Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme on reconciliation, child welfare and COVID-19

When asked how 2021 went for himself and the people of Cowessess First Nation, Chief Cadmus Delorme described it as a rollercoaster of emotions. 

Sitting down with CBC's Sam Maciag, Delorme recapped an eventful year for himself and the people of his nation. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Q: The pandemic's really been the overarching headline of 2021 for everyone. How has your First Nation managed through 2021 when it goes through the pandemic and keeping each other safe and healthy? 

A: We didn't get our first COVID case in the community until 2021. The entire 2020, we were zero active cases. After New Year's, we got our first case, which we then increased to almost 20, so it brought a panic at the beginning. 

We thought we were ready, but mentally, emotionally we weren't. Everybody's going on lockdown, we thought it was the end. And then we got it back down to zero. Since then we have fluctuated and it went back to zero. Like right now, today, [Dec. 12] we have zero cases. Last week we had 12 and so it is tiring. It is becoming a norm. 

But the biggest challenge is, we're gatherers. We're communal people that come together and have food, laughs, meetings, so trying to do everything on Zoom now is becoming a norm. Getting to know our elders' homes when you look at them on screen, telling an elder 'you have to wear your shirt…' 

It's accommodating to technology, while still maintaining our community cohesion.

Q: In July, Cowessess reclaimed its inherent right to look after its own children, it signed an agreement with the federal and provincial government. Take me back to that day, what was that signing like for you? 

A: I woke up nervous, excited nervous … Prime Minister [Justin Trudeau] called me personally and it was on a Saturday. I was camping with my family in Cypress Hills. 

He said 'Chief, I want to come to Cowessess on Tuesday to sign the coronation agreement with you and your nation.' I was like, cool, prime minister, can you come on Thursday? 'Cause we were camping until Wednesday. Being the prime minister, he said, 'My communications [team] will get back to you, I don't know what my schedule looks like.'

Communications got back and said 'Chief, he can only come Tuesday,' and I was like yeah, I know, I just wanted to ask if he could, so then I said yes… It was literally four days before. 

I then called the premier, Premier Scott Moe, and I said premier please can you come to Cowessess on Tuesday.… he's like I told you we stand beside you, so let's do something, so that was it. 

From there, the entire prime minister's team showed up the day after and we were sitting in this exact room, planning. I said as Cowesses, we're planning it.