layers that lie within the territory of W̱SÁNEĆ, and that can present challenges, but there’s also a lot of opportunity at local government tables to do important work. I just hope to contribute to that work in a meaningful and tangible way and help to make progress on the WLC’s priorities at those tables.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

I have a few different hobbies and interests that I like to invest my time in. I received my Private Pilot License in June and plan to pursue obtaining a Commercial License in the near future. 

I like to study and play chess occasionally, and sometimes, I like to go to local tournaments. That really helps me to put my brain elsewhere. Life can be stressful and overwhelming at times, so it’s nice to really immerse myself in something that’s kind of separate from the rest of the world, which I do enjoy doing when I’m playing chess or tennis, for example. I  love being active, hiking and exercising. I like catching up with friends and laughing, and I like spending quality time with my girlfriend as well. And I like movies. 

Is there anything else you’d like community members to know?

I’m really excited to be in this position. I’ve got a lot to learn, and there’s a lot of work to be done, but I’m ecstatic to be here. It’s only my first few weeks, but I’ve been really keen to get started since learning that I had been hired for this position. And now that I’m getting started and I’ve met some of the team, I’m just even more inspired. There are so many great staff members on this team that I can’t wait to work with. I’m in awe of the work that the WLC has done in the past, and now to have the opportunity to participate in that work is invigorating. I’m looking forward to the next number of months in this role, and hope I do a good job.