Following My Path: How the Indigenous Employee Training Fund Opened Doors

By: Candace Deschamps

I navigate each day between two worlds: the world of my professional role as a Parks Canada employee and the world of my identity as an Indigenous woman connected to my ancestral territory, where every experience is an opportunity to learn, build relationships, and continue my journey of reconnection. This balance shapes how I approach my work, how I continue to grow, and why this path matters so deeply to me. My story is rooted in land, community, and responsibility, but it is also about growth, healing, and finding my voice through opportunity.

First and foremost, I am a mother. My seven-year-old daughter is my greatest motivation and responsibility. I want to raise her with love, teach her respect for the environment, and help her understand who she is as an Indigenous person. I am a member of Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg (Pic Mobert First Nation), born and raised in Marathon, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Superior. Like many Indigenous families, mine carries the lasting impacts of residential schools. My grandparents were disconnected from their language and ceremonies, and that loss shaped my childhood.

Today, I work as a Resource Conservation Officer at Pukaskwa National Park, located just outside my hometown on the ancestral territory of Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, and the wider Robinson Superior Treaty area. My work keeps me closely connected to the land and water. I monitor water quality, survey streams, conduct peregrine falcon surveys, track invasive species, and work closely with Species at Risk, particularly Lake Sturgeon through telemetry.

Working on this land carries a complicated history. I am employed by Parks Canada, yet I am also Indigenous and connected to this territory through generations. That history includes loss and harm, but it also includes resilience and rebuilding. At times, that balance feels heavy. More often, however, I see my role as a bridge. I bring Indigenous values—respect, reciprocity, and inclusiveness—into my work, and I strive to reflect those values in how I care for the land and wildlife. This work is not just a job; it reflects responsibilities that Indigenous Peoples have carried since time immemorial.

One of the most meaningful parts of my experience at Pukaskwa has been learning alongside Guardian programs when opportunities arise. I am not a Guardian, nor am I formally involved in delivering the program. However, when work overlaps with Guardian activities, or when there is time between tasks, park leadership encourages staff at Pukaskwa, including myself, to be present, listen, and learn, as part of fostering understanding, learning, and respectful relationships. These moments have allowed me to take part in cultural camps, hide scraping, youth teachings, and community gatherings. The Guardian program plays an essential role as a bridge between Parks Canada and surrounding First Nations, and witnessing that work firsthand has deepened my understanding of collaboration, trust, and relationship-building.

In 2024, I took another step on my learning journey through Parks Canada’s Indigenous Employee Training Fund (IETF). I first learned about the fund through a notice in the lunchroom, and both my supervisor and manager encouraged me to apply. The IETF supports Indigenous employees with up to $5,000 for personal, professional, or cultural development. I knew right away that I wanted to use this opportunity to reconnect more deeply with my culture.

Through the fund, I attended Harvesting Spirit: An Exploration of Indigenous Food Sovereignty, a seven-day program in the Rockies delivered by Howl. The experience was transformative. Elders taught us how to build a smokehouse, prepare traditional foods, make plant medicines, and work collectively in community. We also supported a local food bank and community garden. For the first time in many years, I felt fully immersed, learning with my hands, my heart, and my spirit.

Being in Banff also broadened my perspective.

During the program, I shared my own experiences working at Pukaskwa, including examples of collaboration, shared learning, and mutual support between the park and neighbouring First Nations. That perspective sparked meaningful conversations about how relationships can look different across parks and regions. Each national park has its own history and relationship with the Indigenous Peoples whose lands it occupies. Hearing the experiences of communities in Alberta—some inspiring, others deeply painful—reinforced how much work remains to address past harms and to move forward together in a good way.

That experience led to an unexpected opportunity. I was invited by Howl to return to Banff for the Banff 140 Conference as a panelist and guest speaker. I felt honoured, nervous, and excited all at once. I spoke about my work at Pukaskwa, what I have learned through observing and engaging with Guardian programs, and the strong relationships that have been built with Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, as well as with other agencies, through shared goals such as Lake Sturgeon recovery. I also highlighted the importance of leadership that supports reconciliation through action.

What stayed with me most were the voices of Elders and youth—stories not found in textbooks, and young people eager to bring their learning back to their schools and communities. That intergenerational exchange was powerful and reaffirmed why this work matters.

I returned home feeling empowered and more confident in myself. Speaking up, sharing lived experience, and contributing to broader conversations about collaboration helped me see leadership not as a title, but as a practice I am continuing to grow into. Because of that growth, I plan to apply to the Indigenous Employee Training Fund again, this time to participate in an Indigenous Women’s Leadership Program in Montreal in 2026. I want to continue strengthening my voice, not only for myself, but for my daughter and my community.

To other Indigenous staff at Parks Canada: I encourage you to apply to the Indigenous Employee Training Fund. Follow your passion—whether it is culture, leadership, language, or learning something new. The support is there, and the opportunities can be life changing.