‘Magwabo’yi/October 2015 FEATURED • Rande Cook Honoured • ‘Namgis Territory Signs • Church Roof Project • Election Results • Tofino Bus Info Annual General Meeting October 24 & 25, 2015 Alert Bay Lawrence Ambers Recreation Memorial Centre www.namgis.bc.ca Words from our Chief Gilakas’la ‘Namgis In this edition I’d like to provide you with an Based on a foundation of update on the following ‘Namgis companies: culture, the ‘Namgis First • Atli Resources Nation Council will strive Atli Resources is a forest company that is 100% to create a self-governing, owned by the ‘Namgis First Nation. It was established in 2009 to prosperous, healthy hold and manage ‘Namgis forest licenses. Andrea Lyall, Jim Bennett and ‘Namgis member Dan Everets are community with a strong, newly appointed Directors of Atli Resources. Andrea Lyall is a self-sustaining economy so member of the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation and a registered professional forester. Jim Bennet is a chartered accountant that every member has the and Dan Everets has over 36 years of experience in the forest opportunity to achieve their industry. We welcome Andrea and Jim and Dan to the Atli Board of Directors. highest potential. We also wish to thank outgoing Board members George Speck, Garry Ullstrom and Verna Ambers for their invaluable work and assistance BAND OFFICE: in establishing and growing this company. 250-974-5556 TOLL FREE: Atli doesn’t directly engage in logging. Instead, all logging by Atli is contracted out. This limits Atli’s ability to employ ‘Namgis members 1-888-9NAMGIS in its operations. We have asked the Atli Board to explore options for (1-888-962-6447) increasing employment opportunities for ‘Namgis members in Atli’s FAX: operations. 250-974-5900 Log sales are contracted out to a log broker. Storey Creek Trading EMAIL: has been Atli’s log broker since 2009. In September 2014, Atli [email protected] entered into a five-year agreement with Storey Creek Trading. Atil did not engage in any logging activity in 2014. Thus, the www.namgis.bc.ca company earned no revenues during the 2014-2015 fiscal year. Instead, Atli spent most of 2014-2015 negotiating a limited HOURS OF OPERATION: partnership agreement with Western Forest Products (WFP). The Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm name of the new limited partnership between Atli and WFP is Danyas Forest Products. Danyas” means “place of logging” in Kwakwala. Danyas will log lands that were earmarked as treaty settlement lands under the draft ‘Namgis Agreement in Principle. Logging under this ‘NAMGIS COUNCIL partnership will take place over a two to five year period. Profits CHIEF: from the logging by Danyas will be shared 50/50 between Atli and Debra Hanuse WFP. COUNCIL: In addition to any logging that may be undertaken by Danyas in the Arthur Dick 2015-2016 fiscal year, Atli is currently engaged in logging on four Sharon Gordon blocks that have a total estimated volume of 58,800 cubic metres. Steven Smith Thus, we can expect revenues from ‘Namgis forest licenses and Kelly Speck operations during the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Bill Wasden Victor Isaac • Orca Sand and Gravel Robert Mountain Orca Sand and Gravel (OSG) is a partnership between Polaris Minerals Corporation and the ‘Namgis First Nation. OSG was established in Dixon Taylor 2007 to extract sand and gravel from the Orca quarry, which is Brian Wadhams located near Port McNeill. Polaris owns 88% of this enterprise and ‘Namgis owns the remaining 12%. 2 www.namgis.bc.ca The Orca quarry has reserves of 121 million tonnes (Mt) of sand and gravel and the plant is capable of producing in excess of 6 Mt annually. The main quarry has an expected operating life of 25 years. The ratio of sand to gravel in the main quarry is 60% sand and 40% gravel. Purchasers of OSG’s product are currently seeking 60% gravel and 40% sand. Thus, OSG needs to secure additional supplies of gravel outside the main quarry. Polaris has identified a potential source of gravel at a site located near the Orca quarry and has applied for a license of occupation over this site. Polaris has initiated discussions with ‘Namgis to discuss next steps in connection with investigation and potential development of this new site. • Kuterra Kuterra is a limited partnership that is 100% owned and operated by the ‘Namgis First Nation. Kuterra was established to operate the first land-based, closed containment Atlantic salmon farm in North America. Our interest in preserving wild salmon and concerns about the effect of ocean-based salmon farms on wild salmon stocks are what motivated the Namgis First Nation to establish Kuterra. We are at the ground level of establishing a new industry in British Columbia, which unlike the ocean-based salmon farm industry, has no impact on wild salmon or the marine environment. The Directors of Kuterra are Diane Cornish, Eric Hobson, Robert McKenzie, Per Heggelund, Bill Cranmer and Victor Isaac. The Nuu-chah-nulth Economic Development Corporation (NEDC) is an entity that was established in 1984 to provide loans and advisory services to First Nations individuals and businesses. Each year, the NEDC celebrates the accomplishment of NEDC clients and Aboriginal businesses through its NEDC Aboriginal Business Awards. This year, Kuterra is the winner of the NEDC’s Environmental and Sustainable Business Award. We congratulate Kuterra on this achievement and express our heartfelt appreciation to the Board of Directors and staff at Kuterra for their hard work and dedication in helping us grow this new industry. • ‘Namgis Excavating ‘Namgis Excavating is a partnership between the ‘Namgis First Nation and Lemare Lake Logging Ltd. ‘Namgis owns 51% of this operation and Lemare owns the remaining 49%. ‘Namgis Excavating was established in 2013 to bid on heavy equipment work related to construction of the Kokish hydroelectric power project. As construction of the Kokish project is complete, this company has been inactive since June 2014. Section 11.1 of the partnership agreement authorizes dissolution of the partnership upon unanimous consent of the limited partners. ‘Namgis and Lemare agreed to dissolve the partnership and wind up this company as of March 31, 2015. • Greg Wadhams There are not enough words to express our gratitude to Greg and his family for his years of dedication and service to the ‘Namgis First Nation and ‘Namgis people. His dedication, commitment and leadership in advancing our Aboriginal fishing rights and improving the quality of life for all ‘Namgis members, and especially our youth, is greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten. Gilakas’la 3 www.namgis.bc.ca Election Results ‘Namgis Election Regulations - provisions regarding withdrawal by a candidate 9.03 Any candidate who has been nominated may withdraw at any time after his nomination, but not later than when ballots have been mailed to Non-resident voters, by submitting with the Electoral Officer a written withdrawal of his nomination, signed by himself in the presence of the Electoral Officer, or in the case of a Non-resident candidate, witnessed by a person who submits their name, address and is nineteen (19) years of age. Any votes cast for any such candidate shall be null and void. 9.04 Where a candidate withdraws their name from the running after the ballots have already been mailed to Non-resident voters, the Electoral Officer shall not disclose this withdrawal to anyone until after the election. 4 www.namgis.bc.ca Senior Adminstration Officer Hopeton Louden Gilakas’la! Thank you ‘Namgis people for your warm and generous welcome to your territory. I am honoured that Chief and Council choose me for this role and I am committed to doing my best to reward your belief and trust in me. I am overwhelmed by the hospitality of the ‘Namgis. I was commenting to a Councillor that I am sure I have eaten as much salmon as everyone else even though I have been here only two weeks. I have been gifted smoked salmon and regular salmon much to my delight - elk meat as well! I am from Jamaica and have lived in Canada since 1974. I came here as a student and the first place I lived was in Nelson where I attended Notre Dame University. I later moved to Calgary, transferring to the University of Calgary. I worked, lived and raised my three children (two boys and a girl) who are all grown up now in Calgary. I am blessed with these three wonderful children. They have taught me many things. My working life has been very much in First Nations communities in urban centres and in land based communities. I have worked in six land based communities: Cree, Blackfoot, Sioux, Ojibway and now the Kwak’waka’wakw (‘Namgis) people. I have been so honored to have been given the opportunity to live amongst and to learn so much about the many cultures of First Peoples communities. I am looking forward to learning the Kwak’wala language. October 2nd, Chief Councillor Debra was kind enough to sit with me at the James Speck Potlach and explain everything about the blankets, masks, rituals and ceremonies. I had a wonderful time. Thank you to the hosts of the Potlatch and to Debra for being my guide. Well I am just beginning my third week here at ‘Namgis. I am reading and understanding the matters that members see as important matters to address and with the guidance of Council and the assistance and work from the staff, we will get it done. Do remember, that some things move more slowly than others because there are many things involved in moving them.