Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post

An Eskasoni teacher’s assistant wants to bring voices of Indigenous women into spaces where decisions are made. 

She’ll now have an opportunity to do that since her June election to a national leadership position within the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).  

Terri Leigh Gould, who’s spirit name is Standing Buffalo, is now the Atlantic Region’s women’s representative for the National Indigenous Peoples’ Circle with PSAC.  

She is the first Mi’kmaq woman from Unama’ki (Cape Breton) and Mi’kma’ki to be elected for this position, replacing Angela Decker of Newfoundland and Labrador. The National Indigenous Peoples’ Circle (NIPC) was created in 2003 to give Indigenous members the opportunity to come together and discuss issues that affect them in the workplace, in their communities and at national and international levels.  

Gould currently works in education as a teacher’s assistant at Eskasoni Elementary and Middle School.  

“Education is very important to me because our young people are the next generation of leaders, workers, advocates and knowledge keepers,” she says.  

She has a long history of involvement with the union. She is the women’s representative for her local Eskasoni Teacher’s Union DCL 80510, and serves on the local bargaining team. She is involved in the Cape Breton Area Council.  

Presently, the Eskasoni Teacher’s Union is advocating for privacy rights in light of facial scanning systems being used in the workplaces. The union says it has serious concerns about where their biometric data is being stored – considering the program originates from the United States.  

The facial recognition is being used to gauge employee attendance. The Eskasoni Teacher’s Union has asked the school board to pause the scanning until their concerns and questions have been addressed.  

LIVED EXPERIENCE 

Gould says she chose to run for the position with the NIPC because she wanted to ensure real representation.  

“I wanted to bring lived experience, language, Mi’kmaq knowledge, land-based knowledge and the voices of Indigenous women into spaces where decisions are being made,” she said. “Being brutally honest, there is still a disconnect between policy and lived experience, and between good intentions and meaningful action. 

“I believe we change that by becoming more comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. That requires courage, but it also requires us to listen with an open mind and an open heart.”  

Gould’s personal and professional advocacy includes women’s rights, First Nations and treaty rights, land protection, clean drinking water, MMIWG2S+ justice, equal opportunity and fairness for people living with visible and invisible disabilities, workplaces free from discrimination and harassment, support for the Pride community, progress on mental health issues, maintaining privacy rights, and importantly, care for the next generation of workers. 

“The 94 Calls to Action (found in the Truth and Reconciliation Report) are also important to the work I want to continue,” she says. “I remain committed to education, truth, reconciliation, inclusion, diversity and accountability within our union and our workplaces.”  

The Eskasoni union member especially wants to see greater participation and engagement from women throughout the Atlantic region.  

“I want women to know that there is a place for us in the labour movement and that we should be able to show up as our authentic selves without fear of discrimination or harassment,” Gould says. “Representation matters, but representation also needs to lead to meaningful action.”  

She hopes to see more programs and services for Indigenous members and more training in leadership roles and support for PSAC members. She thinks that too often, Indigenous women are asked to lead without access to mentorship, without training, and without real pathways forward.  

“That is not equity. That is a systemic gap. It takes PSAC’s commitments and turns them into action by establishing a leadership training program that is intentional, resourced, and accountable. It invests in Indigenous leadership. It builds real pathways. And it strengthens the union by ensuring leadership reflects the people it represents. 

“And I’m going to say this clearly – representation without support is tokenism. If we are serious about reconciliation, then we must move beyond words and into action,” Gould says. “That means investing in Indigenous members, not just inviting us into the room but preparing and supporting us to lead in it.”  

She wants Indigenous members to see themselves reflected in their union.  

“I want our members to know that their language, culture, traditional knowledge and lived experiences have value. And I want to continue building stronger relationships between Indigenous communities, workplaces and the labour movement.”  

Eskasoni teacher’s assistant and PSAC member Terri Leigh Gould stands at a microphone ready to speak. She was recently elected to the position of Atlantic Region women’s representative for the National Indigenous Peoples’ Circle with PSAC. CONTRIBUTED

GRATEFUL FOR SUPPORT 

With humility, Gould credits others with helping her get to the position.  

She says she is grateful for the support PSAC members have shown her and their trust in her capabilities. She also has gratitude for Mi’kmaq mentors such as Carol Ann Johnson who showed her what professionalism looks like and her mother Lorna Paul who helped strengthen the values she holds today.  

“For me, leadership isn’t about believing you already have all the answers. It’s about having the courage to listen, the willingness to learn and the responsibility to act. I want to lead with truth, wisdom and respect, while never forgetting who I am, where I come from, or the people I am here to represent.”  

Gould says that as a traditionalist and fluent Mi’kmaq speaker, language is especially important to her. She knows that English is not everyone’s first language, and sometimes the language used in policies, collective agreements and union structures can create barriers.  

“I want to help bridge that gap so members can understand, participate and feel that they truly belong,” she says.  

“I’m a member of the Pride community and I also live with hidden disabilities, so I understand what it means to navigate systems that were not built with everyone in mind. That is why inclusion and representation are not just important they are personal.”  

It is vital to Gould to meld together three essential parts of her life: her traditional Mi’kmaq world, her union and her workplace.  

A few years ago, she approached the local union president with a vision to improve the relationship among Indigenous members and PSAC and other locals in the region.  

That vision became an annual Sunrise Ceremony at the Lighthouse in Louisbourg to honour National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. The very moving event creates an opportunity for people to come together, listen and build relationships.  

A ceremony on the rocks at the lighthouse as the sun comes up is followed by a shared meal together at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Everyone is invited to attend.  

“Parks Canada and other locals helped build this beautiful partnership and brought this amazing experience together,” Gould says. “I am so honoured to share ceremony with those willing to join us and learn from our teachings from our beautiful elders. I have always believed there is something powerful about sitting together and sharing food. That is where conversations happen, relationships grow and people begin to understand one another differently.”  

Louisbourg has significance for all because of its history as a place where Mi’kmaq people and settlers interacted and worked alongside one another.  

“Bringing ceremony there and sharing it with PSAC members creates an opportunity to reflect on our history while thinking about the relationships we want to build today.  

This year marked the third annual Sunrise Ceremony at the lighthouse and had the largest attendance yet.  

ADVOCACY IMPORTANT 

Gould says advocacy has become an important part of both her professional and personal life.  

Outside of her work in education and the labour movement, she is also a fashion designer. She is one of the designers to showcase their work with the Circle of Hope Society’s Wearing Our Identity: Celebration of Our Indigenous Women & Resilience fashion show held in May.  

Gould teaches sewing classes for Allison Bernard Memorial High School graduating students, helping them create ribbon skirts, shirts or vests they can proudly wear at graduation.  

“For me, sewing is about more than clothing — it’s about sharing knowledge, strengthening cultural pride and bringing people together,” she says.  

Community service is important to Gould. She volunteers with the annual Eskasoni Toy Drive to help bring Christmas cheer to children and families. And during weather events, power outages and other difficult times, she volunteers at community comfort centres, and she helps raise money for local women’s transition homes.  

Gould’s involvement with PSAC has continued to grow over the last four years.  

“I carry a deep respect for those who walked this path before me. I honour the work they have done and the strength they have shown in bringing us to where we are today.”  

Rosemary Godin is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for the Cape Breton Post, a position funded by the federal government.   

Learn more about our News Monitoring here.

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