Chief Candice Paul, St. Mary’s First Nation
Source: http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1433266681764/1433266771247
Transcript
St. Mary's First Nation is located on the North side of Fredericton in New Brunswick…
…we are an urban community…
We have approximately 1,850 members and …half residing on reserve…
St. Mary's Retail was established in the late nineties and one of the reasons was we realized that a lot of our money was going outside the community and we wanted to keep it within.
Lisa Wilson, Director of Human Resources- St. Mary's FN/Retail Sales
We were looking to employ our band members and to try to create some economy here within our own community.
St. Mary's Retail is businesses that are owned and operated by St. Mary's First Nation- who locally employ a lot of community members as well as local North Side residents….
At last count I had 305 people on my employee list…
The Kchikhusis Commercial Centre is owned and operated by St. Mary's First Nation band.
The Kchikhusis Commercial Centre is what houses our businesses as well as we have commercial offices that we rent out to local businesses.
Chief Candice Paul:
Here at Kchikhusis Commercial Centre our priority for employment is our own members and that's important to us that we have as many members who want to work have a place that they can come to work…
…and we have seen lives transformed you know…from being on the unemployment now to having full time employment …
Patrick A. Brooks- Assistant Store Manager- St. Mary's Supermarket
I think it's great that a place like St. Mary's has the opportunities to provide employment to members of this community…
We have about 65 employees working for St. Mary's Supermarket…
…We've been able to develop excellent
Chief Candice Paul:
Here at Kchikhusis Commercial Centre our priority for employment is our own members and that's important to us that we have as many members who want to work have a place that they can come to work…
…and we have seen lives transformed you know…from being on the unemployment now to having full time employment …
Patrick A. Brooks:
I think it's great that a place like St. Mary's has the opportunities to provide employment to members of this community…
We have about 65 employees working for St. Mary's Supermarket…
…We've been able to develop excellent relationships with the people of Fredericton…especially North Side …
I think that roughly about 85% of our business comes from the non-native population that's around St. Mary's …
Cashier:
Thank you for Shopping St. Mary's Supermarket…have a great day!
Duska Nash- Assistant Gas Bar Manager- St. Mary's FN Retail Sales
I'm the assistant manager at St. Mary's Gas Bar.
I do day-to-day operations…running the gas bar…pumping gas some days…doing cash some days…
It can be very busy here at the gas bar.
Laurie Bottschen – Assistant Store Manager- St. Mary's Smoke Shop
It's actually very exciting and proud for me to say that…that I work for St. Mary's Retail Sales …
I enjoy working with the company and I see my future here most definitely.
Maggie Paul, Elder- St. Mary's First Nation
When the complex opened up I was really really happy for the people…I was happy for my people!
It's really something to see our people work…
There's quite a few people down here that been here ever since it opened and they love it!
Lisa Wilson:
We recently opened another division of St. Mary's First Nation Retail which is the Wolastoq Wharf
Restaurant- which is s a fine dining experience….
The Wolastoq Wharf is listed as one of the best places to eat in Canada…we're in the top five of Trip Advisor.
The Wharf Restaurant currently employs between 12 and 15 people in that division.
Chief Candice Paul:
I believe the success here at St. Mary's has been number one, providing employment for our people…
…number two is keeping the money within your community…
…and number three would be that we've developed great relationships with the surrounding area…with city residents…
… We're open for business and we're very proud of that.
St. Mary's First Nation Retail Sales visit: www.stmarysretail.com
For more information concerning Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada visit: www.aandc.gc.ca