Change for the better is coming to a handful of B.C.’s aboriginal communities thanks to a determined and practical approach by leaders who choose to be included in economic development in efforts to reduce despair, substance abuse and family violence.

We can see this happening in the northwest, the Okanagan, on Vancouver Island, and in the Lower Mainland.

It is not as widespread as it should be and as it can be. Too many of B.C.’s First Nations people live in poverty and social conditions beyond the imagining of most Canadians.

Aboriginals have won every major court decision in the last 25 years. Do we want all this legal progress on rights and title to be wasted?, or for all the negotiating we have done with Ottawa and Victoria to hit a dead end?

Are we happy with Ottawa continuing to run our lives through funding agreements, or maybe just wanting to send more money our way?

It is a contradiction to make speeches for independence but at the same time keep asking for more Ottawa money. Under the Indian Act, whoever signs your cheques controls your future.

Or do we want independence, and the strong and independent aboriginal people who can come along with it? Let’s make the treatment centres on reserve redundant by providing people with meaningful work and hope for the future so they choose to get off drugs and alcohol.

We and other First Nations leaders we speak with constantly hear from our members that they want an economic future for themselves and their children. We also see repeatedly the horrible economic and social conditions in which aboriginal people live.

As elected Aboriginal leaders, the feeling of hopelessness hangs around us as it is not easy to create change when it seems that the odds are stacked against you.

Too often the type of change needed to create these opportunities and improve social conditions (yes, including saving lives) is blocked by those who have no responsibility to the community or to the well-being of its people. Loud minorities can shout down and intimidate the average band member who maybe wants a job at that construction camp or on that natural gas pipeline or installing that electrical panel.

Our members ask why we can’t have a bigger housing subsidy as the richer bands do, or maybe a better dental and health plan or more scholarships for our kids.

The richer bands that provide benefits such as these decided to look into creating their wealth and decided to stop relying on government to fix all their problems, which is never going to happen.

These richer bands also decided that what was best for the majority of their membership would drive their decision-making.

It is clear to us from our 10-plus years working with our communities that economic development is the fastest and surest route to improving the lives of our people.

We do not support just any economic project that comes along, but those that can be achieved in ways that protect and respect our Aboriginal rights and title, our local environment, and our culture.

The heartache that elected leaders must face when administering poverty when hope for the future is within our reach is becoming unacceptable.

Sitting back to watch our people continue to kill themselves with drugs and alcohol because they see no future for themselves is not an option.

The people and their elected leaders who want and deserve change must find the courage to speak if we want to our descendants to have better lives than our generation and our ancestors.

Change for the better is possible for First Nations people. It comes about through hard work and responsibility and stepping up to the challenges — and opportunities — at our doors.

Ellis Ross is Chief Councillor of the Haisla Nation. Karen Ogen is Chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation. Ray Morris is Chief of the Nee Tahi Buhn Band. Fred Sam is Chief of the Nak’azdli First Nation. Joe Bevan is Chief Councillor of the Kitselas First Nation. Archie Pat-rick is Chief of the Stellat’en First Nations. Dan George is Chief of the Burns Lake Indian Band.