Hon. Marty Klyne: Honourable senators, I rise to honour Ray Ahenakew, who passed in September. I knew Ray for many years and had great respect for him. He had a positive energy about him, he was very competent and he was always approachable and accessible. His passing will leave a mark on all who knew him. He was a son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and mentor. In many ways, he was my mentor.
Ray was a proud member of the Ahtahkakoop First Nation. He was a leader and trailblazer who strengthened First Nations’ participation in Saskatchewan’s provincial economy.
As CEO of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, he established a long-term economic development plan spanning forestry, transportation, petroleum, mining and environmental management. The purchase of NorSask Forest Products, for instance, benefited the local economy and guaranteed council member jobs in logging, trucking, millwork and tree planting.
A strong believer in education as a powerful tool for Indigenous advancement, Ray served as president of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies from 1982 to 1984 and as acting president from 2005 to 2007. He also chaired the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority and the National Labour Training Market Board of Human Resources Development Canada.
Beyond economic development, Ray was a talented hockey player and a good golfer. He was part of a generation of First Nations hockey players in Saskatchewan who came after Freddy Sasakamoose but before Eugene Arcand. He played for the Yorkton Terriers and in various senior intermediate leagues.
Eugene Arcand, sharing his residential school experience, recalled Ray’s supportive nature:
Ray knew what I was experiencing. I’d tell him, “I can’t do it anymore . . . .” He told me, “You can’t quit, buddy. You’ve made it to this level, and you have to keep going because if you quit, they’re going to pass judgment on the rest of us.”
In closing, I will quote his family in remembering this great individual:
We are deeply grateful and honored that the Creator made him ours. He had a strong work ethic and was a true advocate for First Nations People and his community. His legacy of love, strength, and dedication will live on in all of us.
Thank you, hiy kitatamihin.