Julian Marshall, Membertou youth chief, wins CBC Cape Breton Leadership Award
Peggy MacDonald | CBC News | Posted: June 21, 2016 4:46 PM | Last Updated: June 21, 2016
18-year-old wins $1,000 toward his education at Cape Breton University
Julian Marshall, an 18-year-old deeply involved in the affairs of his community as youth chief of Membertou First Nation, is this year's winner of the CBC Cape Breton Leadership Award.
He was one of 12 applicants for the award from all over the island.
The $1,000 award goes to a student who's planning to attend Cape Breton University and who has demonstrated leadership qualities.
Marshall has been an honours student for five years and will graduate this week from Sydney Academy.
He comes from a long line of community leaders. His grandfather was Donald Marshall Sr., the former grand chief of the Mi'kmaq.
His uncle was Donald Marshall Jr., who was wrongly convicted of murder in the 1970s and later became the central figure in a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling on Indigenous treaty rights.
Like father, like son
Julian Marshall, however, says his father David is his most immediate influence. David Marshall is a member of the Membertou band council and recently won his 15th consecutive election.
"He's for the people and you see what he does in the community and what he does for other people," said Julian Marshall.
"It makes you feel good knowing that he's helping other people. You always gotta help out your people first. You have to be honest and you have to do what's right."
Marshall says the youth council of which he's chief plans events and creates interactions between young people and elders of the community.
Big plans
"It also brings leadership qualities out for the youth to help them on in the future," he said. "It's a good way to get people's confidence up. We're just there to help out in the community."
He plans to study business when he begins classes at CBU in the fall.
"[I] hope to get my business degree there and hopefully become a chartered professional accountant."
His long-term plan is to stay and work in Membertou.