Brock’s 2024 Indigenous Leader finds magic in doing what’s difficult

There are seminal moments in life that determine the impact someone will have on the world.

When proud Haudenosaunee man Jonathan (Jon) Davey (BA '05) was presented with those monumental calls to action throughout his career, he knew his overarching goal was to honour his ancestors and "make things better for future generations."

Davey often reflected on the refrain of his father when faced with decisions about how to best serve his community and become a person of substance.

"What's the more difficult thing to do?" his father would ask.

As Davey told the attendees of the fourth annual Indigenous Leader Speaker Series on June 20, "That's where the magic is - where you don't want to go and what you don't want to do."

The community webinar took place in the lead up to National Indigenous People's Day, which recognizes the heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people across Canada.

Hosted by Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement Robyn Bourgeois, the speaker series is a partnership between the Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement and the Goodman School of Business.

"I didn't want us just to focus on the hard things Indigenous people go through -which we have to - I also wanted to celebrate indigenous excellence," Bourgeois said. "Jon embodies the spirit of Indigenous excellence."

Davey is a proud member of the Lower Cayuga of Six Nations of the Grand River. A lawyer by trade, the Brock graduate and Board of Trustees member is currently the Chief of Staff to the President and CEO of Scotiabank. He also spent a decade working with the Federal Crown counsel in the Aboriginal Law Division of the Department of Justice Canada.

As a young person beginning his academic journey, however, Davey admits he was nervous to leave the comforts of his home in Hamilton, Ont., where he felt acceptance of his culture and heritage as the son of a Haudenosaunee father and non-Indigenous mother.

When he arrived on campus, however, he said he found a community where he could "stand tall and be proud" of who he was while completing a Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication in an environment that both supported and challenged him.

"Brock's probably had the most integral impact on me becoming a person, becoming a young adult, and taking responsibility, and I'm very grateful for the support I received throughout my time here," he said. "When my four years was up, I didn't want to leave; I was comfortable again, like I had been before I left home."

Along with that strong sense of community, Davey has also looked to the traditional teachings of his ancestors to guide his career decisions, noting that he approaches challenges and opportunities with a "good mind and good heart."

He ties this back to the messages of the Two Row Wampum belt, the symbolic record of an agreement made in 1613 between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Dutch settlers. It features two parallel beaded rows that represent two boats, reflecting two entities that progress side-by-side in mutual respect.

"When you think about the Two Row Wampum there is this idea of harmony and peace and I want to see that more and I want to be that change," he said. "There is harmony, but there still needs to be shared understanding, there still needs to be a bridge from time to time."

He said the common thread woven through his work - whether with the federal government, in the financial sector or directly with the community - is understanding and sharing "that value of partnership and working together, and, at the same time, exemplifying it."

He also stressed that it is crucial to thank those who supported and charted a path forward before him, and that he hopes to do the same for future generations who will continue to do the work after him - including his two young children.

Although he joked that lawyers are often taught to give "recommendations" rather than "advice," he also left new and future graduates with some parting words from his father, which he said have always served him well.

"If you have something of substance to say, you're always going to have an audience," he said.

A recording of the event will be shared on the Indigenous Leader Speaker Series web page.

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