Leaders in our Community

CHIEF THERESA MEUSE

 

Theresa was raised in the community of Bear River First Nation, Nova Scotia. She left the community in 1986 as a single mom and moved to Halifax to attend Dalhousie University as a mature student. She graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and began working for a MI-KMAQ Organization for nearly eight years in areas such as community health and employment equity. She was self-employed for several years as a First Nation Cultural Educator and then worked two years for Congress of First Nation Chiefs in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Theresa went back to providing cultural education and has been serving as Band chief at the Bear River First Nation since 2007. she resides in the community during the week and returns home to Elmsdale, Nova Scotia on weekends. Theresa is married to Kevin, has two daughters, Kerry, Tammy and son Matthew. she also has four beautiful grandchildren. Theresa is also an author of a children’s story book entitled, “The sharing circle” and in her spare time enjoys creating Native crafts.

1. Do your ec dev plans for your First Nation include activities outside your community? off-reserve businesses?

We do not have activities or off-reserve business outside the community as our present focus remains within the community. Band members however, do sell their native crafts to local non-native businesses. Our main economic development projects within the community are a Heritage and cultural center and Gas station which extends outside our communities that gives us a small market. We offer educational Nature Trail walks and continue to enhance relationship building with outside agencies such as the local police, fire departments, etc.

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