It's a combination from all spectrums.
In many cases, they are in fact leaders within the smaller communities. In many cases, they are very educated folk. They also, more than anything else, have a very clear and strong understanding of local community and their environment.
Many of them are individuals who have prominence. They can be an elder within the native community with their local Inuit or other tribes within the first nations peoples across the country. However, they could also just be rank-and-file folk because of their background and knowledge, for instance, the local snowmobile mechanic who has done well and he's the best guy.