I thought I would answer member questions here for those that are interested in my stance on important issues.
Before I go into the questions, I wanted to share my excitement at seeing all of the candidates stepping forward with their vision for our future. We are so fortunate to have the next generation be so educated and qualified to do the job, both of which will help them ‘hit the ground running’. In addition, there are still 5 councillors not up for election that are veterans and will provide the experience and knowledge no matter how many new faces are elected to the Council. These are exciting times!
I also wanted to take a moment and thank the previous councillors for always being willing to step up and represent our people in an honorable and steadfast manner. No matter the outcome of this election, I am proud of our Nation and our people. We can agree to disagree and still respect one another because we are all working for a better future.
Questions were asked and candidates shared their plans to revitalize our culture and language, to protect the environment, to support our natural resource management, to improve business and government negotiations, and a number of other topics.
The questions are copied from the all-candidates broadcast. I tried to capture all questions and there were a number that were very similar. If there is a question that you have for me that is not below, please feel free to message me and I am happy to add it to this page. At the bottom of this page I show my action plan.
Questions quoted from All Candidates:
Q. what are some of the Positives you see when talking about , working side by Side with our Namgis Hereditary Chiefs , taking on All Issues Our Namgis People Face, Utilizing the combined Governance system with elected CnC & The Namgis Hereditary Chiefs
A. First, it is important to say that the source of our legal power, our sovereignty, rests in our hereditary leadership and that C&C was originally designed to serve and be accountable to the federal government. During the depths of colonization this allowed the First Nations people to turn on themselves, to blame their local elected leaders instead of the Canadian government's policies. That being said, now there are some positives in that C&C can work together with our hereditary leadership to carve a path forward. By electing people with education, administration skills, with vision, we can better enhance our territories. In the old days, Hereditary chiefs had dozens of people helping them with history, protocol, our traditional laws, organizing labour, and helping harvest and manage more resources to redistribute to the people through feasts and potlatches. The modern-day Chief and Council is meant to serve the people by strengthening resource management, defending our interests against federal government and business encroachments, and ensuring that that the hereditary leadership has space to share their vision and provide their leadership on our traditional territories.Q. What can you do to create a stronger connection to community for off reserve band members?
A. We are all members and all deserve a say in our Nation's future. I lived off-reserve for just over 20 years of my life. I participated in cultural events in Victoria with my gran and papa, often helping at urban elders events. The urban Kwakwaka’wakw came together for weekly gatherings at the Friendship Centre, the Wawaditla (Mungo Martin Bighouse), and with the Kwakiutl Urban Society’s suicide prevention group. Being away from ‘Yalis does not make anyone less Bak’wam. People go away for school, for healthcare, for family, to get away from abuse, to get a job, to be able to get housing. Let’s not forget that less than 10 years ago our people living on one side of this island could not run because of an imaginary reserve line that the federal government created to keep us down and under control. I firmly believe that people should be able to run and be elected wherever they are in our territories and still be classified as within OUR boundaries. How can we claim sovereignty over our territories if we do not govern within the whole of our territories? We need to keep our urban membership in mind. We are all 'Namgis and we are stronger together. Although most of our dollars are for on-reserve members, we still receive some core dollars based on our total membership numbers. They deserve a say in our government based on their connection to our ancestors. We often hear that ‘they should just move home’ but to be fair, there are no houses for them to move to. In some instances, there are no jobs. There are many legitimate reasons for people to live away, and often out of necessity. Their willingness to be ‘Namgis is a good thing. We can create a stronger connection with more zoom meetings, more communications, more social media, more outreach, and more consideration at the council table. Let us continue to update our website, and the minutes so all members can keep updated on government business. Action: I believe C&C should create an Urban Portfolio, which the Chief can do today.Q. I heard food spoken of a few times tonight. I believe we all have had a supply issue with the last year and a half with the Covid.
A. When I was in Victoria I took an environmental studies course at UVic which had a statistic that concerned me. Victoria only had 72 hours worth of food at any one time. If the bigger cities only have a few days worth of food, it is worse for us up North. We need to: Build local food capacity in the form of greenhouses and develop land in our territories for growing food. Partner with organizations like Nawalakw to strengthen and learn from their successful efforts. Our people have been managing and growing food for millennia and we need to continue these efforts. Protect our rights to hunt and harvest from the ocean by following our resource plans to feed our people. Continue to train our younger generation to hunt, fish and harvest our resources. With the recent floods I believe we are already testing our limits and seeing the real impacts of our supply chains. When I was in Campbell for medical I had to fill up 4 times because of the emergency rules in place. That paired with rising food and heating costs and we are going to need to have a plan in place to adjust to this new reality very soon. In fact, it is already here. This Christmas will be tough on most as the pandemic has tied up global supply chains, creating a shortage of food, toys and other products, while at the same time raising costs. Let us be mindful of this reality and work together to make sure everyone has a happy holiday this year. It is not about abundance, but quality time and the sharing of our wealth.Q. what are your thoughts about how our Namgis Gukwdzi ( Bighouse ) is Run , Do you think that Elected Chief & Council Should Have more Decision Making than " Namgis Hereditary Chiefs " do , when talking about , ( how its Being Used , Who can use it , And When it can be opened for ceremony and other Community functions ) As It seems it could have been Utilized alot more , for our members , and most importantly , Made a safe , Spiritual gathering place Our Future Generations during this Pandemic ......
A. I think during a pandemic, scientists should be listened to in regards to public health and large gatherings. Our elders cannot handle this virus and we cannot lose anymore to COVID. We have too much to learn from them. Outside of a pandemic, which I hope is soon, I believe that there needs to be a body that maintains, pays for and guards our sacred Gukwdzi. This caretaking falls to C&C and admin very naturally. I strongly believe that our hereditary leadership should be given reasonable access to the Big House at any time, as long as public safety is a guiding principle.Q. Over the past few years Canada and British Columbia have advanced reconciliation, self-determination and self-government with a number of First Nations like never before. Can the candidates describe their vision and plan of how they will advance reconciliation with the Crown over the next 4 years that will bring transformative change to the lives of the Namgis citizens?
A. After voting down the AIP, it was C&C’s responsibility to pursue all methods of asserting and defending our rights and title. The Crown has since shifted gears in the last few years towards ‘reconciliation’, the latest buzz word designed to give incremental benefits to First nations from their own lands and resources as long as First Nations work towards more permanent agreements over the medium to long term. Basically, the carrot instead of the stick. A lot of First Nations have greatly prospered in these attempts making it attractive to more and more. We have signed incremental benefit agreements in forestry. I am always of the opinion that we should continually be working toward stronger self-government separate of federal government interference and once established let them know how they are to interact with us. This is not in some future, but in every action our government takes. Everything we do should be towards strengthening our rights and title, instead of being driven by INAC's grant cycles. We need to get out of the welfare mentality where we do, based on what we get from the federal government. And anything not funded is simply not done. I am not saying don’t apply for grants or sign agreements that provide real benefits to our people, but on top of these actions build a future that means we are no longer dependent on outside funds and are truly free from the Indian Act. We will never break out from dependency unless we change the way we operate. This starts at the top with leadership. Working towards being self-sufficient through our negotiations with the federal government, our negotiations with companies operating in our territories, and by growing our businesses, will all create much more strength than if we wait for the federal government to give us the power to do so. So, as long as our rights and title are not signed away, and as long as we keep our membership informed, yes I believe we should strongly and proactively pursue these benefits when they align with our values, do not harm our environment or cultural sites, or any other uses we have within our territories.Q. Our last leaders have failed in communication my question is for first time members running how will you insure members are informed and a part of the decision making process?
A. Council and admin have agreed that communication needs to be improved. They hired a person, but I want to make the clear point that communication is not the sole responsibility of the communications director. This director is nothing more than an air traffic controller. All program and departments heads, administration leadership, and Chief and Council all have a duty to inform the membership of their actions continually. We need to rethink our communications strategy to reach our younger and older members that do not want to attend public meetings. Social media, texting, and innovative technology for our younger membership, and door knocking, mail, and phone calls for our older members. If elected I would recommend that all relevant job descriptions include a communications mandate. That Administration and C&C creates a communications plan that is triggered when certain events happen. Creating a communication system will ensure that staff and Council are ticking the boxes each and every time communication is required.Q. do you think our members should be receiving " Distribution money " per member every Christmas... using the money that our Resources Bring in to our Nation....
A. As a business person that has studied economics, distribution money is not always the best way to give benefits back to the membership. That being said, there are certain circumstances where the benefits of more money in members’ pockets helps them through extremely difficult times. A pandemic that has strained supply chains, raised the cost of living and kept people from working, certainly would apply. If voted in I will review our spending plan and budgets and determine whether a distribution to the membership is possible with our current revenues. I want us to get to self-sufficiency as a nation so that we can provide these benefits annually. As our profits rise, so would our benefits.Q. if voted in , will you Give us members bi weekly or monthly updates on what they have been doing to serve our nation, and or updates on whatever Areas / jobs They take on as Councilors , showing Transparency , Honesty ,
A. I believe a communications plan will create a ‘to-do list’ for both admin and C&C in regards to informing the public of their actions. I believe in an open government where nothing is hidden, in-cameras are rarely used, and records are published for our membership. If elected, I pledge to regularly communicate with membership on my activities.Q. How will you support our T’lisalagi’lakw School staff if you’re elected since the council dissolved the Namgis Education Board and have not come up with a replacement support system for the school since? Our teachers look after our young children and in turn we need to look after them. (If possible, please ask new candidates who are not already on council and trying to get re-elected).
A. I started at the T’lisalagi’lakw school as a kid when classes were in the portables where the hospital is now. I went away for education and in the end was awarded a Masters Degree in Business. This was supported by the ‘Namgis First Nation through the whole process. It is right that we make room for people that want to come back so that our people can gain the benefits of the latest and greatest education and training. This will lead to more money, better programs, and better services for our community. Much of our budget goes towards education each year, and it is the best investment we can make in our people. When I first came back to the Bay I worked at the school and later I also later served as a school board member. So I feel this experience, along with my governance and political science background, give me insight into the issues at the ground level as well as at a governance level. I have made no attempt to hide my reaction to the dissolution of the School Board. It was short sighted, alienated many of our young, future leaders, and created many systemic issues that are still not solved over a year later. I deeply care about our kids, our education system, and its programming. Without the school board there is a missing piece of accountability. There needs to be a clear system that is open and transparent, with rules applying equally to all that fall under it. The primary reason that oversight of the board was most important because we have had kids abused under a former school leader where there was no proper monitoring. This can never happen again. Without a board to monitor and hold leadership to account, there needs to be a similarly strong advocacy created to support the school system now. To be clear, in no way am I saying the current principal is abusing kids, but under the current system there is no public accountability. A system of accountability that any other school has, public or private, should also be in place for our school. Let’s ensure that we are always protecting our kids. If elected, I would help complete the new education governance structure and see that it is implemented by staff as a priority.Q. If elected would you push to have the Recreation Hall open everyday for the youth as well hire a Full Time Program Coordinator.
A. If elected I would push for the Rec Centre to be open when the kids and youth need it to be (evenings, weekends, holidays and the summer). This will involve more staff and financial investment (starting from the community benefit funds we get through our business partnerships). I would look into better scheduling so that the programming is not constantly interrupted by meetings. I would look at the feasibility of building another hall, or enlarging and renovating the Council Hall to create meeting space for larger events. I would also get a quote and plan on making our soccer field all-season with lights.Q. what are the hopefuls feelings about other Nations and non natives Harvesting in our Territories , & Fishing our valuable resources for Personal gain , ie Taking our Resources and selling it illegally , basically taking Whats rightfully Ours without Regard , ..... if elected will you move to push out or stop non Namgis food fishing out Halibut , ground fish , and other ocean Resources
A. Any person entering our territories should have our permission. This is the same in our waters as it is on our traditional lands. DFOs management has been terrible and we are all struggling for seafood because of it. We need to protect our wild seafood and manage it so that our children’s children will be able to eat from our waters. This requires monitoring, guardianship, and the money to do it. We need to assert and defend our rights constantly. In regards to selling, I firmly believe our people have inherent commercial fishing rights. We ate our catch, but we also traded inland for all manner of things. Keeping in mind that we conserve, protect and manage our species first as a Nation, the amount above this is then food fish, then our commercial catch, then DFOs licensing program, followed by other interests. With appropriate communication to DFO, I do believe an understanding could be made as long as we were consistent in our messaging, communicated our intentions, and supported our ‘Namgis on the water. The Nuu-chah-nulth have made great strides in this area by going this route. We can learn a lot from their experience. It is a battle, but a battle worth fighting.Q. If you have to be doubly vaccinated to attend this meeting in person tonight, does that mean all candidates and current councillors are doubly vaccinated? Can we get confirmation on this?
A. I am triply vaccinated. I take the protection of my family, particularly my two girls and the elder family members that are immuno-compromised, very seriously. My youngest is two and cannot be vaccinated against COVID and the newest Delta variant is even more dangerous to our young ones. I am about science and common sense. I do not unnecessary take risks with my family’s lives. If elected I would expect all public functions to be designed to protect our Nations' most vulnerable until this pandemic is finally under control. The 'Namgis staff and leadership have been doing a great job of keeping us safe. Most large buildings can and should be safely used by our people.Priorities:
If I am fortunate enough to be elected by my people. It is always important to remember that a councillor only has one vote out of ten. The position requires a lot of give and take, negotiation, debate, discussion and hard work to get anything done. That is why it is so important for our membership to communicate their needs and show their support for issues they care about. So remember to Vote for Change this election. Beyond these, I would focus my efforts on the following:Goals in the first 120 days:
- Review and communicate our spending plan and budget to determine how much is available or can be repurposed to get help out to our people. Will this be distribution, will this be more programs and services, a review will help. It is still up to Council to vote any changes to a budget.
- Review our business performance in an oversight capacity and determine how we can get back to letting businesspeople manage businesses
- Review the governance work done by previous councils to familiarize
- Review our education governance system and help complete and implement
- Pave the ridiculous road leading to our Nation's main government building.
- Get admin to look at the current capacity of our staffing levels and see if we need more hiring in key areas, and how C&C can support admin’s efforts.
- Further develop community partnerships to avoid duplication of services. We are stronger together.