Peggy Petawabano –
Not a Quitter
by Claire MacKinnon

Peggy Petawabano has had a busy day. She says she is “the ear that listens for problems.”

Petawabano supervises employees at the Mistissini Caisse Populaire, the same job her sister, Karen, worked at for 12 years. She has been Interim Team Leader since last October, although she has been working there for seven years. The work is challenging, but Petawabano welcomes the job, saying she was “lucky” to get it.

Petawabano’s permanent job at the Caisse is in Technical Support, but she originally started as a teller. She upgraded to her Secondary IV, but otherwise had no previous training or experience before starting at the Caisse. “It helped that I spoke French,” she said. Not many others at the Caisse spoke French at the time.

When Petawabano became a Technical Support Agent, she completed several computer training courses in Amos, each one lasting for three days. She learns the latest versions of various computer systems used at the Caisse so she can keep up with the ever-changing world of computer software.

“At times it was difficult,” she said about the training, but she never felt like quitting.

Petawabano’s willpower also helped her save for her down payment on her mortgage. “I was determined to get a house,” she said. “The money from the reserve was also a big plus.” Petawabano is talking about the housing grant she received through the band council, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Petawabano says she loves working with her co-workers at the Caisse. “Most of us get along,” she said. “We don’t have any problems.” The ladies have a good connection and sometimes go out for breakfast together at the Mistissini Lodge.

Petawabano estimates that 70 per cent of Mistissini households use the Caisse, while the majority of transactions involve local businesses. She says there are also a lot of new businesses in the community using the bank.

When Petawabano started as a teller, sometimes people would get upset about small problems they didn’t understand, such as their bank statement. “You have to be patient,” she said. “You never know when you’re going to meet an angry person.”

Thinking about her experiences, Peggy Petawabano has a message for her community: “It’s difficult, but you have to have self-confidence.”