of travelling. Number one is you use your
paddle with the people paddling, number
two is you use the sail that would use the
wind to help propel you to where you have
to go, and you also use the tide,” Chief
Planes explained. “In the past, we did not
have gasoline, combustion engines. The
environment was our energy — that ener-
gy coming from the wind, coming from the
tide. If you think about it now, look at what
we’re doing with alternative energy. We’ve
been doing this since time in memorial in
regards to sustainability. We didn’t have
to go far for food; the modes of transpor-
tation were the environment. If you take
care of the environment, the environment
takes care of you.”
For Chief Planes and the rest of the T’Sou-
ke Nation, the move towards sustainability
and alternative energy is a journey that has
just begun. Rooted in the traditions of their
ancestors, the T’Sou-ke Nation people are
working to come full circle with outcomes
that could benefit all of Canada.
“There’s got to be a balance and you’ve
got to learn the balance. All the teachings
are sitting right there and we’ve just got
to make sure that we always use them.
They’re right in front of us.”
FEBRUARY 2017
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business elite canada
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