Rosemary Trehearne always tries to be positive. “To me it’s much easier than being negative. Being negative takes a lot of energy and creates more stress,” says Rosemary. “It’s also very important to give back of yourself in life. You shouldn’t do it to receive compliments or credit, it should be private and done with a good heart.”
Rosemary feels strongly about urging people to reach out when they need help and believes the Agency is very good at helping people. “Please don’t suffer by yourself, there are people who want to help,” says Rosemary. “In my healing path I reached out to many different people to help me with my trauma.” She also believes in the importance of culture. “Culture isn’t just about drums and beads and pow wows, it’s about how we live, it’s about values that we hold in high regard, such as respect, honesty, our spirituality and so much more,” says Rosemary.
“We have lots of ‘Elders,’ but a respected Elder means the experiences you go through is what you’ll share. You don’t have to be perfect, none of us are. It’s the willingness to share what you’ve gone through. If we learn from our mistakes, we’re able to do things in a better way. It’s not to have led a perfect life, it’s through our mistakes and learning, that we become an Elder,” says Rosemary.
Rosemary has a strong interest in the justice system and how it treats Indigenous people. She was the first Indigenous court worker in BC and spent over twenty years in different positions in Aboriginal Justice. She is still very passionate about the issue and is currently involved with a project the agency is working on to improve family justice for Indigenous people. “I raise my hands high to the staff and caregivers for their dedication. Your hearts are in a good place and we’re very grateful to all of you.”