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with them,” says Chief Paul. “You get the best Membertou’s graduation rates have increased
minds possible as long as they are part of the vision significantly, from having a graduate, “every
of development. It also starts with being really few years”, when he was young, to today’s 90
organized in order to accomplish what projects we per cent graduation rate—above the national
set out to do.” average. “One of our pillars is education—it’s one
of the requirements that we need in order for our
Chief Paul has been a leader for his organization people to develop. We take education, along with
and community in establishing accreditations within the economic development, very seriously. Our
the business world. In January 2002, Membertou members are graduating in almost every field,
received official notification of its International [which] gives them assets to work anywhere they
Organization of Standards (ISO) status, establishing want.”
Membertou as the very first Indigenous government
in Canada and the world to be ISO 9001 certified. Reflecting on the award, Chief Paul is not slowing
Chief Paul also led the charge to improve the down. His vision is “to have more of our people, and
Nation’s financial management. In 2015, Membertou I don’t mean Membertou, but the Mi’kmaq people in
made history again by becoming the first in Canada general, to gain more: more employment and more
to earn a Financial Management System Certificate of our people getting into business to keep going on
through the FMB. this path.”
MARCH 2020 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA 51
