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After my posting last week on the salaries for the SN Band Council and Band Manager, the least to say would be that it caused a bit of a controversy. There was a lot of good discussion I had with people in the community, both about the legitimacy or rightfulness for some of the politicians to be making that much. Overall though, most people were just straight up mad, disappointed, and frustrated at the elected leadership (or that's how I experienced).

One important information I forgot to put in, which is my fault, is the salaries I posted are from April 2007 - March 2008. It is from last years fiscal. Effective January 1, the staff received their 6% raise, and the department heads received their 12-14% on top of that 6%. So two Band Councilors, Gibby Jacob (Department Head of Projects, Negotiation, and Development) and Krissy Jacob (Department Head of Communications), received a 20% on top of the salaries listed above.

Another thing to point out is that some of these councilors do other work outside of their Councilor position. Speaking at events, opening events on our territory, attending meetings with other organizations, and such. For these, they may receive honorarium that is not included in the above spreadsheet. For example, sometimes other companies and corporation (Like VANOC, Fairmount, Concord Pacific, etc.) will sponsor some Band Councilors (Gee, I wonder who I could referring too) in hotel rooms, travel money, and such.

The community doesn't know where this comes from or how much. For me, this wouldn't be that much of an issue if they were a Part Time councilor, but many are full time and get a full time wage, but do this other work during their normal council hours. Getting two cheques basically.

As a point of reference, let's look at other politicians.

Vancouver Mayor and City Council has a salary and total travel expenses budget over somewhere around $825,000. At least from 2006, Sam Sullivan was making $119,178. The councilors, at least in 2006, were payed around $54,453.

That's the city of Vancouver with population in the millions and budgets in the hundreds of millions.

I'm told the Mayor of the town of Squamish makes somewhere around $30'000. (Does anyone in the blogosphere have a source or link for this?)


Back to the SN Council:
One person remarked "They are basically running countries", which I responded with,

"I don't think they are "running countries". They are running a large-scale organization that delivers programs and services, along with some negotiation for legal cases related to government law (land claims). A "First Nation" is not a nation. We are the nation. The "Squamish Nation" is a Indian Act imposed governance system that has been used to supplant our people, remove us from the land for Colonial land development, and weaken our resolve to resist and fight for what is righteously and rightfully ours. To give you something to compare, the Vancouver City Councilors make $55'000. That the city of Vancouver which has a population in the millions and manages hundreds of millions of dollars in thousands of hectares of land."

The top five paid elected officials for the Squamish Nation are Gibby Jacob ($110,392), Byron Joesph ($105,835), Krissy Jacobs ($79,673), Ian Campbell ($68,025), and Bill Williams ($64,504). One worth of mention of Band Manager Glen Newman, an elected position, comes in at $60,053 in salary wages, but with $34,317 in Out-of-Town Travel expenses. I will note this is a person who is notoriously known by staff and community alike who is never at work. He is not doing his job, and thus the Band Council appointed Krissy Jacobs to be the "Acting Band Manager" in his stead, but he is still receiving pay.

As for travel, the highest for Travel Allowances is Dale Harry (the sole upper Squamish councilor) at $10,251. After that, the rest all varry around $5000.

For Out of Town travel, the previously mentioned Glen Newman is the highest at $34, 317. Then Dennis Joesph at $13,006, Dick Williams at 12,457, and Deborah Baker at $11,505.

One that also looks odd is Ritchie Baker, who I will also mention is my uncle. His salary was $34,135, but under Other Remuneration, it's $34,530. I was told he's only a part time councilor, and the Other Reumeration was for work he was hired to do for the Squamish Nation, separate from his councilor duties.



The simple reason for the inequality is because some of the councilors hold staff positions, with a couple holding really powerful positions as Department Heads. These have more control over information, resources, budgets, and staff. One councilor has dozens of staff to do their job, other other councilors have none. Some Councilors are aware of projects, developments and such before any of their colleagues, tell their "buddy's" on council about their plans to be prepared and ready to push through their plan. It's a deep inequality at the council table, and it's reflected in the inequality of their wages.

Liberated Yet?, a weblog that uses self-publishing technology and the internet to publish content like text, images, art, and sometimes video and sound, is a tool I began as a means to accomplish a goal. This goal was originally designed to express my indignation as well as my idea’s, for many of the time those two are interconnected for me. I also set out with the goal to communicate with other individuals, both from my people, and the world. This weblog, once published, is put onto the internet and can be accessed by anyone in the world. With other internet projects, it’s also stored in databases forever. It was birth from two previous blogs that I tried out, learned from, then decided to re-imagine to create Liberated Yet?

The name comes from a question about an idea. As an indigenous person who either out of passion and interest or circumstance learned the context for his existence. That context is he is colonized. Colonialism is not just a process, but a paradigm too. It is apart of the social fabric coming from European, and later Euro-Canadian or Euro-American dominance in the world through it’s ideologies and paradigms. It’s intend is to abolish a pre-existing set of ideologies, paradigms, and the people and land within those, indigenous people and land. Theft of land, breaking down of pre-existing local indigenous population, culture, and societies, are all hallmarks of colonization. I’ve discussed this on more detail before.

The name of this blog comes from a question to an idea. Liberation, as a chant of hope, as a means to work to overcome dominance and control from something, as an opportunity to say an end to the oppression, is something I call a path for myself, and others, to see our indigenous people rise up. In some context, peoples have taken up liberation movements to rise up and out of oppression and foreign control. It comes from the word liberty, the freedom to act or believe without being stopped by unnecessary force. It’s something, I believe, our people had before colonization, and something we do not have now, but only if we can remain our ancestral memory and not the inoculated existence our colonizers gave us. So the question is really, are you liberated yet?

Within my community, a nation of 7 villages and a population of over 3,000, communication is in a desire state. I understand it to be the focal point for any community to network and be cohesive in any sense, either as self-knowledge or to accomplish shared visions. If we look into the past, the level of community was much more cohesive because of the close quarters of living and harmonious lifestyles between branches of families, extended families, inter-tribal relations, and spiritual connection to ceremonies, traditions, and customs.

Presently, the SN puts out a weekly flyer in North Vancouver and Squamish with ads, job postings, and the odd informational flyer. Decisions at the highest level are decided upon by the Band Councilors at weekly meeting where information on the decision to be made are mostly presented at those meetings. The inner-workings of said councilors in projects, committees, and negotiations are done and information of that is kept within that section of the SN. These effect things like what happens on our land, with development, trespassing, cultural significant area’s, and homes, and other things like employees, programs working to create, restore, to accomplish something for the population. Like I said, the information, from the highest order, is mostly kept within their ranks. In some cases, the happening of said initiatives are held secret from the community.

The Squamish Nation Band Council is similar to all Band Councils in the regard of how it deals with community dialogue in issues of concern and opposition. Simply put, it doesn’t like it. Like all colonial institutions, this political system is adversarial in nature. It puts A vs. B. If something happens and information about something the community disagrees with, there is some resistance. Water-cooler talk, and gossip, and some level of indignant letter writing. I know that first-hand because I’ve taken part in this since I became interested in politics. Generally, they operate on this belief that if they wait it out, the opposition will eventually die down and they can get back to work. This tends to horribly bad for the future of the community because in some cases the guiding forces at the Band Council are foreign influences. The guiding interests in where we as a community should go does not come from the community. This create awful situations where short-term idea’s, or in some extremes, self-interested benefits, come from the politicians and many time, energy, and work is put into it.

Within my community, we have no media. Before the Vancouver City election, it came out through a leak to the media that the Vancouver City council had given $100,000,000 dollars to the developers for the Olympics village. The secrecy of this cause a stir in the public and created a wave against the reigning Non-Partisan Alliance party. To keep politics of the society aware, understood, and investigated upon, there is a media to do that. A media to share the stories, information, and beliefs from all area’s of it’s society. Some parts of the world, it’s illegal to do that, and you will most likely result in death.

In my community, there is nothing to keep the politicians honest. There is also no means to keep the public informed of the what is happening in our community, in our territory, in the rooms of the current political leaders.

I have taken a stance before, but I do not identify as Squamish Nation. The Squamish Nation is an Indian Act governance structure imposed on the Skwxwu7mesh-ulh as a tactic of colonialism to fracture the people and usurp our land. I identify as my ancestors for thousands of years have identified: Skwxwu7mesh-ulh. The amalgamation of 1923 that was the de-facto formation of the Squamish Nation is shrouded in more mystery and myth then anything known by our people. If we are to take the thought that the amalgamation was the signing of a document by the then 16 “hereditary” chiefs of 16 Indian Act reserves as truth, it was exactly that. Indian Act chiefs, originally placed into power by the church then later the government after appropriating the historical governing system of “siyam”, formation a coalition to protect the reserves from being sold out.

My land doesn’t end where the imagery line for the reserves starts. My land is thousands of hectares used and stewarded by my ancestors for thousands of years. It does not belong to me, or any one person, family, or government. It’s used for resources gathering, and carried in stewardship for future generations to have the same abilities as we presently do, and the same as our ancestors. This land was stolen from my ancestors, and remains so presently. At the moment the beneficiaries of that theft are still allowed to benefit off that criminal act. Yes, that’s you Canadian population.

I don’t recognize the Squamish Nation Band Council as “my” government. My government was destroyed by the colonizers many decades ago. I recognize that the Squamish Nation, because of colonial constructs, has been able to assert and find a significant amount of power. This is through power of will in the people believing in this false institution, and through the power to wield many resources like money, people (staff), and legal authority.

To think critically is to think of other possibilities. To question the status-quo, goes without saying, is a strong indicator of a strong society. To debate idea’s and positions is a way that we better find the collective wisdom to ensure the best possible choice for where we move forward as a people. As our ancestors asked of themselves, we must strive to live to our highest ideals. I mean, live, to them.

It isn’t always the case to live to them always, or even that they agreed on the same values. Some think this gives them to the right to disposes others by veiled threats and attacks of betraying their cultural values, and thus betraying their ancestors. I don’t mean that by any means. I know I can be arrogant and sarcastic, but I still strive to live to my, decolonized, most important values. It’s why I question, it’s why I think critically, it’s why and how I care.

Why do I feel the need to defend myself? Partly to educate some because the feedback I’ve received. But also to be firm, confident, and strong in my position, not just on this blog but as a person who cares about his community, his culture, and where those go into the future. I intend to be a strong member of my community in a way to help and create things for the better. I hope to find others to do the same. I wish to create change through alternative means, because the status-quo disgusts my integrity to create the change that by the current way. I want to find my place a leader, like all previous strong leaders in our community have, and hopefully create more leaders, not more followers. I want to have a strong community that can face the most serious threats and crisis.

I want liberation.

Above a list of the Squamish Nation Band Council and Band Manger with their salaries including Honoraria, Travel Allowances, Out-of-Town Travel Expenses, and Other Remuneration. It totals over$1,266,634. Take note that the top five in that list make over $100'000.

The Squamish Nation has not had a report on finances in over 3 years, along with no General Meeting in that time also. It has borrowed over $25 million from the banks. $6 million was borrowed 5 years ago for the deficit the Squamish Nation created.

Some (like Band Councilors) will say they don't like this information being out circulating in the community. I, and most of the community, will disagree with that. This is public knowledge for all band members to know. We have a right to know where our money is being spent.

I'm not one to complain about money. At least, I try to stop "money" from being a nuance in my life. I don't see money as a negative or positive force, but just that: an energy force. It can do good and can do bad. I also know in this modern age, it's a resource. Money makes the world go 'round. It can accomplish many things in many area's. Which is why I can't help but feel that $1.2 million is wasted on these bozo's.

I think there are many wonderful things that $1.2 million dollars could do for many things. Language revival for example. Or perhaps working on the abysmal self-doubt our youth have. Investing in artistic practice in our community. I mean, more then plaques and carvings. Musicians, painters, writers, performers, and the like. Or perhaps seed grants for community involvement. Or even a grant fund for community events (like pow wows, salmon celebrations, Skwxwu7mesh Day Festival, etc.). There's a brilliant idea for every one of our brilliant people.

In November, the SN Band Council voted in favor of a 6% wage increase to it's 500+ staff members. In mid December it votes to another 12%-14% raise on top of that 6% for it's 12 Department Heads and it's 17 Senior Managers. Some of the Department Heads (Like Band Councilors/Department Heads Gibby Jacob and Krissy Jacobs) make over $100'000.

The Squamish Nation has a budget of over $51 million too.

Did I come from out of a rock or is $100'000 dollars a lot of money?



Here's a better question: What is it that they do for our nation that deserves them to make $100'000. At what point do we as a community define leadership to make that much money? What is an acceptable salary for an elected official?


With that, I'll remind all Squamish Nation members that at the end of this year, it's election year. These politicians have allowed this corruption and debauchery to exist because it gives them power and money. Why change a system that benefits them?

....Because it's the right thing to do.

That's why.

Some news for my people about the Squamish Nation,

Many people from my community, mostly Squamish Nation staff were shocked and irritated to learn about recent decisions by the Squamish Nation Band Council. To start things off, back in November, the Squamish Nation approved a 6% wage increase for all SN staff. This past Wednesday, they pasted another wage increase for the 12 Department Heads, and 17 Senior Managers within the Squamish Nation. The increases are on top of the original 6% which is set to take effect January 1st. The increases amount to another 12% for Department Heads, and another 6% for Senior Managers. This brings the total to 18% and 12%.

Then on Thursday, the two co-chair, Bill Williams, and Byron Joseph, made and "executive decision" and approved a $2000 "handshake" for all Department Heads on top of the previously mentioned raises.

Currently 10 out of 16 Councilors hold staff and councilor position. A few of these councilors' staff positions are Department Heads and of course the wage increase includes them. The SN employs nearly 500 people.

When looking at the financial statements, you'll see that most Department Heads make between $65'000 to $120'000 a year on salary. Senior Managers are around the same.

As one community member said to me, "The money going into one of their raises could be enough to pay for a job for our youth. Our young people don't even make as much as their raise is." Another person remarked, "Why are the Department Heads getting raises when I know many of them don't even come into work or do there job".

This comes at a time when the rest of the world is entering an economic recession.

The Squamish Nation's chief net revenue comes from reserve leases. Places like Park Royal Shopping Centre, the Lynnwood Marina, as well as other area's. With the stringent Indian Act laws guiding Indian Reserve land values, many of these leases are 99 years leases to get the most benefit for the land values, almost on value with that of fee-simple land in the over-all market. As the Canada starts to see a decrease in the housing market, and land value dropping, the Squamish Nation decides to spend more and massively increase wages.

The Squamish Nation is an Indian Act organization with rules and guidelines mostly designated from the Indian Act, and some custom codes. It administrates programs, services, and economic development for it's status Indian membership, comprised of about 3400 members. It was imposed on Sḵwxwú7mesh, The-People-of-the-Sacred-Waters, in the early 1900's, but solidified in 1923 with the amalgamation. The amalgamation was the joining of what used to be separate reserves held in trust by the Department of Indian affairs for separate Sḵwxwú7mesh families. The Squamish Nation is not the nation of the Sḵwxwú7mesh people. It's an administration that is responsable to the Department of Indian Affairs, not to Sḵwxwú7mesh indigenous principles, values, or laws. Here are some little known facts about the "Squamish Nation".

• It's annual budget is over 51 million dollars.
• 11 million comes from Federal funds.
• 40 million comes from own source revenue.
• In 2003 it's budget was just over 33 million.
• In 2002-3 it incurred a 5 million dollar deficit.
• It has borrowed over 30 million from the banks since December 05.
  
• The band council's yearly budget exceeds 1.5 million dollars.
• More then 50% of that is on councilor wages.
• The highest payed Councilor makes over $100'000.
  
• 10 out of 16 Councilors have staff positions.
• 5 new councilors were voted in in the last election.
• In the last 3 years, the Band Council has payed for trips to Germany, China, New Zealand, Italy, and places in Canada.
• The highest payed employee in the Squamish Nation earns over $200'000 yearly.
• They are a Human Resources "Consultant".
• I guess that means they are not really an "employee".
• They are the only First Nation in Canada that elects it's band manager.
• The Band Manager doesn't usually come to work.
• So a Band Councilor is the "Acting-Band Manager".

If my people are not outraged by the situation with our people, then they are simply ignoring what is going on.

Every Wednesday, the 16 elected band councilors of the Squamish Nation meet to pass motions put forward by staff, the community, or councilors themselves. They operate on Roberts Rule of Order. Community members are allowed to attend, unless Council motions and passes to have an "in-camera" session. I attended last Wednesday's meeting, and here are my findings. :)

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There is a disconnection between some politicians from the grassroots community level, in huge ways. The positions or views expressed from some councilors made it apparent to me when they discussed the issue and what their concerns, thoughts, and idea’s were regarding issues. The paradigm they followed showed this disconnect and don’t think where the people come from, don’t think about what the people will see on the issue. Their time on council (read: many terms) has created this disconnection.



Council members who hold high ranking Staff or Department Head positions have more power then their elected colleagues. A handful of councilors hold staff and department head positions, and they are all senior members of council. Control of finances within their department, the knowledge and information coming from their staff position, or weight in decision making in what will or won’t do are all indicators they consolidated power within themselves. This balance of power is unequal on the council table, and has not been determined by the people. They are able to control and dominate more of the Squamish Nation.



Newly elected council members worked to create change from the status-quo and founded new policy within the Squamish Nation, but this same policy can be thrown out when, it seems like, the senior councilors want to.



Decision making, dialogue around issues, research, and power dynamics in Band Council governance is not known by the general community. The people that know how the band council works are the ones who work within that system. For the 60 something people who run every 4 years in the elections, all but the current or past council members know how the system works. Our people don’t know and didn’t decide how our own governance works. Who created or choose to operate on this system? It sure as hell wasn’t the people. 




The system that they operate under is following oppressive colonialism values. The voice of opposition is not respected, is silenced, or discounted quite quickly. There is no open discussion around the issue at hand and those who offer any kind of dissent on an issue are scorned for their “malcontent” behavior. Thus, if you put something forward strong enough, fast enough, efficiently enough, it can be passed through without any kind of open discussion around the issue. Even if what is being proposed is an extremely bad idea, or even if it’s something morally wrong like helping support corruption, benefiting individuals with nation resources, or consolidating power within a few. So what the established politicians want is for you to be silence and agree with their genius plan. You are not supposed to voice out concern, because that is bad. Geeez, why does this sound like Residential School to me. 




Money is the major force on the council. The majority of the band council’s time, energy, resources, and innovation is spent on money. This detrimentally determines the focus of the 4 year term politicians and means a greater part of their focus is not on issues the community want addressed. Issues like homes, language loss, community violence, health, and education. If they changed their focus in time and energy to the issues, there could be more change within our community. I am not speaking of simply forming a committee and discussing the issue, but putting wise thinking into wise action. That they actually work on the ground to change the issues at hand. 




Some councils view the people are a group of whinny cry baby’s who just complain, complain, complain. This arrogance was apparent among some of the council members in the way they viewed the community’s voice on issues. I found this view to be quite startling because it means they are so arrogant, anything the community addresses or shows concern about, is disregarded or overlooked. This reminded me of the same arrogance shown from senior council members shown to the newer councilors.



The last thing I discovered after this meeting is that the levels of corruption, the power dynamics between band councilors and some senior staff is weak and unstable. That is all I will say about this. ;-) :-)


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Attended last week’s Band Council meeting was a great experience for me. Observing the Band Council was a revealing and a learning experience for me. The irony, hypocrisy and the "special" treatment of "special" individuals was revealing. Learning how they work will help me understand the massive system at work that is causing so many problems for my people, when something so much better is possible and achievable. After last weeks meetings, I’ve decided I will be attending every meeting I can between now and the Winter Holiday Break, with weekly updates on my findings. I also highly suggest any our people from my community to join me and attend. Come see for yourself how it works.

Till next week,
Dustin Rivers
Aboriginalism Systems Specialist Consultant

I'm sitting on the Band Council chambers at the Squamish Nation band office. Today is a beautiful day. It's a beautiful day because I'm sitting in on today's meeting to "observe" how the band council works. Think of me as the voyeuristic nature filmmaker watching the animals in the wild. Will today be dealt with a ferocious ravaging of prey, or perhaps a delicate birth of a baby draff? Either way, it shall be interesting.


The Mission: Observe and learn about how the band council works
The Cover-Story: I've been hired by the people to do an indepdent review of band council proceedures and methods for doing business. Today I will be obsvering the band council in their weekly meeting to assertain the truth about how they work.

So, I thought I'd share this with all you, my blog readers, many of who are my people, and I'll post my "indepdent" findings.


Hahaha

Last month I was invited to participate in the Art of Hosting on Bowen Island. There can be a lot to say and even trying to write about it felt overwhelming (that's my explanation for why I haven't done it on here yet. haha). One harvest I took from the four day week on Bowen Island is a question I now carry around with me in my bag, in my books, in my mind. It's a question I pose to discover more knowledge or information. To become wiser in the matter.

After answering four questions (Chris, what were those questions again?), I came up with the following question:


One of the observations I stumbled upon a few years ago was the extend the "want for change" within my nation went to. People will talk about the injustices, failures, or mishaps that exist either in their jobs as SN employees or community members. We also discussed change at the Art of Hosting on Bowen Island realizing that "change" is something that people only really want when there is a crisis for it, when the need comes face to face with us and we then demand change immediately. What about the change we didn't see coming, the change we each didn't decide on, the change that came and went and we didn't even realize things changed but they really did. It’s just that that kind of change packed with nuanced emotional charges is one kind that seems to stay at what I call the "Water-cooler chat" stage.

It remains in a place of with people on a somewhat informal level but very little rarely happens. I partly think it's because people don't care "enough" to do anything. I partly think it's fear based attitudes that keep us in situation, and that means both direct fear based attitudes from those afraid to lose power and fear based attitudes from those afraid to trailblazer and be a leader.

My understanding of this is because there is no dialogue. The idea of the oppressed dialoguing really came from reading Pedagogy of the Oppressed (which I'm thinking needs another read soon!) about the relationship between the revolutionary and the oppressed. If we dialogue with each other about these issues that are important to us, we can gather important pieces to create action and good work. There are some of the things we can gather from having important conversations and dialogue about important issues:

• We can find connection to others who feel or think similarly as us. We then don't feel like the freak in the crowd for going against the grain and that our idea's and tasks don't feel so overwhelming gigantic. We can connect with others and garner hope that something can change.

• We gain a better understanding of the other factors or information that play in some issues. Sometimes some people have limited understanding of all the things happening around some issues, for what ever reason, which tends to lead to no action or action one part that deeply upsets the other, and for what I believe is a just reason.
  
  One example I think of is SN General Meetings. It needs 100 people (When I think about, I believe it’s 10% of the voting membership which would be closer to 200 people) to be an official band meeting and get enough to pass motions and such. Either way, it still turns into a shouting match between the pissed off angry band members and a handful of elected politicians. Two sides with a line drawn down in between. For the past 3 or 4 years barely anyone comes to the general meetings and as a result have not been able to make quorum in that time. Thus, there has not been a general meeting in years. (What they are supposed to accomplish, I have no idea. Then again, barely anyone knows what our governance is supposed to accomplish.)
  
  One sentiment that has been coming out lately is the core group of members who continue to attend the general meetings and blame the rest of our society (the silent majority) for not attending. Strange they don't hold the system responsible, but that's another story I guess. What's revealing about this is that there is no dialogue between these core group of members who attend the general meeting, and the rest of our society who feel the general meeting accomplish nothing, even when we do get quorum.
  

• No important action planning or just plain old action can happen with out the important dialogue first. If there is no awareness of an issue, and community change on that issue is either not likely to happen or be met with resistance. The Band Council knows this quite well which is why they don't let the people know about ANYTHING it does. Important conversations opens the group to gain a better understanding and awareness of where everyone else is coming from and become more aware of the issue at hand. From that place, we become more educated about the situations, issue, idea, proposal, or whatever, and can then make adequate or wise decisions about how to continue.

Important conversations matter and conversations take all kinds of forms. I enjoy acting and improv and always found forum theater and theater of the oppressed an excellent dialogue form between a community and the issue at hand. Media has always been a way to produce mass dialogue on a grand scale, and alternative media developed out of the need because corporate media became so ridden with not having the dialogue. Perhaps society has forgotten how to have conversations that matter.

This is where my thought came for my question, "What are the conversations that need to happen in my nation?". I keep this question like a scientist keeps a theory and just follow where it can go. Look for information to gather in my note book, contemplate on the thoughts that surround the question, and look inquisitively into what can happen when this question is answered.

I will share my findings with you soon, but I'm interesting to hear from you.

The Squamish Nation is governed by 16 elected council on 4 year terms, along with a one elected band manager. The idea, or so I'm told, is that the band manager is like an office manager but for all the departments. The Squamish Nation has around 11 or so "departments". This covers area's like education, health, family services, recreation, land use and development, fisheries, and a few others. Within those departments are sections covering subjects like culture, language, youth, elders, and so on. The 16 elected council members decide and vote on the direction the Squamish Nation goes in designing policy and over-all vision in which way the nation can decide things.

Within the band council, they follow a strict Robert's Rule of Order governance structure. For those who don't know Robert and his Rules for Order, I'll explain a bit. It was constructed out of US military and in a time where there was little in organizing people or organization in ways on how to make decision. It was consider a far leap forward because nothing like this existed in Western society for a way to govern groups. It follows voting procedures like majority rule, and, like most European structures, is adversarial. If a majority controls the group, everyone else must abide and thus power balances can easily be developed and remain for long periods of time.

In most cases it's akin to power use in "oppressive" ways. Paulo Freire said "The oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend themselves to become oppressors" have become oppressors from being the oppressed. I believe the SN throws a bit of the language in there but that seems really redundant to use our language in something so in contrast to the values of the culture that language comes from. In a very sad way, the SN has become quite tactless in their abuse of our culture.

What I have now learned from having a mother on council for nearly 3 years is that not one single person in the whole Squamish Nation, include the 70 or 80 people who ran in the last election has absolutely no idea how the Squamish Nation Chief & Council operates. Let me reiterate and be clear about this.

The governing procedures in the way the SN Band Council makes decision, designs policy, conducts business, manages the Squamish Nation 500 employee's, 70 million dollar budget, and 3500 members, is not known by anyone, except, the ones who have been in council.

Take a moment to think about what that means.



Seriously, take a moment.



For me, that's quite sinister idea for any nation. When the people don't know how their government runs, who's really running the show? The people or the ones who's setting the rules for the show. Who's the actors and the directors in this wonderful play called politics. I get the feeling the Squamish Nation likes to treat the people like objects.

In High School we spent a considerable amount of time in Social Studies and History class learning about how Canadian governance systems work. From municipal, to provincial, to federal, to things like the justice system and economic systems. Yet we don't know anything about our own nation. That's a startling scary fact when considering those in power can create or manipulate the rule-book in their favor. Maybe the script for this political play was actual written by someone else, and not even one our own people with a few revisions by some corrupt politicians.

All I'm saying is, we know nothing about how our nation is run, and the day after someone get elected in, they are at a loss on how to accomplish anything in their time there. It's a backwards system for decision making on issues that are really important and effect many people, many sacred things, and our the future. As it’s become apparent lately, the SN Band Council wants to by-pass the people, "Consult" us like how government or corporations "consult" the band council, and leave all the powerful decisions to them. We're not involved in the decision making all at. I would call it anti-democratic, but I'm not advocating a democratic system either. What it really is,

is anti-indigenous.

International Cry reminded me of the band council system and the ways power has changed of the years with it. What's true for many indigenous peoples is how the band council system replaced the Indian Agents. While this is kind of true, prior the Squamish Nation band council, the Christian Missionaries set up puppet-chiefs by making selected men in each of the communities chiefs. These "chieftainships" eventually merged with the culture, and created the hereditary chieftainship we have now. In 1923, these chiefs amalgamated and created the band council. Why would the government allowed a supposed "traditional" government exist at a time when they were trying to assimilate us? Well, it wasn't that traditional. Now it's traditional, because it's been in existence for nearly 100 years and many "traditions" like the hereditary chieftainship system come from it. But in 1923, a hereditary band council (doesn't that sound awful? lol) was created. It wasn't until amazingly huge amounts of corruption that a vote of non-confidence came from the membership and a elected council was put in. Not surprisingly, some of these corrupt "hereditary" chiefs got back in.

What's becoming the problem is the influx of money coming from the government or own source revenues. The more money in play, the more power exists. The more power, the more grab and fight for it. This now, a select few within the Squamish Nation have this power. Some of these people of power weren't even put in place by any of the people, but by those who hired them (the band council). Now we have more power grabbing, and consolidation of power, holding back of information from the people, all out of fear.

A friend passed this on to me.  Expect for me "to set the record straight" again over this by the end of next week.
NORTH AMERICAN Indigenous Caucus Affirms
Support for Unprecedented Indigenous Participation
in 2010 Olympic Winter Games

Hereditary Chief Sets the Record Straight

By Grand Chief Edward John and
Lea Nicholas-MacKenzie


(Vancouver – March 6th, 2008): A meeting of Indigenous leaders and
activists preparing for an upcoming United Nations conference voiced
support for the Four Host First Nations continued work with the Vancouver
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organizing Committee (VANOC) to
achieve "unprecedented Aboriginal participation" in the 2010 Winter Games.

An excerpt from the resolution reads as follows: "Participants affirmed
their support for the unprecedented level of Indigenous participation in
the 2010 Olympic Games…."

Members of the North American Regional Indigenous Caucus were gathered in
Vancouver, in the traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, to
prepare for the 7th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues in April 2008.

On February 23, day two of the event, some caucus members introduced a
short text condemning the 2010 Winter Games, and linking the Games to the
death of an elder from the Squamish nation. Other members disagreed. As
the caucus operates through consensus, the co-chairs (Grand Chief Edward
John and Kenneth Deer) asked to hear from Coast Salish leaders from the
host First Nations.

Hereditary Chief Ian Campbell of the Squamish Nation welcomed the
delegates to the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations
(FHFN), and thanked them for the important work they are doing on behalf
of all Indigenous Peoples.

Chief Campbell then took the opportunity "to set the record straight"
regarding the involvement of Coast Salish and Interior Salish Peoples in
the 2010 Winter Games.

The 2010 Winter Games are being held within the shared traditional
territories of the Four Host First Nations (FHFN) ~ the Lil'wat, the
Musqueam, the Squamish and the Tsleil-Waututh. The four have formed the
non-profit Four Host First Nations Society, and established the FHFN
Secretariat to coordinate their collective efforts as host Nations.

Chief Campbell said he is "working closely with Squamish Hereditary Chiefs
Bill Williams and Gibby Jacob to bring life to the vision of the late
(Squamish) Chief Joe Mathias, who insisted that the Coast Salish Peoples
must be full partners" in the 2010 Games. "We are not sitting idle. We
are not passive. We are not assimilated peoples," he said.

Chief Campbell, who was raised by his grandfather, explained that, as a
Hereditary Chief, he is responsible for bringing forward the traditional
knowledge and language of his ancestors, and adapting to a modern context
based on this strong cultural foundation.

The Chief further explained that the Squamish Nation used the opportunity
of the Games to raise awareness about their traditional territories,
protect their territories and develop wildlife management plans.

This included identifying the wild spirit places in the territories, and
informing the Organizing Committee that they could not undertake
development in those areas. He noted: "We didn't wait or ask permission
to protect our territories… and we will not ask for anyone's permission to
do business in our territories."

Interviewed after the event, Chief Campbell noted that "the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples upholds the Indigenous
right to self-determination.

"When other Indigenous Peoples come to our territories and claim to speak
on our behalf, they are not respecting this fundamental right."

Tewanee Joseph, the Executive Director of the Four Host First Nations
Society, who attended the event with his two year-old son, added "our
whole focus for the Games is for our children. We are focusing on their
future and opportunities for them."

He also shared a message of being inclusive, and noted that "everything is
not perfect in British Columbia or in Canada. We have challenges every
single day as First Nations peoples. But the only way to resolve them is
by working together."

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Regional Chief Wilton Littlechild shared
his extensive experience with Olympic Games, and noted that the AFN has
signed an MOU to support the work of the four host nations.

"Since the Games in Calgary in 1988, the IOC and governments have learned,
and it is really quite incredible what is being done here," said Regional
Chief Littlechild. "These 2010 Games have, by far, the largest Indigenous
participation at every level."

Interviewed after the Caucus meeting, the Regional Chief said that: "Since
its inception, the AFN has fought at national and international levels for
the principle of respect for traditional territories. It is very
significant that the traditional and shared traditional territories of
these nations are being recognized and respected by the Olympic partners."

He added that "(the Four Host First Nations') partnership with VANOC and
the IOC, and your involvement in decision-making at the highest levels,
provides a model for harmonious relations between Indigenous Peoples and
other jurisdictions. The right to be involved in decision-making
processes regarding issues that may affect the territories, rights and
interests of First Nations Peoples is a principle that the AFN has firmly
asserted over the years."

The FHFN have signed a protocol with VANOC that formalizes the
relationship and sets a very high standard not only for participation, but
for true partnership. The protocol includes FHFN involvement in
everything from the opening and closing ceremonies to employment,
marketing and procurement. In addition to the protocol, the Squamish and
Lil'wat nations have negotiated legacy agreements which include many
benefits for the members of the nations.

During the caucus meeting, one participant stated that "a few Indians
dancing around in the Opening Ceremonies will not do anything for the
downtown east side."

In response, Chief Ian Campbell noted: "We are participating in every
aspect of these Games from the opening ceremonies to representation on the
VANOC Board of Directors."

"The opening ceremonies are important to us, and our songs and ceremonies
are very sacred. I don't want to hear anyone belittling them or
disrespecting them in our territories," said Chief Campbell. He added:
"Our songs are our laws and protocol. They are the land. I am a yuni-lead
singer responsible for our sacred songs. This is taken very seriously and
is a responsibility which my elders have bestowed on me."

Furthermore, regarding the initial draft resolution which linked the death
of a Squamish Nation elder to the 2010 Winter Games, the Chief explained
that he has spoken with the family, and they have asked that others cease
using her name and respect the Squamish Nation protocols.

"In our tradition we go into grieving for four years. We don't mention
the name of the deceased, or their ancestral names, until such time as
their memorial takes place. The family has asked me to ask those of you
who would use her name to respect this protocol," Chief Campbell said.

Following the discussion, caucus members agreed to develop a new text that
could be included in the meeting report. The resulting consensus text
(relevant 2010 Games text in bold) is as follows:

Participants affirmed their support for the unprecedented level of
Indigenous participation in the 2010 Olympic Games in British Columbia,
Canada. Participants also noted that the 2010 Olympic Games can provide
an important opportunity for Indigenous peoples and the world community to
promote human rights and address the human rights record and actions of
Canada on the local, provincial, national and international levels.

It should be noted that one of the principal reasons for Canada to vote
against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was that
they opposed the provisions on indigenous rights to lands, territories and
resources (Article 26) and the principle of free, prior and informed
consent. Canada's and British Columbia's policies fail to recognize
Aboriginal title and Indigenous free, prior and informed consent.

"Participants also expressed outrage that indigenous persons and
activists, including indigenous elders who stand up for indigenous land
rights and assert their free, prior and informed consent are often
criminalized and jailed.

Hereditary Chief Campbell and other FHFN members expressed satisfaction at
the result after the meeting, stating that it is important that people
appreciate what is Games-related and what is not.

Chief Campbell noted that they had been looking for an opportunity to
counter the "misinformation being circulated" by non-Salish individuals
who are opposed to the Games and "falsely claim to speak for the
Indigenous people within whose territories the 2010 Winter Games will take
place."

- 30 -

For additional information, contact:

Grand Chief Ed John: 604.926.9903

Lea Nicholas MacKenzie: 778.327.5778

With recent events coming up the media, I thought I would take some time to do what bloggers do best: citizen media.

This past sunday, a group of natives protested at a Catholic Church in Vancouver. This group, lead by Gerry Johnson or Chief Kiapilano as he claims to be, and author Kevin Annnet, stormed the Sunday mass issuing “eviction” notices. The group then proceeded to Christ Church Anglican Cathedral and St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church, where the same Eviction Order was posted on their front doors. Gerry Johnson claims to be hereditary chief of the Squamish Nation, and on behalf of the Squamish Nation, was issuing eviction notices to the church in Vancouver and promised to occupy all of them, today. Gerry Johnson, who is Skwxwu7mesh, and registered with the Squamish Nation membership, claims to be a hereditary chief of the Squamish Nation.

Today the elected politicians of the Squamish Nation distanced themselves from Gerry Capilano. “The Squamish Nation disassociates itself with Mr. Johnston's actions and wishes to clarify that his actions were in no way representative of the Nation.” This came as no surprise, and has been a long time coming from Gerry Johnsons previous attempts at activism in the Lower Mainland.


The myth of this hereditary chieftainship business is quite strong and misleading on many parts. In 1923, 16 “chiefs” of 16 different Skwxwu7mesh villages signed the “amalgamation” unifying the nation for land claims and land rights. These 16 chiefs formed the Squamish Nation Chief & Council, which was held as hereditary until it was voted in referendum decades later to custom election codes under the Indian Act.

What’s kind of absent is what took place before 1923. In 1820, the HBC set up in Fort Langley to do business and trade with local indigenous population. Except the polity and social structure of the west coast, specifically with local Coast Salish, was something odd to these new settlers. Where they were accustomed to trading with one “head chief”, as in a representative for the entire people, the Coast Salish societal structure was less stratified with no single leader for the entire people. This idea was considered absurd. Actually, I still think having one leader for all the people is absurd. How can one person understand everything needed to represent the needs of all their people.

Well, afterwards the Catholic Church set about their mission to convert. But the project called colonization was becoming more and more sophisticated. They lacked the resource to set up presences in every village, so they instead converted covert leaders and designated these men chiefs. These men had to fit the bill of obedient, Christian, and sober. Previously the leadership was defined by: how much they displayed the values of the people (generosity, respect, and knowledge), how much they shared and distributed their resources (economic, spiritual, and cultural knowledge), or through the management of resources and distribution of those resources (potlatching). So instead of having a representative governance of the families, houses, and village, it turned into puppet-chiefs responsible for converting others to Christian agenda.

This is where it get messy. It wasn’t a dry and cut plan. Many families and individuals did convert to Christianity (and their decedents still are Christian). Other families played along and were Christian in name, but indigenous at heart. So the definition was blurred more as the lines between sell-out collaborator chiefs who sided with the Church against their people, and the hardcore resisters who still followed the way of our ancestors. It blended. So the “hereditary chieftainships” became intertwine between what was set up by the Church, and the historical culture of Skwxwu7mesh-ulh.

Yata yata yata, the Federal government ratified these chiefs through the Indian Act, and later they amalgamated and became the 16 chiefs which became the 16 member Squamish Nation Chief and Council. Many politicians on the Indian Act government are “hereditary chiefs” coming from this history. The disputes over names/titles comes from this complicated history, plus other complicated histories of borrowed chieftainships, multiple marriages, and down right theft. This is why Gerry Johnson claims to be a chief.


But one thing that needs to be clarified is that the word chief and leader are not synonymous. Nor is our Skwxw7mesh snichem word siyam synonymous with chief. Anyone and their dog can claim to be a chief, but you can’t claim to be a good leader unless you are one. August Jack Khatsalano spoke about the real meaning of the chief when he said, “Indian have no chairman, only man who says the most wise things.” With regards to our language, a siyam is a highly respected person. Yet sell out politicians all claim to be “chief”. A power dynamic of title and demanded respect. Have these same men displayed the values of the people (generosity, respect, and knowledge)? Shared and distributed their resources (economic, spiritual, and cultural knowledge)? Or even fulfilled their rightful duty of resource stewardship and distribution of those resources (potlatching)?

No, but they claim to be chiefs.

I will say that the elected politicians can represent the “Squamish Nation”, but they are not the nation of Skwxwu7mesh. Just as the Canadian Federal government does not represent all Canadians (it represents the federal government and it’s dealings). There is a important distinction between the Squamish Nation, a legal and political entity in First Nation status, and Skwxwu7mesh-ulh, the indigenous peoples. Skwxwu7mesh, meaning people of the sacred drinking water, is a mixture of worldview, history, politics, governance, land, language, people, society, customs, traditions, beliefs, and much more. But it is clear and easy to say the Squamish Nation are not those. The Squamish Nation is the 16 elected politicians that make up the 16 member Council, it’s mangers, their departments, it’s employees, and their services. A government is not a nation. Indigenous peoples of this land are nations.

So in this shark battle of prestige and title, it comes a off-handed joke to a lot of the people. Most Skwxuw7mesh don’t know who Gerry Johnson is, or his claim to legitimacy, and quite frankly the elected politicians claim, albeit a different level, legitimacy, are both founded on a decaying quagmire of fake-ness or forgery.

Settler folk want to be consulted
Red folk want to make money.
The little kid just wants to live, like an Indian.

Welcome to the 21st century. It's 2007 and in this day an age, First Nation's are now recognized by.....drum roll please..... Billboards.

Yes, yes, Billboards. From Vancouver Island, to Tsawassen, to Kamloops, and maybe soon, the Lower Mainland. Locals will probably have heard of the great race by the Squamish Nation to build 13 billboards, each of which would be located near Lion's Gate Bridge, Second Narrows Bridge, and Burrard Street Bridge. It's assumed to generate millions of dollars a year, to fund what the Puppet government (Indian Act government) calls "housing, programs, services, and cultural programs." Bill Williams, chairman of the band council is quoted saying, "We are in a dire situation." (What ever dire means.) Like casino's in America, these massive billboards are a hope at a "quick-fix" to the problems within the community.

Let's get things straight. It's the Squamish Nation, not the Sḵwxwú7mesh, planning to errect this billboards. The Sḵwxwú7mesh, the Indigenous people who the band council government was forced upon in the late 1890's, and early 1920's, were never met with to discuss this problem. It was an idea put forward by the band council's white Capitalist consultant.

Just like most projects taken up by the Band Council, we read about it in the major news outlets. And even then, it's half true and skewed. From Eaglerdige Bluffs, to Porteau Cove, to Billboard signs, we knew about it from the Province.

In this discussion of capitalist effigy, this discussion isn't really about anti-billboards. It's really about the larger, anti-capitalist discussion. Economic development is the latest INAC-sponsored initiative to "solve the Indian problem". In the 90's, it was "capacity development". And both offer no real freedom or liberation for our people.

Money, ladies and gentlemen. Money is what the chief's wants, and money is what they'll get. They tell us they'll use to money to solve our problems. They tell us they will comprimise to get their money. Conditioned to believe in the Colonial system. I'll give the chiefs this, and this only: the oppressor can never liberate themselves. Only the liberated or those seeking liberation can liberate the oppressor. The action's taken up by the Squamish Nation, not only on Billboards, but on it's initiatives tell us of an age where our people should praise a money of community. Capitalism over Indigenousism. Lest we forget that our way of life, the stelmexw way of life, was inherently anti-capitalist. The potlatch, the distribution of wealth, no the rise of one man with lots of money.

But the oppressor, the puppet, the chief, will argue they are acting in the interest of the people, of the nation members, of the tribe. But that's the idea isn't it. Acting in the interest, and making action to prevent opportunity for resistance. Oh no, no no. The band councils do not want any kind of opposition. (It limits "progress" they will tell me). So, our culture, our powerful ancient culture that is at the edge of annihilation with the decisions being made by the pragmatic and collaborator politician's.

To the chiefs:
You are leading down a path that destroys our future. The posterity will remember "Our Chiefs sold our land." Oh wait! I'm so sorry. I forgot.

They are not our chiefs.

The posterity will remember, "The politicians sold our land. The collaborators made money." So with the conditioned beliefs of meetings, negations, litigation, and, politics, we are lead into a future of disillusion. A future of being plugged in, asleep. They must forget who we are. Who Indigenous are. What is to be Indigenous. For I've heard histories of my peoples. To my understanding, Indigenous put people before money.

Now, the next argument:

To the Settler folk:
Where do you ever get the right to tell us what we can or cannot do. The mere mention of colonization should bring up something. For 200 years White folk have been telling us what to do with our people, with our land. And the tiny little plot of reserve land we have left, (from the territory your living on that is stolen), you try and tell us what we can or cannot do. You cry about "making the scenery look ugly". Well, glass, cement, and green lawns are just about as hideous.

I've mentioned it before. The Royal Proclamation of 1763. BC is stolen land. KKKanada is stolen land. Your municipalities can do nothing. Your Province can do nothing. And the KKKanadian state who still oppress us with the Department of Indian Affairs dictates to us what we can or cannot do. What would you say if we the people kick out the false governance, then we decide to build something the people decide, and you against dislike it. What then? What will you do when we take away your dog park? What will you do when we take back what's ours.

Community relation's, and working together right? Well, no justice on stolen land.

To the Sḵwxwú7mesh:
Resist. The Band Council government does not want opposition. If they know people are concerned about this, they will fall. The people should, and can be, in charge, not the politician's put in power by the colonial state. Our people have a history of resistance. Only since colonization have we taken the pacifist approach. Peace, in the western sense, has never worked for us. When we realize that some things need to be protected, we will realized we have to act. Our children must know that some collaborated, and others resisted.

Links worth checking out for more information:
http://www.stopthebillboards.ca/index.php
http://thetyee.ca/Bigstory/2007/04/13/BridgeSigns/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070505.BCBILLBOARD05/TPStory/National
http://www.nsnews.com/issues07/w040807/042307/news/042307nn2.html
http://www.nsnews.com/issues07/w040807/042307/news/042307nn2.html

(Main article on wikipedia: Squamish Nation)

The Squamish Nation is an Indian Act government originally imposed on the Sḵwxwú7mesh by the Federal Government of Canada in the late 19th century. The Sḵwxwú7mesh are Indigenous, located in what is now considered British Columbia, Canada. Their band government comprises 16 elected councillors, serving four year terms, with an elected band manager. Their main reserves are near the town of Squamish, British Columbia and around the mouths of the Capilano River, Mosquito Creek , and Seymour Creek in the Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

History

The term 'Squamish Nation', is an amalgam of different villages, which became reserves under the Indian Act the Canadian government imposed on the Sḵwxwú7mesh. The history of this terminology dates back to the late 1800s when missionaries and Canadian government officials created a puppet government under the Indian Act within the Sḵwxwú7mesh, with the goal of blocking access to resources and cultural geography. The eventual goal of this was the assimilation of the Sḵwxwú7mesh into the settlers' colonial socio-political structures and lifestyle. Through their assimilation policies, they created a system of organizations through selected "Chiefs". These "Chiefs" were selected based on compliance, religious-affiliation, and sobriety. After passing of the Indian Act, these became the Indian Act government. At the time, the Squamish were categorized and placed into numerous small reserves, established by the settler government. Each reserve was originally in the ownership of different Sḵwxwú7mesh families. As land was being acquired, partitioned and allocated by the Federal Government without sufficient consent or consultation with the Sḵwxwú7mesh, the different villages formed into the Squamish Nation.^[1]

In July 20th, 1923 an amalgamation of the 16 signatures were apparently signed by 16 chiefs. This amalgamation become the Squamish Nation, and each chief was a seat at the council table. After decades, the hereditary system for the band council changed into an elected council. Currently, the Squamish Nation has 16 seats in its elections that occur on a four year term. Sixteen Councilors for the 16 signatures on the amalgamation.

Currently, the Squamish Nation engages in agreements with the Provincial Government of British Columbia, and Lil'wat First Nation, to do with the 2010 Olympic Games. Numerous agreements were signed prior to and following the announcement of the host city for the Games. Issues such as leased land, nation owned and operated business and other ventures currently account for much of the band council government business. The Squamish Nation recently announced the purchase of the Tree Farm License 49, which covers the Elaho Valley near Squamish, British Columbia. This is one of the rare instances of an Indigenous nation buying stolen land, as no agreement was ever signed between the Crown and the Sḵwxwú7mesh during colonization of the Lower Mainland.

The Squamish Nation has close ties with the Burrard Band or Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, who reside further east on Burrard Inlet, and have family connections to the Musqueam who reside on the southern edge of the city of Vancouver. Through the Four Host First Nation, the band council has ties with these other Indian Act governments.

This is for readers to know more about the Squamish Nation. I am not a "Squamish Nation member", in the same way I am not "Canadian". I am Sḵwxwú7mesh.