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March 2015 EDITION - OKANAGAN INDIAN BAND 12420 WESTSIDE ROAD VERNON, BC V1H 2A4 - FREE SENK’LIP NEWS
SENK’LIP NEWS Editor: Joseph JackPh: 250-542-4328 Fx: 250-542-4990 [email protected]
Chief: Byron LouisCouncillors: Homer Alexis, Lyle Brewer, Barbara (June) Cole, Tim Isaac, Allan Louis, Coola Louis, Diane Louis, Raymond Marchand, Russell Williams and Leland Wilson
View this months Senk’lip in FULL COLOUR on our website www.okib.ca
CommunityOkanagan Indian Band Important Numbers
CUT AND PLACE ON YOUR FRIDGE!EMERGENCY NUMBERS:Emergency: OKIB Volunteer Fire Dept: Water: Buildings:
Main Band OfficeToll FreeAdministration: Education/TrainingHuman ResourcesMembershipFinance
Health and Social DevelopmentHead of the Lake HallNew HorizonsSnc’c’amalta?tn Daycare and SchoolCultural Immersion SchoolOperations Lands and HousingTerritorial Stewardship/Research
911250-545-4111250-306-1363250-540-1539
250-542-43281-866-542-4328
250-542-5094250-558-1414250-545-2402250-545-3800250-260-3616250-542-3444250-542-7132
Council Meetings Schedule
Regular Scheduled Meetings:
First Tuesday of the Month: 9am - 4pm
Second Tuesday of the Month: 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Third Tuesday of the Month: 9am- 4pm
Changes to the schedule and community meetings/emer-gency meetings will be communicated to the membership via:
www.okib.cawww.facebook.com/OkanaganBand
www.twitter.com/OkanaganBand
All requests to be added to Chief and Council’s agenda must be submitted to the Executive Director by Wednesday at 4:30 the week before the next meeting. Agenda items are reviewed and approved by the Executive Director and Chief on Thursday afternoon. Contact Sherry Louis executive as-sistant to council: 250-542-4328 ext 210 or by [email protected]
Process
Picture it, you’re at a gas station on your reserve, you reach into your wallet to grab your status card. The attendant hands you back your card and says, “Sorry, we can’t accept expired status cards.”
It’s not that difficult to get a CIS, just fol-low these steps.
What is required to get a status card?
One piece of PRIMARY ID:Valid Canadian PasportNew Plastic Certificate of Indian Status Is-sued after April 2002If you do not have the one piece of pri-mary ID, two pieces of secondary ID (one
with digitized photo) will be accepted.- Certificate of Birth- Certificate of Marriage or Divorce- Provincial Health Card- Provincial ID- Employee ID (with digitized photo)- Student ID (with digitized photo)- Firearms licence
Current Certificate of Indian Status (that hasn’t been expired for more than six months.)
When applying for a status card for a minor, only the legal guardian may apply and must present picture ID along with the child’s birth certificate.
You are also required to bring your own
passport sided photo for the card. Fees:OKIB members: FREENon-band members: $25
For registration of birth, death, marriage and amendment:
OKIB members: FreeNon-members: $10
Fees are charged \to cover courier and supply charges.
*Please note* A BC Driver’s Licence with a carecard embedded will only count as ONE piece of ID. Ask for a sep-arate BC Care Card.
Need a status card? Follow these easy steps!
Post Secondary OKIB Funding Application InformationApplications for funding may be picked up at the main band office or may be downloaded from the OKIB website (www.okib.ca.) Completed forms are to be submitted to Lacey Gregoire-Gabriel before the applica-tion deadline. Completed forms may be faxed, emailed, or mailed to the band office.
Application Deadlines:Students starting school in September are required to have their completed application in by April 30th
Students starting in January have a dead-line of September 30th (currently no fund-ing available)
Students starting in May are required to have their completed application form in by January 30th
Eligibility for post secondary funding may be reviewed on the OKIB website under the Policies>Education>Program Policies and Guidelines.While we encourage all students to apply, please note that funding students is based off of funds available. For more information contact Lacey Gregoire-Gabriel (250) 542-4238 [email protected]
Page 2
From the EditorPage 3
I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said that an enlight-ened electorate is vital to a properly function-ing government. Last August, I re-
launched Senk’lip for the membership. I’ve
aimed to provide information relating to matters which may or may not be important to you…I guess it just depends on what your interests are. In the end, I’ve tried to keep the membership informed via the Senk’lip, OKIB website and the OKIB Facebook Page. I’ve received some great feedback from mem-
bers regarding what they would like to see in the future when it comes to keeping the mem-bership informed and I’ll be rolling them out within the next couple of months. Mixed in with the feedback I receive regarding
the Senk’lip and OKIB Facebook page are mes-sages from members who say that they are not
aware of what is happening in our community. I’m somewhat surprised by that because I am
asked very frequently to make posters meant to inform our community about events for youth and other demographics. These posters are often, if not always posted
inside OKIB buildings in plain view. As well as posted on the OKIB Facebook page and Web-site. That’s three different methods and if you add Senk’lip, that’s four. Which method works best for you?Members have said to me, and it is reflected
in some of the council bios you’re about to read, that more transparency is required of the council. Did you know that council minutes are available to the membership for review at the Band Office? If you were not aware of that, please accept this as notice. Also, please tell at least two friends. I will work more diligently to ensure that
members are aware of the business of council. That is my responsibility.It is the responsibility of the membership to
be active in the pursuit of knowledge relating to their council. Council meets every Tuesday and their schedule and process has been print-ed page two since August 2014. All members are welcome to submit items to council for discussion or sit in the gallery to watch. When you visit a building, have a look at the poster boards inside. When you know about an event, share the knowledge with two friends. Know a success story? Share it with the community! I accept submissions.Yes, an informed electorate is required to
ensure a functioning democracy. Let’s work together to figure out the best way to do this. If you have suggestions on how to best inform the membership or have questions about a partic-ular matter before council, please feel free to contact me.
It’s my job to know.
[email protected] 250-542-4328
Editor welcomes more active participation
OKIB enters preliminary stages of Land Designation processThe Okanagan Indian Band is in the very pre-
liminary stages of the Land Designation pro-cess. Over the next few editions of Senk’lip and through other methods, the OKIB will provide the membership with information regarding the land designation process. What is a Designation?Generally, designations are done in accordance
with The Indian Act (sections: 37-41,) in order for First Nation communities to carry out eco-nomic development activities on their reserve lands. Canada holds reserve lands for the use and benefit of First Nations and First Nation members have the collective use of those reserve lands. Designation provides a process whereby the electors of a First Nation commu-nity give Canada, represented by the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, (the “Minister”,) the authority to grant leases or other interests in reserve lands, pro-vided the lands have not been allotted to any OKIB members. With respect to many pro-posed designations, designating a portion of the Reserve lands allows those lands to be leases to non-members (usually a company,) including a company owned by an OKIB member.A designation is technically a “non-absolute
surrender” under a process set up by the Indian Act and the Indian Referendum Regulations. However, designated lands do not lose reserve status. They remain part of the reserve and are only leased for certain purposes and for certain limited periods.
Why Designate Lands?A person (or company) that operates a busi-
ness may want to lease a parcel of land on which to locate its business. In order to have the legal right to use that parcel of land, the busi-ness enters into a lease with the owner of the land. The owner is usually called the landlord and the business is the tenant. In return for lease payments (sometimes called rent), the tenant has the right to use the land for a specific pur-pose and for a limited time, as long as the tenant complies with the terms set out in the lease. If a business wants to use reserve lands, then,
the business must lease the land from the Min-ister, who leases out the lands on behalf of a First Nation. However, in order for the Minister to have the ability to enter into a lease with the business, the lands must first be designated for leasing purposes by the First Nation and that designation must then be accepted by the Min-ister. Thereafter, any lease payments (rent) paid by the tenant to the Minister under the lease will be for the use of the First Nation as part of its revenue account. The ProcessA designation vote is conducted by way of ref-
erendum under the rules set out in Section 37 to 41 of the Indian Act and under the process and requirements set out in the Indian Referendum Regulations. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada carries out the designa-tion via their own Electoral Officer.Before a designation vote, OKIB members
will be provided with the information about the designation process and any proposed projects or developments for the lands via mail and via information meetings. Electors may ask ques-tions about the proposed designations at meet-ings so that they may make informed decisions while voting.OKIB electors who live off-reserve are enti-
tled to vote. Information packages are sent to each eligible off-reserve elector for whom an address is known. These packages will contain information about the designation and a mail-in ballot. What’s next?As mentioned at the start of this article, the
OKIB is in the very preliminary stages of the designation process, and more information will be announced soon.As the OKIB Chief and Council and adminis-
tration continue work and consultation regard-ing a community driven Land Use Plan and continue work on a Waste Water study, more information will be shared with members as it becomes available.In upcoming editions of Senk’lip, via the
OKIB website and community meetings we will provide more information before mailing hard copies to the membership for consideration. For more information about the Land Designa-
tion process contact Joseph Jack (250-542-4328 or [email protected])
Lands and Economic Development
Senk’lip -January 2015
Community page 4
2015 Candidate BiosThe following candidate bios were submitted by candidates and have not been edited for content or grammar. Candidate names are in alphabetical order.
FABIAN ALEXIS Fabian Alexis would like to take this opportunity
for the support from the community and family, as he accepts his nomination for the position of Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band for the upcoming 2015 election. Fabian Alexis is no stranger to the council table. He was elected Chief for three con-secutive terms.
With his former experience as Chief, Fabian Alexis welcomes the opportunity to once again work for the Okanagan Indian Band membership, and with the Council.
During his time away from the Council table, Fabian Alexis has been working in the area of child and family development and wellness with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, in Westbank BC. This
key development work in protecting the children and development programs and services has re-newed and rekindled the passion for working with the community.
Fabian was raised in his home community, at a place called Townsite with his extended family and under the guidance of his maternal grandmother, Ella Alexis (nee Cameron). He also had the strong influence of his uncles, three of whom served lengthy terms on Band Council in elected leadership roles. Fabian credits his uncle, Murray Alexis, a former Chief as being his inspiration to seek the top leadership position.
In his role, as leader, Fabian advocates for unity, Aboriginal Rights and Title, strong Governance for community development, and accessing high-er training and education for a prosperity for the membership’s future. It is also important to keep abreast of health services, economic development and community infrastructure development.
During his past tenure as Chief, he works to-ward creating a framework for land use planning to provide economic opportunities for the overall community. His strong working relationship with government and the private sector has led to many successful negotiations to benefit the Okanagan Indian Band.
Fabian is involved in the promotion of the Band’s Operated & Immersion Schools which will result to higher education and revitalizing our Okanagan Language. He remains very committed to language retention and revival.
Under Fabian’s leadership, and following his past
& former leaders, the Okanagan Indian Band has at-tained national prominence and attention throughout Canada and on the international level, based on the values and cultural strength of his people, in many areas including water, resource and comprehensive land protection, and Indigenous title.
The critical issues that he is committed to include:- Working cooperatively with the Okanagan Nation
Member Bands to maintain unity through cultural, familial, territorial, economic and political ties;
- Preserving and supporting Okanagan language and culture;
- Increasing awareness on Indigenous Title & Rights to maintain our traditional livelihoods;
- Encouraging youth to use their talents and energy positively;
- Establishing effective Health Services and de-manding fiduciary responsibility of Canada;
- Improving Social and Housing programs; • Ex-panding education and training initiatives;
- Promoting opportunities for First Nations busi-nesses and enterprises – entering into responsible agreements to benefit our Community and member-ship;
- Promoting sufficient resources for improved infrastructure such as housing, roads and sewage; “Through our resources and sustainability this will provide a solid foundation to a compelling future that will provide long-term opportunities for Okana-gan Indian Band communities and membership.”
Way Limlimpt!
Candidates for chief
BYRON LOUIS My name is Byron Louis and I am grandson of the late Rose and Ben Louis and son of Mike and Edna Louis. I am running for the position of Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band. I am supported by my wife of 30 years Jami Tonasket and our two beautiful daughters: Savannah and Lindsey Louis. I am seek-ing your support for my re-election as Chief.
The last four years as Chief has been focused on transparency, accountability, and planning for the future of the band. We (Council) had begun our term with the ongoing goals building administrative strengths and stability to support the present and future goals of our community. Chief and Council has undertaken a number of initiatives to assist us in staying focused such as the: annual strategic plan, annual reports, annual departmental work plans, and
annual financial plan. This has set a high level of goals for the organization to work towards over the next 5 years.
We (Chief and Council) continue to take action to plan for the future of our community and seek the voice and direction of the community members. I feel very strongly in hearing from the individual community members on how we can improve the services and programs on our reserve. I want to ensure that the community has a voice in develop-ing Education Strategy, Economic Development, Comprehensive Culture and Language Plan, HR Strategy, and Title and Rights. As Chief, I believe that creating balance is important to ensure that all goals are met for all band planning and initiatives. In short our immediate community needs are as important as future priorities and we never sacrifice one for the other.
As Chief, I will continue to support and build upon current Council Economic Development initiatives spear-headed and supported by Council. I recognize the critical importance of vocational (trades) and entrepreneurial (business) skills training to assist those in the local workforce to be prepared and able to take full advantage of future on and off-reserve development activities. This means taking advan-tage of opportunities to participate in all present and future development activities to ensure our peoples are the beneficiaries of our community success. This type of partnership can benefit both our community as a whole and provide a better return for all parties.
In terms of education we need to increase our ability to positively influence decisions being made
on the education of individual community members to provide supports, to facilitate a smooth transition to higher levels of education. It is equally important to focus our energies towards both academic and vo-cational studies which underline the importance of developing a community based Education Strategy.
We have succeeded in having one of our Council-lors elected to the Health Council. It is important that Chief and Council have the ability to fully advocate for the health and well-being of our people and ensure that members receives maximum al-lowable benefits to which they are entitled and that those services be on par with provincial levels of service. We have completed our Comprehensive Community Health Strategy (38% participated in survey) to identify our current and future needs of health care for band members. The next step is to bring back to the community members to implement the health strategy to continue to have voice for their individual and community health and wellness needs.
Our continued commitment to Title and rights is unquestionable. Although, we are limited in our options we must continue to advocate with other Okanagan Nation Member Communities of a Nation based lead and approach to title and rights. This is not something that we cannot do alone and as single community we need the support of all our Nation.
Thank you, I hope I can count on your support for my re-election as Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band.
Respectfully,Byron Louis
Senk’lip January 2015
Communitypage 5
Daniel Wilson My name is Daniel Anthony Wilson on the Ballot, but most people call me Danny, Dan or Dano.
I was born in Vernon and raised on the Okanagan Indian reserve and I have lived here most of my life. I will be 56 years old on November 20th. When I was 18 years old, after I graduated high school, I left home to play junior hockey in Kimberley, BC. I worked in the Sullivan Mine during my time there. Shortly after I moved back to the Okanagan Valley in 1981, I met Helen Louie from the Osoyoos Indian Band and we fell in love.
I’m honoured to say that Helen has been my wife for 34 years. We have three grown sons; Elias, Zack and Nathaniel. I am proud to say that I built an out-door rink for them every winter and coached them all through their minor hockey years. I also coached the two of them in minor baseball. I still play men’s
fastball and hockey with all three of them today. Helen and I have always worked as a team. We went to university together. Helen went into accounting and I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Law Degree from UBC.
I first got elected onto the OKIB Council in 1987 and served a term with Chief Murray Alexis, and later with Chief Albert Saddleman. I was elected Chief of OKIB in 1999, and I was elected as Chair of the Okanagan Nation Alliance the same year. I held both positions until 2003. My accomplish-ments as OKIB Chief and Councillor include being instrumental in: negotiating the SRI Lease in Win-field; purchasing 2000 housing lots for OKIB band members at Beau Park; signing a working protocol with Silver Star Mountain; fighting for our title and rights in the Browns Creek Logging case. Recently, I helped build a log cabin at little Bouleau Lake, where an archaeologist found evidence dating back 7,500 years that proves we, the Syilx Okanagan, have been here since time immemorial. As ONA Chair I worked closely with Osoyoos Chief Clar-ence Louie to get Spotted Lake converted to reserve status. I also followed the advice of Penticton elder, Louise Gabriel, when she said she had a vision of the Okanagan Nation building traditional cotton wood canoes and travelling throughout our territory to the mouth of the Okanagan River at Brewster Washington. She said we had to do it, or else we would forget who we are. So, with the help of many people, we did it. And today, you can hear our little ones speaking N’Syilx’cen at our immersion schools located in all of our Okanagan Nation communities.
We also followed through with Chief Albert Sad-
dleman’s vision when I signed an agreement with the Colville Tribe to bring the Salmon back into the Okanagan Valley. There are other things that were accomplished during my time in office, but the point that I want to make clear is that I get results when I put my mind to something. I want to help the OKIB membership reach its vast potential through educa-tion, economic development and by exercising our title and rights throughout our vast territory. When I left office in 2003, OKIB had millions of dollars in band revenue and there were plans to hold band meetings to decide on how to spend that money. (Personally, I would like to see us have our own hockey arena and gymnasium like other bands.) But, those band meetings never happened and those dollars were spent with very little to show for it.
There is no reason why we can’t be as prosperous as the Osoyoos Indian Band. As your Chief I will not only excercise our aboriginal title and rights, but I will bring investment and jobs to our community. As Chief I was able to bring about a major land acquisition with the intention of providing land for new housing for our growing band population. I will also ensure that you have a voice as I believe the membership has to be consulted on these things because it is the membership (You) who own the title to our territory. Just like there were no band meetings prior to the Chief and Council signing that lop-sided forestry deal last year. You need to know when your title and rights are being tampered with. Therefore, in order to make sure that you are proper-ly consulted with, I need your vote for Chief and Council on election day.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Daniel Wilson is running for Chief and for Council, so his bio will only appear once.
HOMER ALEXISPersonal Information: My name is Homer Alexis
and once again I am seeking your support in the election scheduled for April 2, 2015. My wife De-nise and I have been together for 18 years, we have 7 children all together, Ashley, Cole, Jordyn, Shade, Jakob, Robyn, Bailey & 2 Grandchildren Daxton & Isabelle. I am the eldest son of the late Johnny (Tim) & Mabel Alexis and the grandson of the late Ned & Irene Louis, and Johnny & Ella Alexis. My family and I reside at whitemans creek subdivision. I have worked for Tolko Industries LTD for the past 30 years and I am very familiar with the wood industry.
Desire to serve: As I am finishing off my third term on council, it has been an honour. I firmly be-lieve in fiscal responsibility and would like to have the opportunity to continue to protect and enhance the future of our band and our children.
Education background: I am a grade 12 gradu-ate with a fish-farming certificate from Malaspina
College.Experiences and Hobbies: I have worked in the
fish industry (herring) and have knowledge and experience in the rangelands around us, and range management issues. I also have owned and operated a trail-riding outfit. My wife and I have held many horse events, and I have been training horses for 39 years.
I have strong family values, and have a desire to provide the next generation with a solid future. So I am asking for your support at this upcoming elec-tion April 2, 2015.
Please mark your X by Homer Alexis.Enclosing I would like to thank Shawn Louis &
Byron Louis for nominating me.
Candidates for council
Good Food BoxGet a box FULL of seasonal fruits and veggies
Cost: $16Place order by second week for delivery third week of monthAnyone wishing to order the Good Food box may do so by contacting Rosalie at the Health Department: 250-542-5094
A plan without action is only a dream!LEONA BONNEAU Way7I am LEONA BONNEAUDaughter of Johnny J. &Adeline Bonneau nee
GottfriedsonGranddaughter of Jimmy & Sarah Bonneau (nee
Lawrence)Frank & Emma Gottfriedson ( nee Brewer)Mother of Wesley John, Jay-T and Johnny-LeeGrandmother to Emma, Jayce, Cash, Breese, Kal-
Lee, Chazz-Lee,Warrick, Kendra and KyleyWith accepting the nomination to run for council
I would like to thank Farran Marchand and Linda Bonneau for nominating me in the 2015 Okanagan Band election.
My greatest accomplishments are my family, 31 years sobriety and working 17 years in the education field.
As a honest, fair, hard working woman I promise to serve our band membership responsibly with integrity and respect.
I believe my greatest characteristics are my hon-esty, integrity and my ability to use my voice. As grandpa Tommy told me, you have a voice use it. As many of you know I stand strong with the value and
beliefs that our people deserve to be treated with respect and importance.
I believe within our membership we have the resources of culture, traditions, education, and knowledge which is waiting to be utilized. It will be through the direction of the membership on and off reserve that we will build a solid foundation for our children and our future generations. Through better education, economic development, community input, our Okanagan language, culture and traditions will flourish and grow.
I am a strong supporter of youth recreation, ed-ucation and traditional teachings, you will see me at the ball and hockey tournaments supporting our athletes. You will see me at different events such as fund raisers, Christmas, graduations and celebra-tions of life.
It would be an honor for me to represent you as councilor for the Okanagan Indian Band.
In Spirit, in friendship, thank you,
Community page 6
JONATHAN C. ALEXIS My name is Jonathan Cameron Alexis. I am the son of John Tim and Mabel Alexis. I live on Westside with Jeanette Defauw and our daughter Elizabeth. I am a lifelong resident of Westside Road, other than the years I have spent getting my
education. This is my second year back home after finishing a Bachelor’s degree in Music at UBC in Vancouver. I have been giving guitar lessons in the community and learning how to raise my daughter. Through her I am learning to become part of our larger community.
Our children are the future of our nation and they need to be cared for and brought up to be strong people. I believe they need education for the pres-ent world and education of who they are and where they come from. The better educated and skilled our people become, the more we can employ our own people to manage our assets. We have a high level of education among our people, and that is a tradition that should be nourished and continued as we move further into the future.
Our resources also have to be protected and developed thoughtfully for our future. We must protect our lands and water rights for us and the next generation. We should also look at ways to create employment for our people with our resources, so that we do not have our strength and talent drained
elsewhere. I also think that our past culture and our living
arts should continue to be encouraged and explored. Both add to who we are as a people. The study of our heritage is important to add to our understanding of who we are and where we have come from. It is important to rediscover our old artifacts and tradi-tional territories to further the understanding of our relationship with the land, and to firmly establish the scope of our territories. We can gain modern rights to our lands with truths we find in our lands. Our living artists increase our profile by reaching people who would otherwise be unaware of who we are and they represent us as a vibrant living culture. With their works they help preserve our values and create a record of what our nation thinks and feels in the 21st century.
Above all I believe we should be respectful of our varying opinions, and work together for our fu-ture. I look forward to a dignified and fair election. Thank you for your time.
LINDA BONNEAU
My name is Linda Bonneau , I was born to Robert and Joyce Ross in Edmonton Alberta. I married Wil-fred Bonneau Jr. ( A.K.A. Ellie Sr.) born to Wilfred and Gladys Bonneau. 32 years ago we moved back and have lived on Westside ever sense. We have raised four boys Wilfred Jr.((A.K.A. Cory) who is raising our two grandchildren Delaney and McKayla out here), Robert, Ellie jr. And Rick. We are happy and fortunate enough to be able to stay on Westside. I have worked on and off with the O.K.I.B. Through out these years and have come to know many of you. Those that do know me know I am and always will be for band members. I plan on learning a lot of things while envisioning the future. I’m going in open heartily & with a open mind ,knowing I’m part of a team that will be creating a lasting affect for us all. I don’t know everything about politics really
so well working it will allow me an opportunity to learn new things.I’m motivated to building my skills to be assertive in a good way for the people. The transparency of the truth I speak will allow you to trust me to work for the best future of the O.K.I.B.. It would be a privileged to serve as a council mem-ber for the O.K.I.B and to be in trusted to look out for the best interest of each and every band member. At this time I am asking for your support in this new avenger I’m entering. My promise to you as band members is to listen to you and do what ever I can to help, support or just encourage you in your future.
Real-time news and updates via our Facebook page www.facebook.com/Okanaganband Posts are also shared via our website www.okib.ca
View this months Senk’lip in FULL COLOUR on our website www.okib.ca
Communitypage 7
REYNOLDS BONNEAU I am Reynolds Bonneau, I was born and raised in the Okanagan Indian Community. My wife, Mil-dred, and I have three sons as well as their spouses, our grandchildren and great grandchildren in the Okanagan Indian Community.
At this time I would respectfully like to outline a few of my concerns, in no specific order, regarding the election term, housing, land use planning, com-mittees and sovereignty.
The current Chief and Council of the Okanagan Indian Band missed the deadline to implement a four-year term for the election resulting in a default two-year term. The requirements were hosting infor-mative community meetings in regards to changes in the election process that would allow the mem-bership to determine the term length.
As I understand the present Chief and Council are cosigning loans for Band Members with the Bank of Montreal. To my knowledge the community has not voted on cosigning loans. As a Band Member I have not received any information in writing nor been informed how to access information about the process or program.
I am alarmed to believe that the present Chief and
Council cosigned a loan for a Councilor to sell his home to his son. I consider this to be morally and ethically wrong. It conveys an unfair and biased advantage to secure a sale of a home regardless of the age of the home. If the membership were grant-ed a voice, would the results have been the same? I believe that the present Chief and Council owe the membership an in-depth explanation and possibly an apology. I feel that before the Chief or a Councilor receives a cosigned loan it must be put to a member-ship vote. Will all band members be given the same opportunity to guarantee loans?
As a volunteer for the land use plan, a number of participants and community members conveyed that they do not trust Chief and Council in this process. I feel that we were being deliberately misled from the start regarding the desired goal and expected outcome. I saw the purpose of the meetings as an outlet to provide insight, suggestions, discussions and ultimately planning in regards to the use of our land. Was the only purpose a zoning bylaw? I have not received an answer at the time of writing this submission. During the meetings I had asked for copies of the workbooks(without names or other information that may identify who submitted the workbooks) and was promptly told that was confi-dential information and couldn’t be passed on to the committee members. When asked why it resulted in an ambiguous letter to me from Chief Louis. A simple solution was to have the workbooks repro-duced for the committee. Does the response given help gain trust for Chief and Council in the process? Do they have a preconceived plan in mind? I believe that this process is flawed and must be clarified and have the approval of the members of the Band in order to move forward.
The present Chief and Council have changed the total number of Councilors from three to five on all committees. The danger of having five Councilors on all committees are that five Councilors form a quorum and enables committees the ability to
control votes at Council Meetings. Why elect ten Councilors when a quorum of committees has the ability to dictate the outcome of a vote at a Council Meeting?
We say that we are a sovereign and unconquered nation but our actions do not reflect this. A number of years ago, when I was on Council, the SPCA was enforcing the removal of animals from the commu-nity. I successfully negotiated an agreement whereas no animals were removed and no charges were laid. After the resolution of the situation the band was le-gally advised that the SPCA has jurisdiction through Provincial Law in the absence of Federal Law or a Band bylaw. In order to prevent any future discrep-ancies there should be a Bylaw regarding the health and wellbeing of animals. To date no Bylaw has been passed and a Band Member has been charged and had their animal removed . We must exercise our right to self govern, be responsible for ourselves and prove that we are a sovereign nation.
In closing, if elected I would endeavor to have Chief and Council host meetings where all informa-tion would be available to the community regarding election terms, the cosigning of loans, efficient land use planning, the reduction of Council committee members and adequate Bylaws created relating to the health and well-being of our animals.
As per the word restriction, I am unable to suffi-ciently address the number of concerns that I have. Please refer to my Facebook group where I will post in-depth.
I ask for your vote in the current election. I am confident that I have the knowledge, patience, un-derstanding, and compassion as I have been elect-ed a number of times as Chief and Councilor. My previous experience allows me the necessary tools to be a proficient Councilor for this term.
Thank you for your time, consideration and your vote. Reynolds Bonneau
BARBARA (JUNE) COLEMy name is Barbara June Cole, daughter of
the late Louie & Jenny Marchand, and the proud mother of Lorrie-Rae & Bob. During my last term
for council, we made some great improvements for Personnel. Four new Division Directors joined our administration team, and already appear to be bringing added benefit to the organization. In addition to this, we were very happy to sell a few of the houses in the new subdivision, and also keeping our Accounts Receivable at a much better level. The past due amount has been decreased by over $100,000.00, in the past two years. Another project that I’m happy we finalized is the ability for our members (that qualify) to obtain a mortgage to purchase land or a house or to build a house.
In the future, I would like to see a lot more band members attend our General Band Meetings, especially the Financial Audit Meeting. At these meeting the members can ask questions regarding the expenditures for the year in whatever depart-ment they would like to query. . As stated previ-ously, I still think we should have a place for our
youth’s recreation or a gathering place for members to visit and enjoy a day out over coffee and goodies. If for any reason, you would like to contact me, you can reach me at 250-542-0041.
In closing, I would like to thank you for electing me in the past. I really enjoy sitting on council. Over the past 2-yr term, I missed only one meeting and I’m never late for a meeting, plus I make sure I read our Council Kit prior to the day of the meeting.
I once again ask for your support in the up-coming election. Therefore, don’t forget – PLACE YOUR “X” FOR BARBARA (JUNE) COLE.
Community page 8
LYLE BREWER I am a current member of Council and I hope you will vote for me on April 2nd. I’ve been on Council for the last two terms. I’m a member of the Finance, Land Management and Public Works and Housing Committees.
Education – I have a Diploma in Community Recreation Leadership from VCC (1977) and a Di-ploma in Urban Land Economics from UBC (1996).Work - I’ve served several terms as a Councillor and one term as Chief. I have worked 11 years as Band Manager and 3 years with the WFN as Lands Administration Officer and Lands Manager. I was a consultant specializing in on-reserve land manage-ment and development.
Priorities - My priorities will be similar to what they were two years ago. They will be assertion of our aboriginal title and rights, community building, organizational development, financial management, land management and community planning.
Aboriginal Title & Rights – The recent Tsilh-qot’in decision has changed the legal landscape for aboriginal title and rights. Our Council needs to
focus its efforts on developing an Okanagan Na-tion title and rights strategy. That strategy must have the full support and participation of all of the Okanagan Bands and it must cover the whole of Okanagan Territory.
Community Building –Our future generations depend on our members working together to build a solid future. Our Council has to provide unbi-ased leadership and promote harmonious relations between our members. Good decisions are always based finding the common ground and focusing discussion on what is right and not who is right.
Organizational Development – The success of our organization depends on having a strong man-agement team, setting the direction for the organi-zation and making sure it stays on track. Everyone, from our Executive Director to our front line work-ers, has to understand what is expected of them and what rules guide their work.
We have made significant progress in the last four years in upgrading our management team. We are at the point where Council can focus on long term planning and policy and bylaw development. I intend to push for a complete review of all of our existing policies, bylaws and procedures over the next two years. Community consultation has to be a part of that review.
Our policies and procedures for programs and ser-vices to our members need to be updated and made readily available to our members. Everyone should know what programs and services are available, who qualifies and how they can apply.
Financial Management - This Council has made it a priority to get our Finance Department produc-ing timely, meaningful financial statements on a regular basis. Although there is still much work to do, we are getting very close to realizing this goal.
I hope to continue my role as Finance Committee Chairman and focus on updating and implementing
policies and procedures related to financial manage-ment. My goal is that every program and project that we operate will have a five year plan, including a cash flow plan and a balanced budget.
Land Management – Our land assets are our most valuable assets next to our people. They are more valuable than our financial assets. Although good financial management is critical to the success of the Band, effective land management is more important.
I intend to focus on resolving issues related to our key parcels of Band land, such as the Swan Lake Reserve, the former Alexander Estate and the former Joe Steel Estate lands, so that we can begin develop-ing plans for them. My education and work experi-ence in on-reserve land management and develop-ment makes me well suited to providing leadership to the Council and membership in planning for the future of our various properties.
Community Planning - I believe strongly in com-munity planning. We must develop a vision for our reserves and put programs, policies and procedures in place to achieve that vision. We have to put to-gether plans that put as much emphasis on commu-nity and social development as they do on economic development.
During the next two years, I plan to focus my ef-forts on establishing long terms plans for our water systems, roads and sewer systems, our Immersion School and our community buildings, parks and recreation facilities.
My Commitment To You - If elected, I will bring a common sense approach to developing a good, solid administration that will be deserving of your confidence.
Should you wish to obtain more information about myself and my accomplishments, please visit my website at www.lylebrewer.ca.
Live on reserve and can’t vote on election day? call the electoral officer Loreen Suhr at
1-250-964-1016 or 1-855-964-1016 to receive a mail in ballot.
Communitypage 9
DUSTIN GOOD WATER Wai’ slaxlaxt, my name is Dustin Good Water, my mother is Donna Good Water and my father Bucky John. My grandfather is Johnny Bonneau and my grandmother Adeline Gottfriedson. Some people
may recognize me from my previous elections. I have chosen to run for a councilor position with OKIB. I understand the challenges our current leaders face, but I like to learn new things and hope to bring forth some fresh ideas. With the current political leadership of Canada, I have a few ideas so we can move forward while keeping our cul-tural identity. Our language is one issue that needs to be protected, along with some of our traditional knowledge. I would hope to utilize these within our current services, implement our culture within our administration i.e.: welcoming speeches, and politi-cal meetings. As with any society our youth are our future, guiding them with traditional knowledge and experience will help ensure survival of our cultural identity as Okanagan. Our history at head of the lake is often forgotten or not taught, telling our his-tory from our point of view is must to help educate people of all colors. Education is a vital issue and process for our future both in the sama education process and traditional knowledge. I believe if there
is a process of teaching our cultural knowledge it must be taught properly by our knowledge keepers. I take great pride in the history of our head of the lake tribe, learning it through both sama eyes and oral history. I always pray we become that political stronghold that head of the lake once held. My fam-ily and I strongly believe in individual rights, with these beliefs I practice man of our traditional rights; hunting, fishing, picking and hope to learn more as time goes on. There are many issues surrounding our traditional rights, so many nations sign agree-ments to limit these rights, which infringe on our culture. I understand many of these issues are above OKIB and I hope a voice will help protect cultural rights. Many of my ideas are dependent on utiliz-ing OKIB resources to the fullest. If anyone has questions about my ideas, beliefs and political ideas please feel free to contact me. Thank you for taking the time to read my bio. I look forward to the next couple years of politics.
TIM ISAAC It is an honor and privilege to have served the band over the last number of years; I look forward to serving the Band for the next two year term.
My family consist of my mother Louise Isaac, her father Alec Marchand, and his parents Long Paul and Mary (nee Lezard) Marchand. My grandmother Helen Marchand parents were Lena Lawrence and Bradley. My father Louie Isaac was raised by his Aunt and Uncle, Johnny and Nancy Isaac.
My vision is to build a stronger united community by building a trusting relationship with all members. I will always be accessible, listen to your concerns and work to find solutions.
We need to treat each other with honesty and respect because we are all family in one way or the other. There are tough decisions to be made but if they are thought out properly and fully communi-cated to the membership, transitions will be a lot smoother.
We need to remember the past, work for today
and plan for the future. This is important because it holds unknown potential and is necessary for goal setting and achieving those goals. We need to look forward and help the Future Generations achieve their dreams and goals.
We need to utilize concepts like the medicine wheel to maintain and continually readjust the bal-ance of our spiritual, emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Continual adjustments must be made in ourselves and in the businesses of OKIB. This will assist in improving wellness, accountability and transparency.
Building a community comes in planning with to hold a Traditional Gathering and to keep them tradi-tional Okanagan, so our youth can relive and carry them forward. For example: songs passed down from our elders, storytelling a tradition used to carry our beliefs to the next generation, weight lifting, foot and horse racing, etc..
We all have special gifts given to us by our Cre-ator, Koolenchuten, we must take personal pride and responsibility to understand and protect those gifts in order to preserve our culture. One way this can be done by posting place names throughout our tradi-tional territory in our language and translated into English.
Communication must always be improved; one area lacking is information coming from the Chief and Council table. The lack of proper communica-tion has negative effects on all relationships, such as business ventures, neighboring communities and band members.
The lack of Affordable Housing has created many social issues, many band members have to move off the reserve to live and find work. We must move forward with Economic Development to create jobs for all people especially the younger generation in order to create a healthy community.
My goal will be to address the immediate concern in maximizing economic development opportunities. This would be done while maintaining the cultural integrity of our people with long term aim of sover-eignty and self determination.
We must create and foster a continual Healing component for all members on and off the reserve. We are still dealing with colonization, such as the residential school implementation which tried to erase the Indian in the Indian. We need to develop an ongoing healing component which would be beneficial for every band member.
An area that needs improvement is the develop-ment of a phased in Recreation Complex to provide sports facilities for all activities from skate boarding to gymnastics for our youth. We need to properly plan to build and an Elders retirement home that will work for all our members.
We need to publicly honor our band members which would instill pride and show the milestones they achieved. This would demonstrate goal setting and achieving dreams to the whole community, and especially our youth.
I believe in order to deal with the variety of issues at the council table one needs to have not only a well-rounded knowledge of these issues but also a varied life experience.
My educational background includes University of Western Ontario in journalism, Selkirk College studying desktop publishing and photography. I also studied Business Administration at Okanagan College in Vernon and have taken numerous courses including Drug and Alcohol additions.
Thank you reviewing my write up and I ask for your vote and confidence. I would like to thank my wife, Evangeline and daughters Sophie and Delis-sa for their support in my run for OKIB councilor position. Lim limpt
March 31, 2015: Mail-in ballots must be received by the elec-toral officer.
April 2, 2015 Election Day: members may cast a vote between 9am and 8pm at the Head of the Lake Hall
Call Loreen Suhr, Electoral Officer for more information.
Community page 10
GARRETT LAWRENCE I Introduction:
Hello, my name is Garett Lawrence. I am the son of David and Bonnie Lawrence, and my grandpar-ents were Eva Oppenheimer and William Jr. Law-rence. I am 25 years old, and I have lived on our reserve my whole life. I would like to thank every-one that helped to encourage and nominate me for Band council. I have been interested in helping the community for a long time now, and I have conclud-ed that some changes would be beneficial to all.
I graduated high school and later on attended Okanagan College for my bachelors of Arts pro-gram, with a focus in Political Science and Psy-chology. It is still ongoing, and I wish to return and complete my degree in the near future. I took a break from college to pursue training and acquire certificates relating to medical first-aid and firefight-ing. I successfully completed my First Responders 3 program and continued on to attend the Justice Institute of BC’s Paramedic Academy, in Kelowna, for my Emergency Medical Responder Paramedic course, which I successfully passed and am now awaiting a date for licensing.
For the last ten years I have been a dedicated volunteer firefighter for the OKIB fire department. I really enjoy the excitement, pride and sense of accomplishment that comes with it. I have done all of the basic training and have done some advanced training as well. My time as a firefighter has been a rewarding experience, and I have gained valuable insight into the workings of the Fire Protection Services. I have recognized the fact that our Fire Department needs to become certified in order for the insurance rates of our band houses and build-ings to decrease to a level comparable to that of a community with full fire protection coverage. I have researched the necessary requirements needed for our fire department to become recognized and certi-fied, and if elected, I will work diligently to try and make this happen.
Education: One of the most important things in life is edu-
cation. I think this should be one of the chief and council’s primary goals. Funding for the college stu-dents is limited at 850.00 for a monthly allowance, and it is not enough. It makes it hard for students to afford anything else. The Immersion school can benefit from more funding and more support staff. All levels of schooling should receive more support from our band. We should offer more recognition for accomplishments, which can mean the difference between failure and success. To recognize a stu-dent’s excellence in all levels of school must also be a priority. We should award money for good grades and advancement. We need to put a real effort into extra help for the under-achievers that need it in school, so that they can also succeed.
Restorative Justice Program: When a youth gets into trouble at a young age
they will go through the court system and receive a criminal record that will follow them for the rest of their lives. However, young people often make mistakes and often regret doing it. The Restorative Justice Program will give the youth a chance to
divert themselves from the court system, allowing the consequences to be met out in the community by a committee of people with backgrounds relating to law, government, common sense, or justice. The youth would find themselves with another chance and not have to burden the court or jail system with another First Nation’s person that shouldn’t be in it. I would personally want to help, and make it a priority of mine, to show support from our band for anyone that may need it. This program has proven to work within other communities, and I understand that funding is available should we want it to be implemented here, on our reserve.
Economic Development: In order for our band to move forward into the
21st century, we need to focus on becoming more self-sufficient. We have thousands of acreage that is not in use. For example, some of this land is located at Swan Lake, which is a prime spot for develop-ment. It is close to town and is on a major highway. We want to show people that the band is open for business. An RV park and a truck stop would be a great start and would generate revenue and jobs for our people. We also have highway frontage and railway trackage at O’Keefe station, which could be utilized as an industrial park. Hiring professional consultants to research what would generate the most income is also a good idea.
Conclusion: I thank each and every one of you in advance for
supporting me. My great passion, that is helping others, continues to be a driving force within my life, and I will endeavour to pursue this cause by acting with wisdom, honesty, integrity, and diligence during my time on council. Together we can change this place for the better. Please feel free to email, text or call me any time, any day. Lim’ Limpt.
Cell 250-558-9238 Home 250-542-1243 E-mail [email protected]
WEBSITE COMING SOON
ALLAN B. LOUISWay! (Hello!)AcknowledgementsOnce again, I am privileged to be nominated for
another Council term for the Okanagan Indian Band. This current Council term has brought positive changes and expanded growth for the Okanagan
Indian Band and with your trust I will continue to move forward with the objectives and vision articu-lated by the Band Membership.
I like to thank the membership for your continual support and your belief in me to have your voice heard.
About meI belong to a blended family with four wonderful
children and four loving grandchildren. As well a proud member of the Okanagan Indian Band, I have spent my adult life committed to the betterment of my community. During the six terms I have spent as a band councillor of the OKIB, I have maintained a focus on ideas and initiatives meant to benefit the membership. As a strong supporter of Round Lake Treatment Centre, I have spent five terms as a member of the board of directors. Our board has worked hard to increase the local and national profile of RLTC because we recognize that “Culture is Treatment,” and the best way for First Nations people to become healthy again is to take a holistic approach utilizing traditional practices and modern techniques. I bring this same strategy to the table as OKIB Council Chair of the Health and Social
Development Committee.I recognize that education is the only way for peo-
ple to better their lives and as Co-Chair of the Ab-original Education Committee for School District 22 and a member of School District 23, I advocate for more inclusive education policies that recognize not only First Nations` interests but also First Nations` challenges with the current education model.
As a First Nations person, I feel that my connec-tion to the land is vital to my understanding of my people and myself and I`m proud to be a member of the Lands Committee. I look forward to engaging my community via the Okanagan Indian Band Land Use Plan, which will serve as a ``living document`` to future generations.
Commitment • Sovereignty and Rights• Cultural and Language • Fiscal responsibility.• Health, Housing, and Education • Economic development I seek your continued support on April 2, 2015
OKIB General Election Day.Lim limpt (Thank you.)
Have a story you want to share with the community? Submit it to Senk’lip! [email protected]
250-542-4328
Communitypage 11
CECILIA LOUISCecelia Louis is a hardworking life long commu-
nity member. She brings a wealth of experience in working with the Aboriginal community. She has worked tirelessly in her lengthy career at Round Lake Treatment Centre helping people with infor-mation and support when they first walk through the door to a life changing experience. Cecilia is well-known as a result and she is highly regarded
A caring attitude and a common sense of approach to life, Cecilia brings a compassionate approach to prolem solving and she ensures that things get done. Her commitment to family, a long career and to her community are evident.
Cecilia continues to work for Aboriginal agencies in the North Okanagan in a helping profession. She enjoys working with people and more importantly she enjoys helping people. She brings the best she
has to any job and goes above and beyond. Please support Cecelia in her first time bid for a seat on Band Council, she will be a great representative. Cecilia Louis is supported by her husband Charlie and her children in seeking a seat to represent the Okanagan Indian Band. Please mark and X beside Cecelia Louis when you cast your vote.
COOLA LOUIS Way’ my name is Coola Louis and on April 2, 2015, I am seeking your support for re-election as Okana-gan Indian Band Councilor.
I am the mother of an intelligent, caring and patient son, Nahko Selhwa Magpie, 10. I am the daughter of Brenda Gail Louis & Poncho (Larry) Kenoras. I am the grand-daughter of Mike Louis & Edna Louis (nee Joseph), Mildred Smith (nee Kenoras) & the late Larry Pierre. I am the great grand-daughter of Ben Louis & Rosie Louis (nee Gottfriedson) and Sammy Joseph & Angelique Joseph (nee Celesta).
ExperienceOkanagan Indian Band, Councilor: 2009-present
Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Women’s Representa-tive: 2010-present Business Adminstration, Manage-
ment-Okanagan CollegeCommittees/Working GroupsOKIB: Education, Territorial Stewardship, Oper-
ations, Lands & Housing, Economic Development, Finance
Nation: Natural Resource CommitteeUBCIC: Missing and Murdered Women’s Coali-
tion, Missing and Murdered Women’s Legal Strate-gy Working Group
External: SD#22 Aboriginal Education Committee
4 areas that I believe would benefit our member-ship
TeamworkBalanceFocus/AccountabilityCommunication.Each of these areas are equally important and in-
terconnected. In the last term Chief and Council was committed to developing a comprehensive strategic plan. Through this process we identified our prior-ities and values built up on our inherent rights and title. In the next term we will need to apply the same commitment to implementing this strategic plan.
The success of a Strategic Plan is relative to a) your support and b) having a fiscally stable plan that balances revenue inputs with strategic opera-tional outputs.
I look forward to working with Chief and Council to create a safe and healthy space for our member-ship to have input and ownership of any plans going forward..
Most departments have undergone a strategic planning process. Of those that remain, Education is
most important. In the last few years we have faced many challenges while building our organisational structure, as result, the need has never been greater to develop a plan that reflects the diverse and unique needs of our students at each stage of learning. In the next few years i commit to work with Chief and Council to ensure we develop a plan for life long learning that includes our language and culture.
To achieve these ambitious goals will require strengthening connections and building partner-ships. More importantly it will require continuous feedback from membership both on and off reserve. Chief and Council will need your support and assistance to identify the most effective way to do that. We are at an important junction where it is necessary to connect with one another in the design of our future.
Communication is vital as we move into some very important decisions over the next term. We need to make sure that we make every attempt to have the voice of our membership reflected in each of those decisions. Expanding our knowledge and use of technology as a means of reaching all member-ship both on and off reserve, must be a part of that effort. I look forward working with other members of council to explore all avenues available to us to ensure we provide the opportunity for informed decisons.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss your vi-sion of the next two years.
Coola LouisPhone (250) 306-6191Email: [email protected]: Coola Louis
DIANE LOUISDiane F. Louis (nee Simla) Diane Louis was first elected to Council in the year 2009 for 3 consecutive terms, while standing firmly on issues of Title and Right, protection of lands and resources’, watershed protection, land claims, education, health and social development, as this is our inherent right to protect and sustain for those us
as Okanagan’s who are here and those who have not yet arrived. Diane was previously employed with the BC Native Court Workers Association 1976-2006 in the Okana-gan Valley (Salmon Arm- US Border), where she has always left good tracks with the communities, the people, the nation where she has always treated everyone with honor and respect.Diane was born and raised at Rope Ranch (Okana-gan Reserve) by grandparents, aunts, and uncles; this unique family setting has blessed her with knowledge of “who I am and where I come from.” Diane further adds “I have also inherited the Okana-gan language, history, values, hard work and pride that makes us Okanagan. I hold these values, I prac-tice these values and I pass these values onto my children, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews as our ancestors before did.”Family Lineage: Mother: Gladys Bonneau (nee Simla) Father: the late Ted Gottfriedson, Maternal Grandparents: Alex and Rose Simla Paternal Grandparents: Frank and Emma Gottfried-son.Also married to Wally Louis of 55 years and togeth-
er have shared and loved 3 beautiful children and 4 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.In closing, “If I’ve learned one thing in my past terms as a member of Chief and Council is we must be committed to come together as a team and to work as team, along with this commitment and hard work will be the way we can sustain our Nation.” I ask for your support in my bid for election for Councillor of the Okanagan Indian Band, I will commit and continue to work with honor, integrity and a respectful team environment in the best inter-est of all Membership.Wai Lim Limpt Diane F. Louis, nee Simla
Education: Kamloops Residential School. Grade 12 (GED,) Addictions Certificate, Okanagan University
Working Commitee: Education Finance Health and Social Devel-opment External: First Nations Education Steering Commit-tee.
Community
SHELDON PIERRE LOUISWay̓ x̌ast sx̌əlx̌ʕa̓lt iskʷist Sheldon Pierre Louis,
son of Jerry Louis and Debbie Louis, grandson of Ned Louis and Irene Louis (McDougall). I was raised at sənƛ̓uxuxtan Six Mile Creek area. I thank all who have supported me in my transition into a mentor-ship role as an artist which has lead me to come a young leader in our community, it is through my work as an artist that I have reconnected to our culture and have now began my path as a teacher and role model. Through my artwork and numerous
arts groups, I have learned to work with and uplift our youth by showing them the the possibilities and changes they can create within their community. I have found inspiration in my mentor roles and this has led to my sobriety, in this I have strengthened my beliefs in our traditional ways and have gained a new perspective of what a leader must become. I am humbled to be recognized as a leader in our com-munity. Limpt limpt for the nomination for council-or.
Growing up I learned about true leadership through my time spent with my Poppa Ned, he once told me, “Real change does not come from the government it comes from the people.” those words have stuck with me for years. I believe that the change we the younger generations want to see in our community is in our hands, it is time we voice our concerns and back those concerns with action and conviction.
With our lands and water ways being threatened by the governments economic developments I feel now is the time that our people fight for and assert our rights as Syilx People. We cannot return to all of the old ways of our ancestors, but we can still think like them, we can still fight for our young ones as the Elders fought for us. I understand that we must build an economic foundation for our people to be able to provide for the community, but I also believe
that without our culture and traditional values and beliefs being strengthened we will continue to re-peat our past and be unable to reach our potential as a People. My aim is to create business opportunities that will help us to move towards decolonization and self sufficiency, as well as respect our ways and revive our culture.
I often hear that the younger generations are not involved in the decisions of our Bands future, I believe that it is time our generation begins to learn and be groomed in the leadership roles. With the outside world changing and our youth becoming more educated, it is time for new views and new direction within our leadership. I feel that there is much to learn but given the opportunity to be men-tored by our leaders who have held these positions over the years, it will help me to become a leader who can carry our people into a new era. I don’t believe that our communities should be kept in the dark. I believe that leadership should be transpar-ent and accountable to the membership, as it is the members who hold the true rights of our people.
Limpt limpt for your consideration,Sheldon Pierre Louis
RAYMOND MARCHANDRay was born and raised in the reserve commu-
nity. He is the youngest son, and youngest child of Agnes and Joe Marchand (both deceased). He was one of the lucky ones who was brought up with
his language and history of the people. Ray is a proud father of a daughter, Farren, and a very proud Grandfather of wonderful 2nd grader, Torval. Ray continues to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, yoga, Council work and especially spending time with Torval.
When Ray was elected to the Okanagan Indian Band Council a few terms back, his commitment was then, and remains, to be as fair and forward thinking for the membership, as a whole, in regard to the many issues that we are faced with each day. While Ray has served on most of the Commit-tee’s, his interests lean towards our title, rights and responsibilities of our territory, lands and resources, and economic development. His commitment is in our taking ownership and having full jurisdiction in our territory which will provide security for us all now and in the future. Brown’s Creek remains a huge issue which he has supported from the onset.
It would have been good for all of the syilx to work together in this but it this has not always been the case. Therefore, considering legalities, costs and
other issues, the past and current Chiefs and Coun-cilors have had to make difficult decisions. More recently, the CN rail corridor must be addressed and that land must be put back into our hands. There are many issues that are ongoing. Work on the Commu-nity Comprehensive Plan can help us move ahead on health, education, land use, economic develop-ment and other areas of our lives’. Improvements, success, and many positive changes are possible. It is important to live and enjoy today, to consider our children, youth and all of the membership of today, but keep moving forward for the generations to be.
Whatever you do – VOTE.When you vote for Raymond Joseph Marchand,
you vote for fairness, equitable treatment, someone knowledgeable about your community and issues, and someone who is thinking ahead for the security of the membership for all time.
limlimt
GUY ROBINSway̓ x̌ast sx̌əlx̌ʕált ! iskʷíst Guy Robins, son of
Ranger and Donna Robins, and grandparents Johnny Robins and Harriet McDougall, as well as Henry Swakum and Seraphine Swakum. I am married to
Nikki Derickson, and we are blessed with five boys. I would like to start by saying Lim limpt for nomi-nating me for a council position for our Okanagan Indian Band election of 2015. It is an honor to be nominated among past and current leaders of our band. I am a proud Okanagan man raised in the Duck Lake area known as IR7. As a child I studied our lands every day while riding horses and envi-sioning the future growth of our community. During those years I would anticipate the OKIB monthly newsletter ‘Senklip’ to inform myself of what our leaders at that time were accomplishing, to look at the pictures of my relatives, and most importantly to strengthen my connection to our community.
Growing up, I had never envisioned a passion for politics or business. However, as my darkened jour-ney enlightened, my entire career has evolved upon political decisions and business ventures that are changing Aboriginal communities all over Canada. Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to be mentored by Grand Chief Ron Derrickson
of Westbank First Nation. I walked into his office determined to learn all about business and economic land development both on and off reserve. My life changed that day. I have been taught how to put an idea into honest action, and to construct ventures of benefit to our native communities throughout Canada. My mentor has given me the privilege to explore Turtle Island, visit many communities and chiefs throughout Canada, and learn how they are becoming self-sufficient. I absorb, cherish and respect all of the information that has been afforded to me by leaders and members of various bands. When I was younger, all of my teachers told me that I have what it takes to be a leader. I never believed them until I started to learn our history. For many years I was blind to my own gifts, until Mr. Derrick-son opened my eyes and heart to become a leader for our Nation.
Often it has been discussed of the younger gen-erations needing to step up and learn how to guide our community to success, and to start making a
page 12
difference under the Seventh Generations concept of protecting our future and our rights. My goal in life today is to put ideas into positive action for the benefit of our community. What I bring to the political seat of the Okanagan Indian Band are fresh ideas, networking, political leaders, as well as a very large team of International Investors from all over the world with a strong vision of employment and housing for our members. But most of all, I bring passion and dedication to guide us to success. I
admit, that there is a lot to learn, a lot of trust to be gained within our own community as well as with our traditional territory alliances, and a lot work to be done for which I am more than ready to start making a difference. I want to hear from the entire community on: what needs to be done, what needs to change, and what is the membership’s perspec-tive/vision of our future. I will be the councillor that is dedicated to meet and speak with our membership on any given day. I promise to pro-actively address
any issues to enable and provide our membership with a voice.
In closing, the Okanagan Indian Band’s future is amazingly bright with mass amounts of potential to set the precedent to become our country’s template to self-sufficient success. Let us walk side by side, arm in arm on our land which is beautiful, to prove to the world that we are the next big success story.
Communitypage 13
Guy robins cont...
RUSSELL WILLIAMS
I’m pleased to be nominated to Okanagan Band Council for the coming two year term. I’d like to thank Raymond Marchand and Lucy Louis for nom-inating me.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am the son of Harold Williams and Rosie (Bonneau) Williams. My name will appear as “Harold Russell Williams” on the ballot, however, everyone knows me as Russell. I have lived on the Okanagan Reserve my whole life and was born and raised Okanagan. I have one son and one daughter. I have six beautiful grandchildren. I am a former cattle rancher and still keep a few horses. I enjoy dancing, music and hunt-ing cougars with my cougar hound. But the thing I enjoy most is spending time with my grandchildren.
I have been a member of the Band Council for twenty something years off and on. I have a thor-ough knowledge of the Band’s operations. I’m a
strong believer in Council, taking the time to listen to all opinions and doing what is fair and right. I will bring some good, old-fashioned common sense to the table. I believe strongly that you can’t spend what you don’t have. I also believe that you’d better do what you can to protect and build upon what you do have.
For those of you who would like to contact me, I can be reached at (250) 549-4763. Thank you for taking the time to read my profile. I hope I can look forward to your support.
Harold Russell Williams Candidate for Council
DANIEL ANTHONY WILSON See page 5 for bio
LELAND WILSON
Leland Wilson, 52 years old, born and raised on the Okanagan Indian Band. I am the eldest son of Edmund and Dorothy Wilson (nee Gabriel) and married to Ramona Louis, from Similkameen. For most of my life I have been employed in the forest industry, manufacturing, truck driving and heavy machine operations. During the last two years I have enjoyed being on Council with Chief Byron Louis and the present council and we have all worked very hard toward economic independence for our band. We have initiated many good projects and I would like to have an opportunity to continue working on them for the next two years. We strive to do things for the benefit of all band members and we listen to all sides before making a decision. This was my first time on Council and it has been an educational and rewarding experience for me. I could promise the world, but it’s not in me to be unrealistic, but I
will do my best to work hard for all members in a professional and fair manner. Thank you for your support and consideration to re-elect me for Coun-cil.
PATRICIA WILSON
I am pleased to let my name stand for a position on Band Council. I would like to thank those who nominated me, and who endorse my interest in rep-resenting the Okanagan Indian Band.
I have served on Band Council previously and have been mentored by the late Elder Tim Alexis, who guided my way by sharing time and offering his sage advice. Sharing ways to do things in a good way, and being mindful of the best interests of the Okanagan Indian Band as a collective is how I was raised.
I currently working the capacity of Executive Director for a non-for-profit society, a job that I am enjoying very much. Having worked extensively for Aboriginal peoples in various capacities, it contin-ues to be my lifelong interest. I wish all the candi-dates the best in the upcoming election and seek to serve the community in the next two years. It would
be wonderful to have your support by marking your X by my name on election day. I encourage every-one to come out and vote.
Community PAGE 14
WILLIAM WILSONLim limt! to those who nominated me, I am
seeking support from our community members for
Council in our upcoming band elections.My parents are William V. Wilson and Catherine
Jean Wilson both members of the Okanagan Indian Band. I was born and raised within the community and I am currently married to my wife Judy Wilson, and have two daughters, Maria and Hannah, and we have been blessed with our first grandson Quinn.
I previously served two terms as Councillor, and I am confident that I have the necessary skills to fulfill the role of Council. The experience serving our community has provided me insight, diplomacy and leadership which will support me to effectu-ally represent our community and stay true to the mandate of the People. I reaffirm my commitment to protect our sovereignty to our lands, our resources and the pursuit of a sustainable path to responsible economic development. Any decisions that may affect our Title and Rights must be transparent and accountable to our People which I firmly believe is
the key responsibility of leadership.Integral to our community is. High quality educa-
tion, language and culture. Where each play a criti-cal role in identity and self esteem for our children and to build a solid foundation for our community and nation.
For the overall betterment of our community, I am committed to being a positive part of the change for a healthy prosperous future for our children today and those yet to come. I am appreciative for your support, trust and confidence. On Election Day, I ask for your vote and support so that I can do the good work for our members of the Okanagan Indian Band.
Sincerely.William R. Wilson
COUNCIL BIOS WERE NOT RECEIVED FOR PRESS TIME FROM: MOLLIE BONO VALERIE CHIBA AND MAUREEN ZIPRICK SEE LIST OF CANDIDATES
Communitypage 15
Official List of OKIB CandidatesBelow is the official list of candidates as provided by Electoral Officer Loreen Suhr
NEED COMPUTER ACCESS TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT?
Got computer problems?
- Write or update your resume- Search local and national job boards- Start or maintain and EI claim
Visit the lower level of the Health and Social Devel-opment department to sign up!
Contact Glenda Louis at the Health and Social Development Department 250-542-5094 for more information
UXO Program:
A reminder that the Department of National Defence and the Department of Construction Canada and Notra Inc., will be on Goose Lake Range from March 03-2015 to March 20th 2015.
Notra Inc. the contractor for DNN\DCC will be sampling ar-eas near Goose Lake. Notra will be doing an electromagnet-ic sweep of the area. This is to map out suspected UXO that lay beneath the surface. There will be no digging at this time.
If you have any questions please call me at 250-542-3444 or email me at [email protected],Don Louis
Unexploded ordnance (or UXOs/UXBs, sometimes acronymized as UO) are explosive weapons (bombs, shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, etc.) that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded.
Education PAGE 16
Changes announced to Post Secondary fundingNotice of AANDC National Guideline Chang-es Effective Immediately to Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSP) / University College Entrance Preparation Program (UCEP)
What is the Post-Secondary Student Support Program?This is funding that OKIB receives from Ab-original Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) to support individual stu-dents to attend Post-Secondary.
The new guideline changes are as follows:- University College Entrance Preparation Pro-gram will no longer be funded as of 2016-2017.Eligible Expenditure Changes
- The actual cost of tuition and other compul-sory student fees. Applications and assessment fees are not eligible expenditures. - Books and required supplies, officially listed as required by the post-secondary institution (to a maximum of $2000/year) - Full-time students only, the actual cost of one return trip to the student’s permanent place of residence from the nearest Canadian PSE insti-tution that offers the program of studies selected by the student, every 16 weeks (not more than two trips per academic year).- Funding for an individual student cannot ex-ceed $35,000 (per school year) which consists of their tuition, books and supplies, travel, and training allowance.
- Incentives will be available to a maximum of five percent of the PSSSP-funded student population which would currently be 2 students for OKIB.
On Tuesday April 28th there will be an opportunity for Band members to attend a meeting regarding the new National Guideline changes and dis-cuss the current policies. Please watch for emails and the OKIB Facebook and website for further in-formation on this meeting.
ROUND LAKE TREATMENT CENTRE
2015 SCHOLARSHIPS Applications are invited from outstanding First Nations students with an interest in the field of addiction to pursue post-secondary opportunities. The Fund has been established to recognize the career and public service contributions of addictions workers. Scholarships are available to assist First Nations students whose permanent address is in British Columbia and who are accepted or registered in a course of studies at an accredited post-secondary institution. TWO Scholarships of $500.00 each for one year shall be offered.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
See our website for details and to download an Application Form: www.roundlaketreatmentcentre.ca
Email applications to: [email protected] or fax 250-546-3227
The following persons are eligible to apply for a scholarship: 1. Persons registered at a post-secondary educational institution, and undertaking
either full time or part time course of studies directly related to the field of addictions (i.e., social worker, human support worker, addictions counsellor, psychologist).
2. Permanent residents of British Columbia. 3. Of First Nations ancestry.
1. Any application for a scholarship must be submitted on the approved form to the Round Lake Alcohol & Drug Treatment Society, 200 Emery Louis Road, Armstrong, BC, V0E 1B5.
2. To be considered, each application must be accompanied by confirmation from an accredited post-secondary institution where the applicant is a registered student.
3. To be considered, applicants must submit as part of their application a resumé or curriculum vitae and a statement in 500 words or less that demonstrates their desire to pursue a career in the addictions field and how their studies will support that goal.
4. Applications must be submitted not later than 4:30 pm on September 30th with notification to the successful candidate being given by the Society by October 31st in a given year.
OKIB Homework Club Open Parents are invites to bring their children to OKIB Homework Club, which runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 - 6:30pm in two lo-cations:
Head of the Lake Hall and
OKIB Education Training Centre (6mile)
Open to all OKIB Students gr 1-12 Math, English, Science and Socials Courses
No Cost
Don’t wait until you’ve fallen behind to ask for help!
Call Principal Mark Flinsky @250-260-3616 for more info
These practical tips on goal setting can help make it easier to set and reach goals:
1. Specific, realistic goals work best. When it comes to making a change, the people who succeed are those who set re-alistic, specific goals. “I’m going to recycle all my plastic bottles, soda cans, and mag-azines” is a much more doable goal than “I’m going to do more for the environment.” And that makes it easier to stick with.2. It takes time for a change to become an established habit. It will probably take a couple of months before any changes — like getting up half an hour early to exercise — become a routine part of your life. That’s
because your brain needs time to get used to the idea that this new thing you’re doing is part of your regular routine.3. Repeating a goal makes it stick. Say your goal out loud each morning to remind yourself of what you want and what you’re working for. (Writing it down works too.) Every time you remind yourself of your goal, you’re training your brain to make it happen.4. Pleasing other people doesn’t work. The key to making any change is to find the desire within yourself — you have to do it because you want it, not because a girl-friend, boyfriend, coach, parent, or some-one else wants you to. It will be harder to
stay on track and motivated if you’re doing something out of obligation to another per-son.5. Roadblocks don’t mean failure. Slip-ups are actually part of the learning pro-cess as you retrain your brain into a new way of thinking. It may take a few tries to reach a goal. But that’s OK — it’s normal to mess up or give up a few times when trying to make a change. So remember that everyone slips up and don’t beat yourself up about it. Just remind yourself to get back on track.
© 1995- 2015 . The Nemours Foundation/Kid-sHealth®. Reprinted with permission.
5 Facts About Goal Setting everyone should know..
Educationpage 17
Six Steps to Smarter Studying: Tips for elementary students and college kids
How did you learn how to ride your bike? Some-one probably gave you a few lessons and then you practiced a lot. You can learn how to study in much the same way. No one is born knowing how to study. You need to learn a few study skills and then practice them.
Why work on your study skills? It will make it easier for you to learn and do well in class, especial-ly as you move up to middle school and high school.
Here are six steps to smarter studying:Pay attention in class.Take good notes.Plan ahead for tests and projects.Break it down. (If you have a bunch of
stuff to learn, break it into smaller chunks.)Ask for help if you get stuck.Get a good night’s sleep!
1. Pay Attention: Good Studying Starts in Class
Here’s a riddle for you: Did you know that before you even begin studying, you’ve already started? Huh? Here’s what we mean. When you pay attention in class and take good notes, you are starting the process of learning and studying.
Do you have trouble paying attention in class? Are you sitting next to a loud person? Is it hard to see the board? Make sure you’re sitting in a good seat that lets you pay attention. Tell your teacher or parents about any problems that are preventing you from paying attention and taking good notes.
2. Good Notes = Easier StudyingNot sure how to take notes? Start by writing down
facts that your teacher mentions or writes on the board during class. Try your best to use good hand-writing so you can read your notes later. It’s also a good idea to keep your notes, quizzes, and papers organized by subject.
3. Plan Ahead and You’ll Be Glad You Did
Waiting until Thursday night to study for Friday’s test will make for a homework night that’s no fun! It also makes it hard to do your best. We’re all guilty of putting things off sometimes. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn’t happen is to plan ahead.
Ask for a cool calendar (something you like and can keep by your desk or study area) and write down your test and assignment due dates. You can
then plan how much to do after school each day, and how much time to spend on each topic. Are lessons or extracurricular activities making it hard to find time to study? Ask your mom or dad how to make a schedule of what to do when.
4. Break It Up!When there’s a lot to study, it can help to break
things into chunks. Let’s say you have a test on 20 spelling words. Instead of thinking about all of the words at once, try breaking them down into five-word chunks and working on one or two different chunks each night.
Don’t worry if you can’t remember something on the first try. That’s where practice comes in. The more days you spend reviewing something, the more likely it is to stick in your brain. There are also tricks called mnemonic (say: new-MON-ik)
devices that can help you remember stuff. When you’re trying to memorize a list of things, make up a phrase that uses the first letter of each. For ex-ample, are you trying to learn the eight planets and their order from the sun? Think: My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos to remember Mercu-ry, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Your teacher can give you ideas, too.
Another way to break it up is to study regularly in-stead of just the night before. You can always review your notes and read over the chapters you’re working on. Or, if you’re studying math or science, do some practice problems.
How much studying should you do each night? Your teacher can help you figure it out. Most brains can only pay attention for about 45 minutes. So if you’ve been working for a while and find it hard to pay attention, try tak-ing a break for some water or a walk around the house. Just fight the temptation to turn on the TV or stop working!
5. Lose the Confusion — Ask for HelpYou can’t study effectively if you don’t
understand the material. Be sure to ask your teacher for help if you’re confused about something. You can check yourself by reading through your notes. Does it all make sense? If not, ask your teach-er to go over it with you. If you’re at home when the confusion occurs, your mom or dad might be able to help.
6. Sleep Tight!So the test is tomorrow and you’ve followed your
study plan — but suddenly you can’t remember any-thing, not even 2+2! Don’t panic. Your brain needs time to digest all the information you’ve given it. Try to get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be sur-prised by what comes back to you in the morning.
© 1995- 2015 . The Nemours Foundation/Kid-sHealth®. Reprinted with permission.
Did you know that 25% of public schools report that bullying among kids happens on a daily or weekly basis? And that 1 in 5 high school students report being bullied in the past year?
The good news is that because bul-lying has made national headlines, schools and communities (and even celebrities) are taking a strong stand against bullying.
You can do your part at home, too. Here are 5 smart strategies to keep kids from becoming targets — and stop bullying that has already start-ed:
Talk about it. Talk about bullying with your kids and have other family members share their experiences. If one of your kids opens up about be-ing bullied, praise him or her for be-ing brave enough to discuss it and offer unconditional support. Consult with the school to learn its policies and find out how staff and teachers can address the situation.Remove the bait. If it’s lunch money or gadgets that the school bully is after, you can help neutralize the sit-uation by encouraging your child to pack a lunch or go to school gad-get-free.Buddy up for safety. Two or more friends standing at their lockers are less likely to be picked on than a child who is all alone. Remind your
child to use the buddy system when on the school bus, in the bathroom, or wherever bullies may lurk.Keep calm and carry on. If a bul-ly strikes, a kid’s best defense may be to remain calm, ignore hurtful remarks, tell the bully to stop, and simply walk away. Bullies thrive on hurting others. A child who isn’t eas-ily ruffled has a better chance of staying off a bully’s radar.Don’t try to fight the battle yourself. Sometimes talking to a bully’s par-ents can be constructive, but it’s generally best to do so in a setting where a school official, such as a counselor, can mediate.
© 1995- 2015 . The Nemours Foundation/Kid-sHealth®. Reprinted with permission.
Five ways to bullyproof your kids: a guide for parents
Health and Social Development PAGE 18
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday2 3 4 5 6 7
Family Skating 10 - 4 Nurse Practitioner TB Testing - Sharon Youth EntrepreneurNorval Centre-Armstrong Renee Genaille-Wellness Counsellor Workshop 10-312:30-2:30
Walk/Run HOL
Wellbriety New Horizons 6:30 p.m.
TB Testing - Sharon Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.mBall Hockey-HOL Hall 4:00 - 5:00
S/A Intake S/A Intake Kwu Xast - HOL Hall 4:00 - 5: S/A Intake
8 9 10 11 12 13 14Family Skating 10 - 4 Nurse Practitioner Womens Wellness Group
Norval Centre-Armstrong
12:30-2:30 TB Testing - Sharon TB Testing - Sharon
Walk/Run HOL S/A Intake S/A Intake Renee Genaille-Wellness CounselloS/A Intake
NMH 10:00 Wellbriety New Horizons 6:30 p.m.
Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.mArchery / Volleyball Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.mBall Hockey-HOL Hall 4:00 - 5:00
Chair Yoga HOL 7-8 p.m Drumming (New Horizons 7:00 Kwu Xast - HOL Hall 4:00 - 5: 6-8:30 Wellbriety
15 16 17 18 19 20 21Family Skating 10 - 4 Nurse Practitioner TB Testing - Sharon GFB-HOL Womens Wellness Group
Norval Centre-Armstrong TB Testing - Sharon Renee Genaille-Wellness Counsell Foot Care Clinic
12:30-2:30 Navigating Mainstream Health 10:00
Walk/Run HOL S/A Intake S/A Intake S/A Intake
OPEN HOUSE
Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.m Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.m6-8:30 Wellbriety
Chair Yoga HOL 7-8 p.m Wellbriety New Horizons 6:30 p.m.
22 23 24 25 26 27 28Family Skating 10 - 4 Nurse Practitioner Connect Hearing Clinic 1:00-4 Womens Wellness Group
Norval Centre-Armstrong TB Testing - Sharon TB Testing - Sharon
12:30-2:30 Renee Genaille-Wellness Counsellor
Walk/Run HOL S/A Intake S/A Intake Wellbriety New Horizons 6:30 p.m.
Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.m Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.m
Chair Yoga HOL 7-8 p.m
29 30 30 31
10 - 4 Nurse Practitioner TB Testing - Sharon
TB Testing - Sharon Renee Genaille-Wellness Counsellor
Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.mNavigating Mainstream Health 10:00
Chair Yoga HOL 7-8 p.m Grief Workshop 8-4:30 HOL
Kickboxing HOL 5:45-6:45 p.m
Kwu Xast - HOL Hall 4:00 - 5:30
Holiday Health Social Development Community Event Youth Activity Adult Activity
MARCH. 20151
28 31
Calendar of Events
“I love my new baby. So, why am I sad?” Read more to find outI have a newborn who I love more than life
itself! My daughter is the joy of my life. Still, I feel sad sometimes, and I’m not sure why. What’s wrong with me?- Lyda
The transition from pregnancy to parenthood is a major life adjustment — both physical-ly and emotionally. During your baby’s first few days of life, it’s normal to feel emotional highs and lows, something commonly re-ferred to as the “baby blues.”
With the baby blues, you might feel happy one minute and tearful or overwhelmed the next. You might find yourself feeling angry, sad, irritable, or discouraged. Feeling this way doesn’t mean that you’re a “bad” mother or that you don’t love your baby.
These mood swings are believed to be caused by hormone changes that occur in a woman’s body after she gives birth. Levels of estrogen and progesterone needed during pregnancy suddenly drop, causing shifts in mood. Other factors — like fatigue and sleep deprivation, for example — also can contrib-ute to these feelings.
Fortunately, the baby blues usually only last for a few days or weeks, and typically resolve on their own without medical treatment.
If you have a case of the baby blues, try to take care of yourself as much as possible. Eat a healthy diet and get as much rest as you can, especially since exhaustion and sleep deprivation can reinforce and fuel feelings of sadness.
Here are some other things that can help you feel better:
Accept help, especially in the first days and weeks after labor and delivery.Let family and friends help with errands,
food shopping, household chores, or child-care.Let someone prepare a meal or watch your
baby while you relax with a shower, bath, or a nap.Get plenty of rest and eat nutritious foods.Talk to loved ones or other new mothers who
can help you feel supported and remind you that you’re not alone.If the baby blues last longer than a week or
two, or if symptoms become worse, talk to your doctor to discuss whether postpartum depression may be the cause of your emotion-al lows.
To learn more about programs and services offered at the Health Center contact 250-542-5094
Snc’c’amala?tnpage 19
From the ManagerLorraine Ladan
ClosuresSpring Break for School (including Preschool and Kindergarten) - March 23 to 27 The daycare will be open during Spring Break.Good Friday - April 3Easter Monday - April 6
School AssessmentThe Steering Committee met on January 29 and February 26.
Our school mentor, Brenda Humchitt, visit-ed the school on February 23. She reviewed the work we completed and provided us with valuable feedback. Most of the work has now been done to develop a School Growth Plan. The School Growth Plan outlines our school direction for the next 3 to 5 years. Through con-sultation and feedback from staff, parents and students, we are informed of our strengths and areas for growth. From this we will establish school goals and strategies that address these goals.
If you have any questions, you may contact Mark Flinsky at 250-260-3616 or me at 250-545-3800.
Dental DayThe next Precious Smiles Dental Day will be held at Snc’c’amala?tn on March 3. OKIB Health Nurse Sharon Cullen will be here along with the dental staff from Interior Health. You can contract Sharon Cullen at 250-542-5094 if you would like more information.
Kindergarten and Spring ConcertThe Kindergarten students will be performing at the Band School Spring Concert on Saturday, March 14. The concert will be held at the Ver-
non Performing Arts Centre. Be sure to mark this important date on your calendar.
Infant/ToddlerHappy Birthday to Elizabeth, Gunner and ReeseElizabeth turns 3 and will be moving over to the 3-5 program this month.A so long to our friend Shihiya as she left the center in the middle of February.We are thrilled to welcome spring and all the sunshine it brings. We will continue to use splash pants and boots as it stays wet as things thaw and dry. So please send children with extra clothes and proper outerwear. We can’t wait to get back down to Komasket for walks and playing in the park.
Limlimpt Mary Marchand, Autumn Marchand and Theresa Clark
3 to 5 Year Old Daycare / Head StartWelcome ElizabethHappy Birthday to Akasha and Elizabeth!
Spring is here, we will be learning about new growth ie plants, trees, and flowers. Also about new life, “babies that are born in the spring time.”Parent night will be March 25th TBA. We will send out a flyer the week before. Limlimpt
Denise Alexis, Jordyn Alexis, Mona Tronson and Our Tupa (Virginia)
PreschoolQuestion – “What will happen in the spring?”Tajai – Flowers, purple or red flowers.Yovani – FishyAvery – The bears, the bears are awake.Shiloh – Pets, kittens and dog’s new babies. Liam – Crab thing will come out, but you really don’t see them. (ticks) They look for food and stuff. Caterpillars turn into butterflies.
Jalen – Rainbows, because I seen one. Katherine – Butterflies. Welcome to our classroom Yovani! and our new preschool Nona Support Worker Erin Brewer! Limlimpt: Karla Louis Donna Lewis
Kindergarten
On February 12th we reached our 100th Day of School! We celebrated by making a 100’s day book and necklaces with 100 fruit loops. We also had a 100 day trail mix snack and enjoyed a piece of cake. A big thanks to all the parents/guardians who sent in snacks to contribute to the trail mix and to Trish for making a delicious 100 day cake! For Valentine’s the class ex-changed cards, had some treats and then made valentine cards for their families.
The new letters and sounds we have learned this past month are B, G, L and E. In math we have been creating sets, matching numbers to sets, learning ways to solve word problems, and are beginning to learn about money.
We are starting our unit on ways to be Heart Smart and will be learning about healthy eating, being active and living smoke free.
Congratulations to Jayden and Hayden for having completed their first home reading sheet this year by reading a total of 30 books and to Tiava and Lucas for finishing their second home reading sheet by reading a total of 60 books so far this year. Way to go! Keep up the reading!
Limlimpt
Mrs. Alexis and Trish JohnsonKindergarten Teacher and Certified Education Assistant
Human Resources
Help Wanted?The Okanagan Indian Band Healtn and Social Development Department, working the OKIB Human Resources Department is seeking band members with a trade or experience in con-struction.The band is building a workforce database for future employment opportunities and we’re seeking your resumes! Don’t have experience? Send your resume, there may be positions for unskilled workers, or training available.
Send your Resumes to [email protected] with the email title: workforce database.
Don’t have a resume? A computer is available downstairs at the Health and Social Development Department call 250-542-5094 for more info.
Miscellaneous PAGE 20
With the support of Dr. Robert Huxtable, Dean of Arts, and Marilyn Alexis, Education Advisor for Aboriginal students at Okanagan College, a group of 5 students ( two from OKIB) will be travelling to Mexico. They will be taking Spanish classes at Univer-sidad Internacional. This institution has had an exchange agreement with Okanagan College for many years. The trip will provide a great opportunity for the students to learn the Spanish language, earn credits and enjoy the immersion experience. Our students will have the opportunity to share their culture with Mexican students. The stu-
dents will travel during the month of May, taking 5 hours of classes each day and attending presentations about Mexican medicinal plants,
indigenous studies, music, food and arts. In or-der to help with this event we are having a spa-ghetti and bannock dinner and dance at the head
of the lake hall. The band that will be playing is Hog Wild and there will be baskets raffled off at the event as well as 50/50 tickets and door priz-es. Tickets are 20 dollars or two for 35. They can be purchased at the Health Department or the band office. They can also be purchased in the Aboriginal Student Center at Okanagan College or from Kim O’Neill 778-932-0852.
When: March 28 at 5:00 pm Where: HOLCost: $20 or 2 for $35
Fundraiser announced to send two OKIB Students to Mexico
Live Music50/50 drawdoor prizes
Friendly reminder from Patient Travel… when being reimbursed for medical costs or medical travel, the client needs to ei-ther speak directly to the Medical Travel Coordinator or be sure to leave their name, their telephone number, their date of birth, personal health care card num-ber and status number. For reimburse-ment from First Nations Health Author-ity there is a form that must be signed
by the person being refunded. Please DO NOT leave receipts at the front desk without a name and phone num-ber. There is a time limit of one year on reimbursements. If you take a moment to speak with someone you may save yourself a second trip to sign the form. This form can be found on-line at: http://www.fnha.ca/Documents/Client_Reim-bursement_Form.pdf
Remember it is 2 pages. On this form the Identification Number is your Status Number & PHN is your care card num-ber. If you have any questions or need assistance with reimbursement or filling out the form feel free to drop in or call the health buildingLaurie Peters Patient Travel 250-542-5094
Friendly reminder for patients access patient travel funds
Class
of
2015
Roll Call for Okanagan Indian Band Members
If you are graduating Grade 12 Student or Post-Secondary Graduate for the school year of 2014-2015, we would like to know about it.
Details to include in your response:
Full Legal Name
Parental Information
Secondary School/Academic Institute
Graduation Photo (jpeg)(optional)
Accomplishments/Awards/Scholarships (optional)
Brief inspirational message-up to 50 words (optional)
Please contact the Education Department either by telephone 250-542-4328 or toll free 1.866-542.4328 or email: [email protected]
SENK’LIP SUBMISSIONS: If you would like to submit a
news story to Senk’lip, please email the text in .doc format
and all photos must be of high resolution (no Facebook pho-tos) and the deadline for ap-plications is the 15th of each
Complimentary Hearing TestingThursday, March 26, 2015
1:00-4:00 p.m Health Building
Call 250-542-5094 for more info