English River First Nation Chief Jerry Bernard, left, holds a gift his band received from Meadow Lake Tribal Council, during his swearing-in ceremony at English River on Nov. 6. He is shown with his wife, Waterhen Lake First Nation Chief Carol Bernard. (Submitted photo/ MLTC Communications Office)

By Angela Brown

Raising the bar

Two chiefs in one family: reaching for the top together

Nov 8, 2019 | 3:42 PM

Some people say too many cooks spoil the broth.

But that certainly isn’t the case for this family with two chiefs at the helm in the household, and each confidently leading the way for two separate First Nation bands in Northern Saskatchewan.

Carol Bernard is the chief of Waterhen Lake First Nation, while her husband Jerry Bernard is the newly elected chief of English River First Nation. They make a good team, offering one another support and encouragement in their work.

Jerry Bernard was first elected as chief for English River only last month. He wanted to run for the position for a long time but finally decided to just do it.

“I was always saying, ‘I’m going to run for chief,’ so I thought, it’s now or never,” Jerry explained. He recently turned 60 years old. “I thought I might as well give it a go.”

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He had a longtime goal to go back to work for his band and try to help the community.

“I always wanted to be chief,” he said.

Home in Meadow Lake

Jerry lives with his wife Carol Bernard in Meadow Lake. Candidates running for election are not required to reside on their home First Nation but do need to be band members, so they were both qualified to run for their own respective bands. The couple have four adult children who live on their own now, too, so they have plenty of time to devote to their responsibilities governing their bands.

Jerry laughs when he says he always thought he would be the chief first in the family. But it was Carol who lays claim to that title.

“I used to say, ‘I’m going to run for chief,’ before she ever ran for chief,” he said. “Now, I figured it was time to pursue it.”

Currently, Jerry is in the process of learning his new duties, meeting band members and familiarizing himself with all the band’s business.

“My biggest goal is to try and work with the community, and maybe unite them all,” Jerry said. “I want to treat everybody equal.”

Having two chiefs in the family is not just an achievement for the Bernards, it’s a priviledge.

“We’re humble about it,” Jerry said of the honour.

Carol Bernard was elected chief in December 2018 at Waterhen Lake First Nation. She was first elected in 2010. While she was defeated in 2016, she made another bid last year and regained the position.

She said one of the challenges with having two chiefs in one family is that she and her husband are always on the go and away from home.

“Right now we’ve been seeing each other only briefly,” she said. “I’m sure it will only get busier, but we’ll just have to adapt to it.”

Carol originally belonged to Waterhen Lake First Nation but was required by law to transfer to become an English River member when she married, because her husband was a member of that band. After Bill C-31 came into effect abolishing that discriminatory practise, she said she was able to transfer back to Waterhen Lake, while her husband remained with his band English River.

“I always was closer to Waterhen; that’s where I grew up,” Carol said. ”Something always drew me back home, and I wanted to work there. I am very proud to be from Waterhen Lake First Nation.”

First woman as chief

When Carol was first elected chief of Waterhen Lake in 2010, it was an eventful time for her family. And, history in the making.

“I was the first woman elected as a chief in Waterhen Lake, ever,” she said.

She credits her parents for encouraging her when she first ran for chief. They said there were not many candidates in the 2010 election, so Carol replied: “I should go run for chief.” Her mother and aunt quickly nominated her to get the process started.

“Then, it went like wildfire,” Carol recalled. “Everyone was telling me they want to vote for me. Then, I got elected …it all worked out for the best. Every day is a learning opportunity. I don’t know everything, but I learn as I go along, and I enjoy it.”

Her desire to get things done, and get other people involved in projects has helped Carol have success in her role, she said.

Two chiefs, one family

When reflecting on what it means to have two chiefs in one family, Carol looks at it as a special honour more than anything else – “working with our communities trying to [fulfill] our roles to the best of our ability, and to work with all our membership.”

When asked who is the best chief, Carol chuckled, only saying: “I don’t look at it as a competition; maybe we’ll encourage each other.”

Chief Carol Bernard said with her husband Jerry Bernard now in his new role she simply wants to wish him all the best as the new chief of English River, and especially wants to thank the English River community “for giving him that support.”

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow