Chief Albert "Billy" Diamond
Grand chief an inspiration to the young
If there's
a business in the Cree area of northern Quebec, it likely owes
something to the work of Chief Albert "Billy" Diamond,
who has been called the "Lee Iacocca of the North."
Diamond, who is an endlessly energetic businessman, an indomitable
advocate for Quebec's Aboriginal people and a deeply spiritual
man, has been one of the region's leaders since becoming chief
of the Waskaganish First Nation in the 1970s.
"When you take an assignment, whatever it is, you do the task," Diamond said after the award ceremony. "You may come on barriers, make enemies, but if you follow through, see the job to its conclusion no matter how long it takes you, you'll get a feeling of satisfaction at the end."
Diamond has seen many tasks through, including the establishment of Air Creebec, Cree Construction Limited and Cree Yamaha Motors. He's also become an adept political leader and negotiator, bringing agreement or at least co-operation to difficult situation after difficult situation. He's done so while developing a reputation as a truly honest and decent man.
"My father always told me 'Never take anything from the tribe,'" Diamond said. "He told me 'Do everything above board with your hands clean.' That's the way to do things."
But being above board doesn't mean being unwilling to get into the political and business trenches and do some hard work. Diamond has done his share of that.
"I managed to get a table of negotiations with the Quebec government," Diamond said with pride, describing how he brokered the end of years of conflict over community development. "Someone had to be the peacemaker in the face of such animosity to mediate the process. We've done a lot in the year we've been at the table, and the [Parti Quebecois] and the Crees weren't seeing eye to eye on anything. If you can get the Government of Quebec to a bargaining table, it's an accomplishment in itself."
In the past, Diamond has done more than bring the parties to the table. In fact, when he was serving as chairman of the committee to look into the impacts of the Great Whale hydroelectric project, his term as a Cree representative to the committee expired. It is a testimonial to his integrity and respectability that the Quebec government appointed Diamond as their representative so that he could continue to chair the committee.
Diamond was propelled to prominence by the controversial hydroelectric developments in northern Quebec. He was elected chief of Waskaganish just in time to confront the government of Quebec over the James Bay project. He organized national and international media attention to spotlight the plight of the Cree and Inuit of the region; went to the United Nations to argue the case; helped found the Grand Council of the Crees of Quebec to assist in the battle, becoming its first grand chief; and was the prime Cree mover and signatory of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. As a result, the Cree people were awarded $136 million in cash and investment infrastructure that has totalled more than $1.4 billion to date.
He negotiated with Ottawa on behalf of the Assembly of First Nations in the 1980s during the constitutional talks, and he is one of those credited for Section 35, which recognizes Aboriginal rights in the Canadian Constitution. He continues to be active.
"We're diversifying a little bit now," he said, "going international. We're doing a lot of off-reserve and off-shore investment, including working with the Oneida of Wisconsin, for example. This is a different kind of investment because on-reserve investments tend to bring social benefits; off-reserve investment returns money which can then be reinvested."
Diamond, himself, hasn't slowed down at all.
"I'm doing a lot of the negotiation on these things, and I'm traveling and doing some other little projects here and there," he said. "And I still volunteer with the kids in the community and with initiatives to work for community wellness. Community wellness has been a very important part of my life for the last four years, taking a holistic approach combining the mind, the body and the spirit. The community cannot get well if the individuals in it do not get well."
Diamond is a believer in the strength of the individual to improve and better the community, and the inherent worth of each person.
"I look at the potential of the individual," he said, "rather than concentrating on the problem of the disease. When people recover from whatever problem they had - be it alcohol, drugs, violence, whatever - it's amazing what they can do, what vision they can achieve."
For inspiration, young people need look no further than Chief Billy Diamond, who has accomplished so much in such a short period of time. Diamond received the 1997 National Aboriginal Achievement Award for business and commerce. He was selected ahead of 13 other nominees for the award.