General

Press Statement

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) welcomes a report released yesterday by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that takes Canadian governments and police to task on missing and murdered indigenous women.

The NTC applauds the report’s call for a national action plan to address social and economic issues that marginalize indigenous people and “originate and exacerbate the violence”.  These issues include discrimination, poverty, disproportionate incarceration, and inadequate education, employment and housing. 

On Jan. 2, the Ehattesaht Chinehkint Nation hosted a healing workshop that focused on drum-making, singing, and on bringing families together who have been actively learning language and culture. There were 27 drums made over the three days.

Nation members had asked for the cultural revitalization in the budget meeting in an effort to pull together to become stronger and bring healing to the community. Members from home and away from home were treated to three days of activities. There were newborns, children, teens, parents, elders, and traditional leaders who attended.

It’s aching backs and sore muscles today for as many as 200 volunteers who came out to fill 10,000 sandbags and position them around flood-threatened homes on Tseshaht territory yesterday and into the night.

Without those sandbags and volunteers, there would have been more houses and property damaged when the Somass River poured over its banks and winds ripped through the area during storms over the last three days.

Nuu-chah-nulth people living in Vancouver and Seattle were treated to a turkey dinner and some culture and cheer in early December, kicking off the holiday season.

Staff from some of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s various departments traveled to Vancouver Dec. 4 to serve up turkey dinner with all the trimmings and to deliver program information.

Reg Sam and Michael McCarthy served as emcees, introducing NTC staff and keeping things running smoothly.

Put on your dancing shoes and join in the fun at Maht Mahs Dec. 6. The Smokehouse Brothers, a Classic Rock and Country Band, will do an hour-long set during a Loonie Toonie to raise funds to send singer Randy Fred to New Zealand for the world championships for visually impaired lawn bowlers.

Fred is a national champion at least a half-dozen times over, but he’s never been to the international lawn bowling competition. His past directors, used to help the blind lawn bowler judge distance and direction, had never wanted to travel to the worlds.

Port Alberni – Four Nuu-chah-nulth people living with diabetes shared their experiences during the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s Diabetes Workshop held Nov. 20 and 21 at the Alberni Athletic Hall.

Ron Dick Sr. is a Tseshaht man retired from the logging industry. Back in his logging days he said he would buy fast food and stop by a convenience store to pick up pop and chumus (sweets) every morning before heading off to work. On the weekends he enjoyed his beer.

Over time his weight ballooned up to 286 lbs.

It was in 1986 that Dick noticed something was wrong.

The sister of a young man found dead outside a Campbell River residence earlier this autumn is hoping someone will come forward with information that will help solve the crime.

On Oct. 18, 2014, Campbell River RCMP responded to a 9-1-1 call and found Joshua Ryan Billy lying outside a residence on Alpine Street.

The 37-year-old father of six was deceased; his death ruled suspicious. The family confirmed that Billy had been beaten.

RCMP Sgt. Troy Beauregard would not comment on the case only saying it is an active investigation being handled by the major crimes unit.

After more than a decade of slugging it out in the court system with Canada over Aboriginal economic fishing rights, Nuu-chah-nulth Ha’wiih decided it was time to celebrate their victories at Maht Mahs gym on November 1, almost five years after the original trial decision on November 3, 2009.

More than 600 Nuu-chah-nulth and their supporters joined in the celebration, which included feasting, gift giving, song and dance.

Tseshaht and Hupacasath members living on reserve are not eligible to vote in the Port Alberni municipal election, but they may vote in the School District 70 election and in the Sproat Lake Marine Patrol Referendum.

Breaking it down, Hupacasath members living on the Ahahswinis reserve are eligible to vote in the ACRD Area E (Beaver Creek) election, in which Patty Edwards is running against John McNabb. The polling station is at Gill Elementary School (5520 Beaver Creek Road).

A pair of Nuu-chah-nulth candidates has stepped forward to run for election as school board trustees in School District 70 and SD 84.

In the Alberni Valley, Tseshaht member Jane Jones brings an extensive background in education, most recently serving as Tseshaht Education Coordinator as well as teaching the Nuu-chah-nulth language at the University of Victoria.