8:45 am Thursday: Tseshaht First Nation Office

At the edge of the Somass River, Scott Lorette of the Vancouver-based Heavy Urban Search And Rescue team is setting up a mobile water desalination/disinfection system.

According to the Exercise Coastal Response scenario, the previous day, Tseshaht Emergency Coordinator Lisa Gallic contacted HUSAR to advise that the Tseshaht water supply was unusable. (This was the scenario hinted at by HUSAR Training Officer Kirk Heaven on opening day.)

“This unit takes 10 litres of water and produces three litres of potable water and seven litres of brine, which is disposed,” Lorette explained.

The river water is pushed through a semi-permeable membrane at high pressure to remove the salt and contaminants, then disinfected with ultraviolet light.

“It’s much like they use on cruise ships, only much smaller,” Lorette said.

On Thursday, the HUSAR unit brought in a portable 500-litre reservoir, which would be carried on a pickup truck, for display purposes.

9:00 am: Inside the Great Room, Emergency Social Services Mobile Support Team leader Wayne Hartley delivers the briefing.

“All communications are down. There is no phone reception, cellular or landline. No text, no email,” he said. For the moment, all communication must be done by two-way VHF radio.

The Somass River (Orange) Bridge is out. The Tseshaht office was selected to serve evacuees unable to cross over to the bigger centres in town.

As with any exercise, Hartley noted, things can change rapidly, he noted, “and today will be no different.”

On Monday at the Fall Fair Grounds, Ha-Shilth-Sa noticed that, with everyone working under simulated emergency conditions, simple communications often became confusing, such as when a HUSAR member wanted to know whether the water in the kitchen was safe to drink.

“Do you want to know if that is part of the scenario or for real?” he was asked.

In fact, he just wanted to know if it was okay to fill up his water bottles.

On Thursday, to avoid such confusion, Hartley explained the simple protocol used to avoid such confusion.

“If you have a real medical or safety emergency, if someone cuts himself or twists an ankle, for example, say ‘No Duff,’” he explained.

When the other participant hears the term, they automatically know this is a real, not simulated, situation.

Similarly, any communication on the radios must be preceded by “Exercise Exercise Exercise” to verify that the information is part of the exercise.

And, as part of his briefing, Hartley reminded volunteers of his team’s role.

“We are Mobile SUPPORT – we don’t take over,” he said.

9:23: Emergency Reception Centre manager Karen Freethy announces that the centre will shortly receive evacuees.

Gallic was asked how everything was proceeding, two days in.

“The evacuation has been going well. People living on Hector Road and McCoy Lake Road have been evacuated to Tseshaht Market. We have had a lockdown of food and services at the Market.

“We have made a delivery of food to Haahuupayak School, for students and residents in that area, for 240 people… water, blankets, first aid,” Gallic said, acknowledging, “This is Duff.”

As part of the early scenario, Gallic noted, communication was down to satellite phone service. Then the SAT phones went down.

9:42 am: Hartley announces that 75 evacuees will arrive within 10 minutes.

An hour later, Gallic confirms that the “arrival” is yet more Duff.

“We got three. But I didn’t know that until now.”

At 10:42, Wayne MacDonald of the Cowichan Valley Amateur Radio Society arrives to advise that radio communications have now been set up at the office.

“This station should always have a grab-and-go VHF radio kit, and be ready to hook in,” MacDonald told Ha-Shilth-Sa.

MacDonald said historically, amateur radio clubs have always served as an emergency communications network, supplementing the police, military and other professional organizations.

At the intake desk, existing participants took turns being interviewed as “victims,” using predetermined identities and circumstances.

On Thursday afternoon, Ha-Shilth-Sa was scheduled to take part in a gritty three-hour tour of the disaster site, with visits to the “morgue,” first aid stations and emergency feeding stations, with provincial Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness Naomi Yamamoto.

Ditidaht First Nation hosted the fifth annual TRC Paddle Days June 8 and June 9 at their home in Malachan with participation from about 160 students from kindergarten to Grade 12 from five B.C. schools (Ditidaht, Haahuupayak, Pacheedaht, Windsor House, a school from north Vancouver, and Saturna Educational Centre, a school on Saturna).

See our photos here: http://www.hashilthsa.com/gallery/ditidaht-paddle-day-june-8

The days included paddle races in the morning while Nitinat Lake is calm. (The winds pick up in the afternoon and the area has become renowned for kite surfing.) During the afternoon on Day One the kids shared cultural dances and songs, played lahal, a traditional guessing game of bones and sticks, got their faces painted, made cedar bracelets and roses, or went on a nature walk.

Then there was a dinner of salmon and Dungeness crab (the community is known for the tasty crab it harvests) or tacos for those who preferred, and then a dance for the young people in the evening. The next morning was the longer canoe races, testing the endurance of the paddlers.

In the early days, June 11 was set aside each year for Paddle Days by Canoe/Kayak BC, and it would be the only races held on this date. This year that date fell on a weekend, so the event in 2016 was moved to the week days for the schools’ participation.

Originally it started as a nod to truth and reconciliation, said Eva Clarke, as a way to acknowledge the amazing cultural activities that Ditidaht and the Nuu-chah-nulth peoples participate in. The goal of Paddle Days is to revitalize canoeing and bring the younger generations back to that activity.

She was involved in Paddle Days right from the beginning, as a teacher at Ditidaht school. And now that she has moved to teach at other schools, including Pacheedaht, she remains connected to the event. Ditidaht school principal Lauranne Hutton has continued the paddling tradition, but although it is a school initiative, Paddle Days is indeed a community effort.

At the beginning, Clarke said, the school wanted to find a sport that a small community that didn’t have enough for a team sport, like basketball or soccer, could participate in.

“It seemed like a logical choice to do canoeing because it’s so much a part of their history and heritage, their songs, their culture. They started with four canoes and it took off from there.”

Reconciliation and revitalization is the underlying tone of the days, she said. And the event grows each year.

Ditidaht has becoming quite accomplished in their paddling skills, taking many medals in canoeing and kayaking at the North American Indigenous Games in 2014. They practise and train, setting aside part of each morning to be out on the water.

There are strong leaders and coaches in the community that keep the paddlers motivated. Peter Amos began as an assistant coach and is now head coach. He hopes to build upon the success of the sport in the community and is working to take his competitors to nationals this year to see if they can win places on Team B.C. for competition this fall at this year’s NAIG in Ontario. He’s got just a few months to fundraise for entrance fees, and has a long list on his to-do list leading up to this event.

But on Paddle Days, he was enjoying being out on the water watching over the fun, sometimes having to pull canoers out of the water after a tip (this year there were three on the first day) and helping to set up tables and move chairs and generally work with others to keep the days’ events on track.

Our photos from June 8 (see link above) show a lot of smiling faces and students having fun, a testament to the great hospitality shown by the community to their guests.

Students and Nuu-chah-nulth Education Worker Jason Sam celebrated the end of the Ucluelet Secondary School classes by thanking all the people that came in to teach them throughout the year.

On June 8, Sam invited guest teachers to the school garden to enjoy some tlup-chus (a traditional salmon barbecue), bannock and fresh vegetables.

Joe Martin of Tla-o-qui-aht demonstrated step-by-step how to cut a whole salmon to prepare it for cooking by an open fire. He brought with him a tlup-chus stick he made from a salmon berry stalk. He also had some red cedar sticks and string to hold the salmon splayed open as it cooked.

See the step by step in photos here: http://www.hashilthsa.com/gallery/joe-martin-schools-ucluelet-students-h...

While the salmon was cooking, some people roasted strips of bannock dough over the fire. Others continued working on an art project destined for the Ucluelet Aquarium.

A volunteer organization called Surfrider, Pacific Rim Chapter, has been working with the students on a program they call Guardians of the Land. It is a program designed to teach people about ocean pollution and the risks that things like plastics and other toxins have on the marine environment.

Part of the learning experience was bringing the students out to beaches and creeks for a clean-up. A spokesperson for Surfrider said a volunteer clean-up crew, including students, went to Mercantile Creek on June 1. The creek was selected because it is the water source for Ucluelet and Hitatcu.

Over the course of a few hours the work crew pulled out two truckloads of trash, including mattresses, box springs and a 250 litre drum partially filled with kerosene.

On another day they went out to Wya Beach and picked up 466 pieces of trash – mostly plastic. The most dangerous for the environment is Styrofoam, which breaks into smaller pieces and is consumed by marine life.

Some of the collected plastics went to the school where Tofino artist Peter Clarkson guided the students in the creation of an ocean mural.

Using plastic trash they collected on the beach, some paint, glue and nails, the students made images of bull kelp, jelly fish, star fish and little blue fish made out of paint brush handles found washed up on the beach.

During the picnic the students put the finishing touches on their beach trash mural.

Next to it will be a story board they created showing what they’ve learned over the year about the problems plastics in the ocean cause.

The students presented two cedar tlup-chus sticks to the Surfrider organization, thanking them for showing how important it is to keep plastic out of the ocean. The sticks will be used at future beach clean-ups so the volunteers can enjoy a barbecue salmon while they’re hard at work.

Over lunch the students each promised to eliminate the use of at least one plastic item. Some chose plastic shopping bags, drinking straws, and beverage containers.

Sam thanked everyone that came to the school to teach his Nuu-chah-nulth class over the past year. Guests were invited to teach things like Nuu-chah-nulth language, culture, harvesting cedar bark, preparing salmon, stewardship of the ocean and much more.

He thanked Joe Martin, Rose Wilson, Brian Wilson, Carlos Mack, Dr. Bernice Touchie, Peter Clarkson, Surfrider, David Hurowitz and all that came to share their knowledge with the Nuu-chah-nulth class.

Nuu-chah-nulth oral history was used to emphasize the need for earthquake monitoring and, better yet, prediction.

Naomi Yamamoto, minister of State for Emergency Preparedness, told Ha-Shilth-Sa the devastating mega-quake that struck the West Coast of Vancouver Island in January 1700 left behind many lessons, some of which are only now being fully understood.

“I was listening to one of the First Nation chiefs from the Nuu-chah-nulth, and he said, ‘We should have listened to the mice,’” Yamamoto said June 9 during the Exercise Coastal Response (ECR) media tour in Port Alberni.

 “The mice scurried on Jan. 26, 1700. They felt that earthquake coming. That was their early warning system. We’re going to have to use technology to do that.”

For that reason, Yamamoto said, the province has invested $5 million in the Ocean Networks system.

The undersea cable system, based in Port Alberni, contains seismic monitors along the West Coast of the Island, and the information is accessible to remote communities in the hazard zone.

Yamamoto said she concurred with Tseshaht Councillor Hugh Braker, who on Monday said earthquake vigilance and emergency preparedness was especially critical for Nuu-chah-nulth communities and people, the vast majority of whom live within three metres of sea level.

This week the ECR was a practice response to a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake and a 20-metre tsunami.

“We know that just a few seconds of [advance] warning could save thousands and thousands of lives,” the Minister said.

“Tofino, Ucluelet, they have monthly drills. Those will be invaluable if – if – something happens.”

The media tour began with lunch at Alberni Athletic Hall, provided by the Salvation Army Emergency Social Services (ESS) team.

“We have been here since the beginning,” Lt. Col. Beverley Woodland-Slous told the assembled media. There were several hundreds of people taking part in the exercise.

“We’re here to serve meals. On Day 1 (Tuesday) we served 217. On Day 2, 271. Today, we’re preparing for 320.”

The Salvation Army has a total of 14 mobile emergency kitchens in B.C. All four Vancouver Island-based units came to Port Alberni for the virtual disaster. The other 10 were in Fort McMurray for the real thing.

In her opening remarks, Yamamoto noted that ECR is “the biggest exercise anywhere” so far, and that it has been a major learning experience.

“For example, I did not know, until I became minister, that the vast majority of ESS workers are volunteers,” she observed.

Emergency accommodations were set up inside the hall. ESS Liaison Officer Angel Lou first explained that the facility was referred to as “a Group Lodging,” rather than a “shelter,” due to the stigma surrounding homeless shelters.

Once established, the lodging is subject to strict security, with each resident receiving a (fully sanitized) cot and bedding, along with a wristband.

“This is not a public building once it becomes someone’s home,” Lou explained.

Pointing to a marked section of cots that had obviously been in use, she noted, “We [ESS workers] have actually been sleeping here on these wonderful cots.”

Gerry Delorme of Emergency Management B.C. (EMBC) emphasized the long-term effects of a natural disaster.

“I don’t want you to think only about the casualties. I want you to think about the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the disaster psychosocial [effects]. You need to know what’s being done in the emergency centres to ensure that the food is safe, that people have continuity of health care,” Delorme said.

“There are things we don’t like to think about, like dead bodies in parks, and getting them back to their loved ones.”

On site was the four-piece B.C. Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), which is unique in Canada, and was purchased for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.

The MMU has since been deployed in various roles, including providing backup capacity to B.C. hospitals under renovation.

Inside the MMU Patient Treatment unit, Minister Yamamoto examined a high-tech medical mannequin that has a pulse, chest movements and real-time vital signs on an overhead monitor.

As Yamamoto discovered, it also has a voice.

The minister was visibly startled when the patient suddenly gasped, “I can’t breathe!”

Yamamoto was asked if it was realistic to expect that, in the event of a 9.0 earthquake, whether facilities like the MMU would be deployed outside of Vancouver, where, presumably, the damage would be catastrophic.

The minister said as part of the ECR scenario, the damage in Vancouver and Victoria was “manageable,” and Port Alberni was given priority due to severe tsunami damage.

But it all gets back to that main message, Yamamoto said: Be prepared for that critical 72-hour period, during which there will be little outside help available. Set aside food, water and first aid supplies, etc., for all family members and pets.

“Your government will be there for you – but not in those critical first few days,” she said.

Yamamoto pointed out that, emergency care facilities aside, the exercise illustrated the need for infrastructure, most critically transportation infrastructure such as roads and ferries, etc., that can remain functional in the event of natural disaster.

“There’s no point in having a seismically-stable hospital if you can’t get there,” she observed.

Delorme noted that the Oct. 25 sinking of Leviathan II off Vargas Island, in which Nuu-chah-nulth vessel operators rescued survivors and reclaimed most of the victims, served as a learning experience for his agency.

While there were concerns raised about Search and Rescue capability in the region, Delorme said the existing procedures for transporting patients actually worked well, and would be refined further, with lessons learned in ECR.

Following the MMU visit, the tour group was transported to the now-vacant Gill Elementary, which was being used as a Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) training site.

At Gill, 17 community volunteers, 12 children and five parents, served as victims in several search and recovery drills.

“There are children inside and a lot of screaming,” HUSAR Search Technician Michael Fealing said.

A HUSAR reconnaissance team first combed the perimeter of the building for hazards such as live power lines or gas leaks

Behind the school, a crash scene reminiscent of an iconic 1964 Tsunami photo had been set up. A minivan perches at a 45-degree angle over a Ford SUV that was lying on its side, smashed against the side of a school bus.

Inside the minivan and the school bus, live children are screaming. Under the SUV, a pair of shoes indicates a dead victim is present.

As part of the scenario, the HUSAR team would later cut open the school bus to remove any victims unable to get out the rear exit.

Inside the school, Jake the Rescue Dog, a four-year-old Golden Retriever, demonstrates his capabilities.

HUSAR Commander Joe Morgan noted that a SAR dog is very different from a police dog, which is trained to help apprehend suspects.

“They are fabulous animals. They are looking for people in distress. People who are down, who are hidden… and they will find them,” Morgan said.

If you are on scene and you are able to walk and to remove yourself safely, Morgan explained, Jake will ignore you.

“If you are underneath something, the dog will activate. He will bark.”

The tour group followed Jake as he searched each room. When he barked, the rescue team discovered volunteer victims in various stages of distress.

Morgan noted that he himself suited up as a volunteer victim for a particularly grueling rescue exercise on the Port Alberni waterfront the previous evening, involving a bus rollover into the water, complicated by floating logs.

“Yesterday I had a 2X4 sticking out of my stomach and out through my back,” he chuckled. “I was airlifted out by a Coast Guard helicopter.”

Back outside the school, the group was interrupted by the whine of a small surveillance drone, hovering overhead, transmitting real-time video of the school building back to its base. Morgan said the drone belongs to the RCMP.

“We called the RCMP for assistance,” he explained. “If one person can fly over the building, rather than having five people walk around it, we can save a lot of time.”

Prior to leaving, Yamamoto thanked the HUSAR team and volunteers, acknowledging the time and effort ECR had involved.

“We can’t do something like this every year; we wouldn’t get anything else done,” she said. “But every three to five years would be a good idea.”

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council executive, President Debra Foxcroft and Vice President Ken Watts, presented First Nations Summit Task Force member Ed John with a traditional rattle in recognition of his hard work on behalf of Indigenous people over the years.

Watts took the opportunity to publicly apologize to John for questioning the need for the travel he did over the years to take part in dialogue and negotiations at the United Nations, saying that the work resulted in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is now an integral part of the Canadian/Indigenous relationship moving forward.

Watts felt the rattle was appropriate, because it belonged to his late father George, who once occupied the same position as Ed John at the UN permanent forum on Indigenous issues, North American representative.

John accepted that apology.

Staff of NETP (the Nuu-chah-nulth Employment and Training Program) opened the doors of their Port Alberni offices June 13 to invite people for a tour of their facility and to see what they have to offer.

Operating since 2010, NETP offers training and employment readiness services to all Aboriginal, Metis and Inuit people residing in Nuu-chah-nulth territories. Besides the main office in Port Alberni, there are regional offices in Gold River and Ucluelet to serve people living in coastal communities.

Funded by ASETS (Aboriginal Skills & Employment Training Strategy), NETP works with clients on an individual basis as well as in group setting. They offer a variety of training classes and programs including drivers training, FoodSafe, adult upgrading, as well as cultural and life skills training to prepare people to enter the workforce.

NETP offers a wide array of programs and services designed to train people for the work force, assist in job search and to support people in maintaining their jobs.

Ginny Webster stopped by the open house with her daughter. She said she earned her FoodSafe ticket through NETP and drops by for weekly visits.

Most of the NETP staff were at the open house and they introduced themselves during lunch hour. NTC President Debra Foxcroft said she was honored to be there, adding she’s been hearing good news and inspirational stories of successes coming from NETP.

Following the cutting of the cake, people were invited to talk to NETP staff to learn more about services. They were offered refreshments and the chance to win gift baskets.

NETP Case Manager Robyn Samuel invited people to drop by anytime during work hours if they want to know more. The NETP office in Port Alberni is located at 4090 8th Avenue.

Ahousaht’s Maaqtusis Schools' Sports Day was held June 6. The day started out with the 50m race, and went through the 100, 200 and 400 metre races.

Relays and spin and run games and a marathon race were also held. The school saved the fun games—the Spoon and Ball and the Hokey Pokey — until last.

The community came out to watch the kids and teaching staff compete. 

It was a fun day for all.

The Quu?asa team from the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s Mental Health department hosted Picnic in the Park for urban Nuu-chah-nulth living away from home in Port Alberni. The event was held June 15 at Harbour Quay.

Organizer and outreach worker Justin Dorward, who works with urban Nuu-chah-nulth-aht struggling with addiction issues, said the annual event was initiated some years back by former outreach worker John Gomez who wanted to make sure that those living away from their home communities knew they were not forgotten.

The picnic brings urban Nuu-chah-nulth together with family and friends for a meal (this year hotdogs and hamburgers, salad and chumus were served) as well as some of the local services, like the Nuu-chah-nulth Employment and Training Program. They set up booths to speak with people in attendance. And there were plenty this year, occupying every picnic table and bench and spread out over the grassy area.

Also on hand was Geraldine Edgar who brought cedar strips for weaving roses and bracelets. There were also door prizes and give-aways.

Dorward wanted readers to know that a great deal of help came from people and businesses in the community. He thanks Randy from Buy-Low Foods for the donation, as well as Steve from Quality Foods. He also wanted to thank Kim Rai for all his donations.

“All of you guys help make this event a huge success," Dorward said.

Harvesting cedar for basket weaving requires knowledge, skill, physical wellness, and to know when and where to pick, and not to over harvest in one area.

It is not good to venture out on your own and it's not good strip a cedar tree of all its bark. Stripping the tree completely of its bark  will kill the tree.

Mary Martin, Wenuk, a 52-year-old Tla-o-qui-aht member, has become an expert weaver. She was intrigued by a woven bottle that she saw at the Port Place Mall in Nanaimo. She examined the bottle closely, and wondered how it could be done. The work seemed so intricate and delicate.

It took Mary five years to find someone to teach her the basics of weaving.

Julie Joseph of Ditidaht taught Mary how to do twinning, and Ilene Thomas of Ahousat taught her how to make a headband for inside a hat. Mary believes that it was hard to find someone to teach her how to weave due to the banning of the potlatch in the 1900s, and also because of the legacy of Indian residential schools.

There are two types of weaving: basic and fine. Fine weaving is a lifetime process that enables you to learn as you go along. Weaving is very precise. Just like a carver, weavers develop the skills with dedication and practice.

In preparation for weaving, it takes Wenuk two days to split the cedar to ensure the strips are the same thickness and length. You need a smooth rock to flatten the cedar once it is woven into place.

Cedar weaving is meticulous work and requires patience, persistence, time and determination.

Weaving is very therapeutic and healing for Mary. Some days Mary will weave for eight or more hours.

While she is weaving, she has no time to be stressing and worrying about every-day mundane things, because she is so busy concentrating and paying close attention to detail.

Mary's favorite work are Maquinna hats, also known as whaler's or hunter's hats. Wenuk's dream is to teach others how to make whaler's hats. Weaving a whaler's hat is hard, Mary says.

With a hat you weave from the top down and with a basket you weave from the bottom up. A whaler's hat has certain designs that signify the hunting of a whale and strength.

Mary said it was easy for her to do her own whaler's hat designs, because she learned how to do bead work graphs at the age of 11. It takes 30 days to make a whaler's hat, and the most difficult part is doing the top part of the hat.

Mary makes her own designs and knows exactly when and where to add certain colors to give it that dignified look it deserves.  People of prestige wore whaler's hats.

Mary said the most exciting project she worked on was teaching 25 people how to weave. She said it was a delight to see them create something new.

Over the years Mary was inspired by the late Alice Paul of Hesquiaht and late Lillian Michael of Nuchatlaht in their fine art of basket weaving.

Mary also makes earrings, bracelets, necklaces and other regalia for potlatches and she travels to different towns and cities to sell her work.

Through her love of weaving Mary has met people from England, Germany, and the United States. She had sold at the Indigenous Games and Tribal Journeys.

Mary has sold some of her weaving to people abroad and most recently she created a hat for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which was presented to him by Deb Foxcroft and Ken Watts, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s President and Vice President.

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council is sad to learn of the passing of friend Ian Hinksman, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his extended family and friends at his loss.

Ian, who left us on June 23, worked over his lifetime on behalf of Aboriginal people, despite many personal challenges. He was a fierce advocate, particularly for urban Aboriginal people.

He co-founded the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, was president of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, president of the Victoria Native Housing Society (now the M’akola Housing Society) and was president of the BC Association of Indian Friendship Centres. We acknowledge Ian for all of that good work.

He received the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) on April 12 of this year from Lt. Gov. Judith Guichon on behalf of Gov. Gen. David Johnston. At that ceremony, his long-time friend and co-worker Florence Wylie, NTC Executive Director, spoke about Ian’s contributions, describing him as a man of integrity, compassion and determination. He was fearless and forceful when dealing with any obstacle, and earned the respect of First Nations leaders in B.C. and across Canada.

He was stricken with Guillain-Barré Syndrome in 1987, which paralyzed Ian from the neck down, and hospitalized him for many months, but he continued on determinedly as president of VNFC, arranging with staff at the George Road Hospital to hold their meetings in the cafeteria.

His disability enlightened him to new struggles, and steeled him for new battles with service agencies, identifying gaps in supports and services.

Ian presented to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples on barriers and obstacles faced by urban First Nations people with disabilities.

A grant from the RCAP led to a survey in collaboration with UBC, which then led to a provincial conference which brought First Nations people living with disabilities together with federal and provincial governments and First Nations leaders. This conference led to a mandate to develop a society focused on improving the quality of life for First Nations people living with disabilities, and the BCANDS was born.

Ian was invited to speak to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Persons with Disabilities and national conferences on mental health, drug and alcohol use. He was part of developing the HALO Project, providing personalized training and support to First Nations people with disabilities to enable their participation in the labour market.

Through Ian’s advocacy, NTC developed its own Disability Access Awareness Committee in 1997, which remains active to this day. Its six-member committee is comprised of individuals who each live with various forms of disability and challenges.

And in Ian’s own words, ‘Let’s make a conscious effort to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.’

The Canada Day long weekend began for Ahousaht on June 30, when the locals welcomed home canoes carrying children in foster care.

The canoes landed on the front beach and each child was blanketed before joining family members.

According to a grandparent, the kids in care came home to Ahousaht to take part in the weekend-long annual Sports Days. There were plenty of hugs and tears of joy as the children joined their extended families.

Hosted by Ahousaht Fisheries and Ahousaht Operations & Maintenance, the 2016 Ahousaht Sports Days went five days, starting on June 30, with an evening of kids’ lahal at the Thunderbird Hall.

See photos at the bottom of this report.

Children under the age of 10 did their own singing and drumming, playing the traditional guessing game as parents and grandparents looked on.

The following morning dozens of vehicles decorated in red and white balloons paraded around the village in celebration of Canada Day. They were led by Ahousaht Elder Betty Keitlah, also known by her VHF handle Flour Power, riding a decorated scooter.

People decorated their private vehicles and volunteers decorated the village fire truck, ambulance and school van.

Children ran alongside the parade route tossing handfuls of candy to the spectators.

The rest of the weekend was filled with fun and sometimes grueling events that drew athletes and families out by the hundreds.

One day was dedicated to races for kids and another for adults. Indoor events included basketball, volleyball, lahal, Kick the Feather and Knuckle Hop.

The winner of Kick the Feather was 18-year-old Dominic Campbell with an amazing 8’4” kick. The feather he kicked was suspended from a basketball hoop.

Shandon Thomas, 15, won the marathon and the Knuckle Hop at 70 feet.

Zakariyah Thomas won the Ku-uus Mile (which is far longer than a mile) and Andrew Paul, 11, was the person in the 13 and under category to cross the finish line. Thomas also came in first place in the triathlon.

Outdoor events included track & field, tug-o-war, and canoe races. The main events were the marathon and triathlon.

All the weekend fun culminated in a community dinner followed by award presentations. Jaylynn Keitlah, 16, also won an award for best all-around athlete. The Thomas women won the canoe races for the second year in a row.

Ahousaht Fisheries Manager and Band Councillor Luke Swan Jr. was happy with the efforts of the volunteers and the number of kids that participated. “We did it for the kids,” he said.

Sports Days, he said, is about healthy living and getting the kids involved with the parents’ support.

It would have been about 10 in the morning July 11 when experienced fishing guide, 44-year-old Neil Sherwood, fell overboard during a charter in an area called the Whales Tale, near Kyuquot.

The only other person aboard was an 82-year-old man who didn’t know how to operate the boat or its sophisticated electronics.

By all accounts the weather was bad and it wasn’t long before the guest lost sight of Neil.

“They became separated very quickly and our guest began tossing life jackets and everything that could float overboard for Neil; whether any of that got to him or not, I don’t know,” said Doug Rodgers, owner of Rodger’s Fishing Lodge based in Esperanza Inlet.

Help in Kyuquot

It was a changeover day for Rugged Point Lodge in Kyuquot. Owners Kristy and Matt Guiguet were preparing to send guests home, and welcome new guests to the lodge that day, so their guides were not on the water.

Kristy and  Matt were carrying on with their changeover routine when they got a call from one of the locals, asking them if they had heard what was happening on Channel 16, the VHF radio emergency channel.

They heard that a man had gone overboard on a fishing charter vessel and had not yet been found.

“My first thought is that it was a guest and I worried that he was a non-swimmer or if he had a life vest on,” said Guiguet.

It turned out the Mayday calls were from an elderly man, named Dennis, the lone guest on the charter boat.

Having an inexperienced mariner at sea during a storm presented a whole set of new problems.

“Luckily, he got the man overboard Mayday call out.”

Responding immediately to the emergency, Matt Guiguet and his guide Paul Vincent went out to search.

“It was blowing SE 30 knots and with the mist and stormy conditions, visibility was zero,” said Kristy.

Rodgers and his wife Pam listened intently to the VHF for updates after sending out their search boats.

It took a long time to find the boat, because their guest didn’t know how to use system. Time seemed to drag on as the search for Sherwood continued.

The Coast Guard walked Dennis through how to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) and were finally able to get the coordinates needed to locate the boat.

Matt Guiguet and Vincent found the charter boat and were able to guide Dennis into calmer waters before Vincent boarded the boat and took it through the reef-studded coastal waters back into Kyuquot.

The boat remains tied up at Rugged Point Lodge, a day after the incident.

“He did a wonderful job keeping his composure,” said Rodgers of Dennis.

Kristy said the poor man was terrified, and news of the guide was slow to come.

“By 1 p.m. everyone came to the conclusion that (Neil) wasn’t going to make it,” said Rodgers. But a half-hour later news came over the radio that the Coast Guard had found Sherwood.

The Coast Guard didn’t announce what condition Sherwood was in or whether or not he was alive. Rodgers ended up phoning the Coast Guard to get the good news that Sherwood was alive and being transported to hospital.

“We heard that he was just leaning over to net a fish when he slipped overboard,” said Kristy.

After speaking with the rescued guest, Kristy said she believes that the guide wasn’t wearing a conventional life jacket, but may have had a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) under his outer clothing.

He was “stripping off his clothes immediately after falling overboard” she said, and the guest didn’t understand why he would do that.

PFDs are often preferred by people who must wear life preservers constantly because they are less bulky, allowing the wearer to move more freely but they are less buoyant than life jackets.

Guiguet credits the PFD for saving the man’s life.

“I can’t believe he was found because that’s literally like finding a needle in a haystack under the stormy conditions,” said Kristy. She also credits the guide, Neil, with his 15 years of guiding experience, for saving himself.

Rodgers said that Sherwood had to have been in remarkable physical condition to endure three-and-a half-hours in the ocean.

From this incident Rodgers says he has learned two important lessons. One is to get GPS coordinates for all the areas his guides fish in.

“They were at the Whale’s Tale and, while we know where it is, we didn’t have the coordinates for the Coast Guard,” said Rodgers. Not having the coordinates caused a delay in finding the boat and Sherwood.

Secondly, Rodgers says his guides will now work on a buddy system, always having two or three boats fishing near one another. There was another of Rodger’s boat in the area but they were not very close.

As for Sherwood, Rodgers says he is a very strong man. He said he called the hospital and spoke to Sherwood last night.

“He said he knew someone would come looking for him and he saw the helicopter fly over twice – and he wanted to come back to work today!” said Rodgers.

Representatives of a specific claims tribunal have travelled to Ahousaht First Nation this morning to get the lay of the land. The group spent the last two days at Tin Wis in Tofino hearing testimony about lands that were removed from Ahousaht's use by the Crown, granting them instead to the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1904.

There are four island areas adjacent to the current reserve at Maaqtusiis that compensation is being claimed for. The land won’t be returned, (the tribunal does not have that authority) though suitable land for housing is in limited supply. What the Ahousaht people have been seeking is accommodation for the value of the land and its loss of use over the last 100-plus years.

Their ownership of the land dates back to a 13-year war against a neighboring tribe in the early 1800s when the territory came into Ahousaht’s possession.  It’s a story, not only about warring Indigenous nations, however, but also about the arrogance of religious entitlement at the time, the destruction of a First Nation’s economy, and the attempt to mold Native fishermen into farmers, said elected Chief Councillor Greg Louie.

It’s a complicated business, said Tyee Ha’wilth Maquinna Lewis George, who attended the tribunal.

The specific claim heard this week is for one area named Aauuknuk , part of Lot 363. At one time a chief had granted the Presbyterian Church permission to build a school on part of his territory, but when the school was burned to the ground, the chief at that time wanted the land back.

Instead the Crown granted 140 acres of waterfront property to the church. The church drained a salmon-bearing lake, leaving a bog, and planted cranberries, replacing the fishing economy without consultation with the First Nation.

Chief Councillor Louie called the two days of testimony empowering, enlightening, interesting and educational.

“We had our speakers talk with a lot of passion,” he said. He described it as “controlled anger”, talking about religious groups determined to separate First Nations from their lands.

“How this unfolded is an insult to our chiefs and people,” said Louie, “taking our land and culture and livelihood.”

He said the testimony went very well, and was at times emotional, touching the tribunal judge and lawyers for the Crown, Louie observed.

 Of those giving testimony was Louis Frank Sr., Andy Webster, and Cliff Atleo Sr. Frank was asked how he had learned the history he was providing, Maquinna told Ha-Shilth-Sa, and he said his dad told him.

Webster had gone on a quest to find the original posts driven by the Indian Agent that marked the reserve boundaries in the late 1800s. He has so far located one, said Maquinna.

Witnesses were asked what the Ahousaht people used the lands for; was it a burial ground, berry picking area or hunting ground? Commissioner O’Reilly, who was mandated to allot lands to Indian peoples in the late 1800, received instructions from the Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs to be “especially careful not to disturb the Indians in the possession of any villages, fur trading posts, settlements, clearings, burial places and fishing stations occupied by [the Indians] and to which they may be specially attached,” reads Ahousaht’s Declaration of Claim to the tribunal. The claim also insists that lands that should have been part of the alottment in 1889 were not included.

Ahousaht had originally filed a claim with Canada on Feb. 15, 2001 alleging breaches of Canada’s fiduciary duties, statutory duties and/or their duty of care owed to Ahousaht. In a letter dated Aug. 6, 2009, Canada stated “it is the decision of the Minister of Indian Affairs…that there is no outstanding lawful obligation on the part of the Government of Canada." The Declaration of Claim to the Specific Claims Tribunal is dated June 20, 2012.

The claim for compensation under tribunal rules is that accommodation must not be in excess of $150 million. Asked what Ahousaht is hoping to receive in accommodation, Maquinna and Louie could not say.

“It’s all waterfront,” said Maquinna, who suggested a good comparison in market value would be Chesterman Beach in Tofino, where just one housing lot sold recently for $5 million. And it’s just not the market value of the property that will be sought. It is for loss of use, and for “what we could have been,” said Maquinna.

Betrayal? "It is," said Tyee Ha’wilth Maquinna Lewis George about a statement by federal Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould.

On July 12, the minister told the chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations, gathered in Niagara Falls, that Canada would not adopt into law the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Wilson-Raybould said “[S]implistic approaches such as adopting the United Nations declaration as being Canadian law are unworkable and, respectfully, a political distraction to undertaking the hard work actually required to implement it back home in communities.”

“I’m totally disappointed with what Raybould had to say,” said Maquinna. “[The Liberals] are no different than the Harper government.”

“Genius” is how Maquinna described NDP MP Romeo Saganash’s private members Bill C-262. It calls for the adoption and implementation of UNDRIP into Canadian law.

Maquinna said Saganash really impressed him and the Bill “really made sense to me.” So much so that after listening to Saganash’s presentation on the Bill during the Council of Ha’wiih meeting on June 23 in Tofino, Maquinna and the Ahousaht Ha’wiih called on all the Nuu-chah-nulth hereditary chiefs to stand in support and endorse the Bill.

Speaking for Maquinna, Cliff Atleo Sr. said ‘we call on all the chiefs present to support and endorse the proposal put forward by Romeo Saganash. It is intended to enshrine in law and start doing away with those things that always keeps us fighting to be who we are, to exercise those things that are inherent from our ancestors, to stop the government from toying with us every which way we turn…. We see this as an excellent tool to stop all of that, to stop the racism that’s almost inherent in the system.”

Council of Ha-wiih Chair Tom Happynook went around the room, asking the Ha’wiih if they supported and endorsed Saganash’s Bill.

There were thumbs up around the room from each Nuu-chah-nulth Nation.

“Romeo, you have the full support of the Nuu-chah-nulth Ha’wiih in your private members bill,” he announced.

The Bill contains six articles and confirms that nothing in the Bill constrains in any way the present rights that Indigenous peoples have under the Constitution of Canada, both Aboriginal and treaty rights, said Saganash.

“My bill will confirm that the UN Declaration has application in Canadian law… I think it’s important to make that confirmation through legislation, because it provides that clarity we all need. When the rules are clear, everything goes well. … that’s what we need in this country, for the future.”

And the future is one of the things that Saganash is concerned about. He said the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in their calls to action made an important distinction between adoption and implementation.

You implement through policies and programs, “that any government can change,” but you adopt through legislation, he said.

Saganash is one of the very few Indigenous lawyers that spent the entire 23 years in the process that led to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, he told the Ha’wiih.

His Bill flows from the TRC’s 94 calls to action, specifically calls 43 and 44.

Number 43 calls on the government of Canada, the provinces, the territories and the municipalities “to fully adopt and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People as the framework for reconciliation.”

Since the Liberal government was elected last October, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Indigenous Affairs Carolyn Bennett had talked about implementation of UNDRIP, and then in May, Saganash said, Minister Bennett and Minister Wilson-Raybould talked about adopting UNDRIP (with qualification).  Saganash said he asked them why then had government not supported his Bill.

“They totally skated around the question. It’s a clear question. Do you support it or not, because it proposes to do what you’re saying you are going to do, your promises to the Indigenous peoples of this country.”

He said he suspected the government may be working on something else, that “would be weaker than my Bill.” He said that would be troubling “because the UN Declaration provides the standards that are the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples that recognizes our right to self-determination, our right to resources, our territories, our lands.”

In her address to the AFN, Wilson-Raybould talked about a “principled approach to a Nation-to-Nation relationship based on recognition.” She also talked about the Indian Act and decolonization.

The minister said the federally-imposed Indian Act is not the answer for Indigenous people and communities, but ripping up the Indian Act, as UNDRIP would require government to do, would create legal and economic uncertainty during the period of transition. There needs to be careful consideration of the mechanisms that would be required to transition away from the Indian Act, she said.

“At the same time we also have to be mindful of the vested interests in the status quo that are resistant to change. Not to mention the citizens of the Nations who may be afraid of change and more comfortable with the devil they know than the devil they do not...

“So as much as I would tomorrow like to cast into the fire of history the Indian Act so that the Nations can be reborn in its ashes - this is not a practical option…”

Wilson-Raybould said what was needed is “an efficient process of transition that lights a fire under the process of decolonization but does so in a controlled manner that respects where Indigenous communities are in terms of rebuilding… rather than popping the balloon that is the Indian Act, we need to let the air out slowly in a controlled and deliberate manner.”

Maquinna called letting the air out of the balloon “a pile of B.S.” and asked “how long is it slowly going to be?”

Wilson-Raybould said “Ultimately, the UNDRIP will be articulated through the constitutional framework of section 35,” through a mixture of legislation, policy and action initiated and taken by Indigenous Nations themselves.

And how can Indigenous people “breathe life into Section 35”?

The government will begin a process to recognize Indigenous Nations and legitimate institutions of government, facilitate the transition, and “develop a national reconciliation framework with improved and new mechanisms to guide this transition to rebuilding strong, self-determining Nations with practicing and thriving cultures,” including modern treaties with new mandates and other “constructive arrangements.”

Wilson-Raybould said she would like a jointly-developed plan in place by the next AFN assembly in 2017, with work on development and implementation of the mechanism that support the transition well underway.

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Deb Foxcroft and Vice-President Ken Watts were in Niagara Falls attending the AFN gathering. On Ha-Shilth-Sa’s request they released a statement on the Justice Minister’s comments. They seem to have a short- and long-term perspective.

The President and Vice-President believe Nuu-chah-nulth should stand behind MP Saganash, and his Bill to see UNDRIP passed into law, and will be seeking support from the NTC Board of Directors for Bill C-262. However, “we must also recognize that we need to create change and action now.

“We recognize that making UNDRIP actual law in its totality will be a long, difficult and drawn out process which may lead to more court battles to define.” They said “We should not slow down our efforts to push for immediate policy and legislative changes and amendments, both federally and provincially, that are reflective of UNDRIP Articles.”

NTC will take the steps to get Band Council Resolutions from Nuu-chah-nulth Nations, an NTC Motion, and possibly launch a petition to support the call for UNDRIP to be reflective in all Canadian law or become law, reads the statement.

See our YouTube video on MP Romeo Saganash’s presentation to the Council of Ha’wiih here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kwJ-BoXR-U

And,

See the Minister of Justice’s full address to the AFN here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jody-wilsonraybould/social-issues-indigenous-communities_b_10964396.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-politics&ir=Canada+Politics&utm_campaign=canpoli&utm_term=canpoli&utm_content=canpoli&utm_source=canpoli&utm_medium=canpoli

In Ahousaht et al vs. Canada, the Trial Judge found that economic trade in fish happened regularly, in substantial quantities, and was integral to Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations cultural practices.

Today, Nuu-chah-nulth Nations collaboratively work with stakeholders at West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) Roundtables in Barkley, Clayoquot, Nootka and Kyuquot communities with the goal of ensuring that all groups can fully attain their salmon allocations, which provide food, social, ceremonial, and economic benefits.

 “The first WCVI Roundtable came out of a conflict over access to the resource for Area 23,” said Diana Dobson, Program Head, WCVI Stock Assessment for DFO. Currently, the west coast of Vancouver Island Roundtables comprise Areas 23 (Barkley, both harvest and stewardship), 24 (Clayoquot), 25 (Nootka), and 26 (Kyuquot), bringing together First Nations, DFO, sports and recreation, commercial, and stewardship groups that historically wouldn’t have sat together at the table.                                

“In the past each group would meet bilaterally with DFO and be asked what would be best for them without considering other groups,” said Tawney Lem, Executive Director of Management for West Coast Aquatic. “Today, WCVI Roundtables are a cooperative process where First Nations and stakeholders look for solutions that work for all groups.”

Steve Tatoosh, Chief Councillor, Hupacasath First Nation has participated in Area 23 Roundtables for six years and agreed. “Roundtables provide an atmosphere for rightful owners of the resource and stakeholders to offer their input on how the resource is managed.”

During the February to May “pre-season,” the Roundtables do the heavy lifting by creating an annual fishing plan, which includes management actions for various environmental scenarios, looks at when First Nations and users are out on the water, what days they’ll fish, and what times.

During “in-season” summer months, groups receive updates on escapement and send out test fishing boats to determine the size of the runs (i.e., higher or lower than the forecast), considering whether to make adjustments based on information coming back.

Between about October to January WCVI Roundtable groups for the four areas conduct a post-season review of their management plan to see how well the plan was adhered to, and to see if the plan was robust enough to address issues that arose in-season.

At that time the groups decide whether the plan needs updating. During this process, issues often arise that spark concern at the table.      

As an example, returning sockeye numbers were historically high in 2015 yet there was a challenge around accessing salmon due to low water levels and high water temperatures.

“There was a lot of concern at the table,” said Lem, “yet even during the discussions people realized that these issues impact everyone and collectively they needed to find a solution.”

“It’s a good way to work through problems,” said Graham Murell, Biologist and Fisheries Manager, Hupacasath First Nation about how Roundtables come to agreement when an issue arises. Another advantage of the WCVI Roundtables is in how the consensus-based approach can lead to new solutions.

Highlighting the “creativity” and “flexibility” at the tables, Andy Olson, Fisheries Manager Biologist, Tseshaht First Nation said at a recent Council of Ha’wiih Forum on Fisheries that through the roundtable process Tseshaht First Nation was able to negotiate a fishery to use small mesh gear to target mostly three-year old male chinook, and that they harvested 7,000 chinook.

Speaking about how the meetings have impacted the area overall, Tatoosh said that for Area 23 the “meetings have meant better management for the Alberni Inlet and Port Alberni in general.” This progression towards “better management” is related to the fact that the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations participating in the Roundtables are exercising their Aboriginal rights to manage and access the resources.

“The Nations that are part of these discussions are managing their own fishery and helping to design fishery management plans with other stakeholders that are more comprehensive and nuanced than the way DFO might look at the world outside this co-management approach,” said Dobson.

“The resulting plans better meet the needs and objectives of the First Nation communities and other stakeholders and it makes sense that they’d be more engaged with the process as a result.”

Still, she and others often use the word “compromise” to describe how all groups operate to make it work.

“Compromise is definitely a big benefit of the table,” said Tatoosh. “There’s give and take between each group.”

Summer-time fun! Days to walk the beach, sit by the fire to roast marshmallows, sing, hit the drums or watch the kids play tag or go swimming. There are so many opportunities to get out and enjoy the evening sunsets or each other’s company. And now, there’s more.

Cha ma piis is a cultural program aimed at teaching people language, seafood harvesting and cultural activities. It means tostand with dignity, respect and humility.

Gisele Martin, Dwayne Martin and Grace George are working together to provide the cultural programs at Esowista for Tla-o-qui-aht members (Beach nights are open to all.)

Gisele and Levi Martin provide language classes every Tuesday evening from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A cultural lesson called Yuuchap Panac runs Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Camaapil community cultural beach fire runs from 7 p.m. 10 p.m. every Wednesday night.

To date, there have been about six people attending the language classes, and about six or more coming out for the Yuuchap Panac, and during the last cultural beach night there were about 40 people that showed up.

During the last Yuuchap Panac, Gisele decided to teach the group about seaweed. The session was very interesting.

There are more than a thousand types of seaweed, and the importance of knowing which ones are edible and which ones are poisonous is a must, Gisele said.

The taste, texture and colour of the seaweed vary. Some are orange, purple, red, green and brown. Seaweed is nutritious and has many vitamins and minerals, and the gel of a certain type of seaweed can be used on your skin and hair.

The gel was also used by our ancestors as a sunscreen, which is much better for you than most man-made products.

In former days, each community had a family that was responsible for taking care of the seaweed gardens. This was important as they had to know who picked where and how much. It is vitally important that you know how to pick seaweed, otherwise you could ruin the seaweed garden.

Once a certain area was harvested, that area was closed for four years so that the seaweed could continue to reproduce and flourish. Once you destroy an area of seaweed by stripping the rock bare, the seaweed will never return.

After harvesting the seaweed, Gisele started a fire and built a hanging rack using branches. She tied string to the posts to dry the seaweed. The drying process did not take long, and while waiting, people tried the seaweed and most preferred the smoky taste.

Gisele, with her innovative ways, put up a mat on the west side of the fire pit, which helped circulate the smoke. The dried smoky seaweed tastes great!

Along the waters edge we saw different types of wildlife and observed the devouring of tiny little fish by orange sea snails and starfish, and a big red rock sticker was found.

The most popular gathering is the cultural beach nights, and the crowds continue to grow bigger and bigger each week.

The last three gatherings, members took time out to join in playing lahal.

A fire helps keep people warm and adds a soothing, calming affect. Some children busy themselves playing around the lahal players. They run and play tag or walk on the logs that are close by.

Gisele had traveled to California to watch a game of lahal, and was intrigued by the players. She said it was like the players were in a trance-like state, and that they take their game very seriously.

It prompted her to come home and learn about this game and to reintroduce the game to those who may have forgotten or never heard of lahal.

Long ago our people used to bring their dishes to use as prizes, and over time they started to use money for bets. But, to keep it simple and easy, prizes for the games these past few weeks included items like jewelry, a woven cedar hat and T-shirts.                                                                                                                                         The players take turns in singing, and one song in particular stands out. It was sung by Grace George and goes like this.

“You take the big boat, and I’ll take the chuputz, Ok?” And other popular songs were “toomalay” and “Ten cents a bottle.” The children played an important role in the game and had chances to point and to hold the bones. You could see the happiness and glee in their faces as they played.

Healthy snacks of different vegetables, chips and water were provided, and the adults and kids enjoyed roasting marshmallows by the fire.

While people played lahal on the beach, Dwayne Martin, who just recently built a sweat lodge, did a session with a group of men and women for the first time on July 6.

Future beach nights will include other cultural teachings, and if you are interested in sharing, please contact Gisele Martin at 250-726-8881.

A star-studded expedition to protest the B.C. salmon aquaculture industry has no plans to visit Nuu-chah-nulth territory on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society announced the six-week tour, called Operation Virus Hunter, at a press conference in Vancouver on July 18. On hand were Island-born actor/activist Pamela Anderson, celebrated scientist Dr. David Suzuki, as well as fish farm opponents Alexandra Morton and Sto:lo Chief Ernie Crey.

Morton will travel aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel R/V Martin Sheen, touching down at salmon farms along the route, “to conduct audits for disease and other factors, which will be done in a non-aggressive and non-harassing manner,” according to their July 17 media release.

According to opponents, open net-cage farming (mainly imported Atlantic salmon) spreads salmon-specific viruses and parasites into the environment, which in turn infect wild Pacific salmon.

For Ahousaht First Nation, the salmon aquaculture industry has become an integral part of the community. Cermaq Canada, based in Norway, holds 14 lease sites on Clayoquot Sound, which are farmed in rotation.

“It’s a huge part of the economic picture for the community,” said Ahousaht Tyee Ha’wilth Lewis George. “The agreement was negotiated by Shawn Atleo, and it dates back to my father’s [late Tyee Ha’wilth Earl George] time.”

“They are definitely an important employer,” said Trevor Jones, CEO of the Maaqtusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Corporation.

“From 25 to 40 per cent of the Cermaq labour force is from Ahousaht, depending on where they are in the production cycle.”

As such, the nation takes it very seriously when anti-aquaculture forces announce that they intend to protest operations on Clayoquot Sound.

“Our view is that Cermaq is one of the partners on the Sound, and there are a lot of other operators that could be impacted if people come in to protest,” he said.

Jones noted that while he was aware of Operation Virus Hunter, he did not know the specific itinerary of the vessel, and could only assume it intended to visit Clayoquot Sound. As such, the R/V Martin Sheen would have been required to follow accepted protocols, he explained.

“They would be required to stand down, come ashore and ask permission,” he explained. “We have a permit system here. You have to make an application and pay your fee. As long as you are here with the right intention, you will be granted a permit.”

That applies to all vessels, big or small, foreign or local, Jones added.

“It’s part of having people recognize territories and follow protocol,” he said. “We instituted the permit system this year, and we’ve had great participation from all sectors.”

“What we’re trying to do is take back responsibility for our lands and water,” George said. “This process started well before my time.”

Speaking to Ha-Shilth-Sa after the media conference, Morton advised that Operation Virus Hunter would not seek to enter Clayoquot Sound.

“That’s not the plan at the moment,” Morton said, adding that she is well aware of Ahousaht’s relationship with Cermaq.

“That’s why we’re not going there. If a First Nation wants to work with the industry and doesn’t want the boat there, then we’re not going to go there. We go where we’re wanted.”

Morton said she came to that decision after talking with activist colleagues who participated in the September 2015 protest at the Cermaq Yaakswiis site in Clayoquot Sound, after which Ahousaht Ha’wiih and elected Chief and Council agreed not to allow the old site to be re-occupied.

“A number of our people were up in arms. We addressed those issues,” George said, noting that he was sidelined by illness at the time of the action.

http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2015-09-10/new-fish-farm-yaakswiis-remove...

“I approached some of the people I had worked with, and they were not keen to have us come there,” Morton said.

Speaking to Ha-Shilth-Sa prior to the conference, Chief Crey said his concern is with salmon stocks on the Fraser River, which, as he noted, is the largest salmon-producing river on the planet.

“We have seen the decline, and it is precipitous,” Crey said.

There are many contributing factors, Crey noted: historic overfishing, environmental damage from agriculture and forestry.

“We are also seeing the effects of climate change. But more to the point, we are very concerned about the growing farmed salmon sector,” Crey said.

As Morton observed, while society does need to address climate change, and to restore healthy forests, “I am focused on one of the most fixable things, which is salmon farms. You can remove them.”

Crey said the previous Conservative government progressively gutted Fisheries and Oceans Canada to the point where it became unable to enforce existing fisheries regulations. The salmon farming industry has well-paid and very effective lobbyists in Ottawa to keep it that way, he said.

“Whatever people say about the jobs [salmon farming] creates, the investment it attracts, the proliferation of salmon farming may be playing a significant role in the decline of our salmon runs,” he said. “It is not acceptable to us. We want our aboriginal rights and title in our territories, for the wildlife that we rely on, to be applied.”

Crey said he did not want to create divisions among B.C. First Nations over salmon farming. He acknowledged that Ahousaht First Nation successfully took on the Canadian government to prove the aboriginal right to (commercially) sell fish caught in traditional territories. That landmark decision has benefited all Nations.

As for Ahousaht’s relationship with Cermaq Canada:

“I don’t have any criticism of some communities that are involved in it,” Crey said. “Maybe in time they will learn what they are involved in.

“Anyway, they are small players in a big industry that seems to be mainly located between the Island and the Mainland, toward the northern end of the Island.”

The Tlowitsis First Nation traditionally had a relationship to the environment which revolved around the resources of the waters throughout our territory which was used as a means of travel, as well as a rich and abundant source of food that was used both for sustenance and cultural purposes. The Tlowitsis First Nation historically had absolute power over our traditional territory, our resources and our right to govern and manage our lands and resources. Today we affirm our aboriginal rights and title to our unceded and sovereign Territory and continue to maintain these rights through stewardship, economic, cultural and spiritual activities.

The village of Karlukwees, located on Turnour Island was the primary residential community of the Tlowitsis First Nation during the early 20thcentury. However, in the early 1960’s the government introduced a series of policies aimed at deliberately relocating geographically remote, island-dwelling First Nation communities, and as a result the members of the Tlowitsis First Nation were forced to emigrate and disperse from their community.  We have not had a residential community since that time.

Our Council’s current goal is the acquisition and development of community lands just outside of Campbell River, which is a fundamental priority in re-establishing a viable, healthy and sustainable community. To achieve these goals it is necessary to not only develop a strong economic strategy but to ensure that our territory is managed responsibly by having eyes and ears in our territory through the establishment of our Guardian Watchmen Program. The Guardian Watchmen Program not only provides opportunity for our members to obtain meaningful employment and training but allows our Nation to continue our ancestral stewardship responsibility for our territory.

The Tlowitsis Nation’s partnership with Grieg Seafood is also integral to the Nation’s economic well-being. Not only does it employ our members but Grieg Seafood has been supportive in many aspects of the Tlowitsis’ community. This partnership is vital to the Tlowitsis being able to be economically sustainable, especially as the reality of the new community is on the horizon. Like many First Nations in BC the Tlowitsis are eager to develop a long lasting economy from our Traditional Territory. Clio Channel is a cornerstone for our Nation and it was after careful consideration, we developed an economic partnership with Grieg Seafood.

It is our opinion that protesters in our Traditional Territory could impact not only our members who work in the area but others who have or consent to make their livelihood in our Traditional Territory.

Council would ask that any visitors in our Traditional Territory, and in particular Clio Channel seek permission to enter any of our reserves, leaseholds our partners’ properties. We would request that any protestors stand down. The Sea Shepherd Operation Virus Hunter group are not welcome in our Territory.

We use the Kwak’wala word “A'ikila” to describe how we use, care and live in our Territory. We have been taught by our ancestors to respect our Territory, be mindful, and do things in a good way.   This is our wish for all who enter our Territory.

Chief John M. Smith Tlowitsis Nation

A total of 16 teams teed off at Alberni Golf Club on July 21 for the Sixth Annual Swing Fore Tlu-piich fundraising tournament.

The event has become one of the main sources of funding for the annual Nuu-chah-nulth Tlu-piich (Summer) Games, said coordinator Richard Samuel.

“The Games are in their 34th year. They were revived in 2009, and they’ve been going strong ever since. Last year we had 2,000 Indigenous People participating.

“This is the sixth annual golf tournament. It has been growing and growing.”

Each foursome paid a $600 entry fee to take part, with a number of sponsors earning Platinum (Ratcliffe & Co., Chatwin Engineering and Cermaq Canada), Gold (Probyn Team 1 & 2 and New Relationship Trust) and Silver (Herold Engineering) status.

Inside the clubhouse, volunteers laid out tables for the 35 auction items, all donated by sponsors and local businesses. It’s one of the main sources of revenue for the event.

At 1 p.m., the teams, spotted at holes all across the 18-hole course, teed off in a shotgun start.

Working on a Best Ball format, the four golfers in each team would tee off. They would then select the best lie, and all four would shoot from there, in succession, until the ball is in the cup.

All told, Swing Fore Tlu-piich raised at total of $9,404 ($4,154 came from the auction), Samuel said.

For the overall title, Probyn Team 1 and Herold Engineering tied for top honors.

Longest Drive (Men) honors went to Luke NJ (“He wouldn’t tell me his last name,” Samuel said), while Closest to the Pin was Boyd Gallic.

Longest Drive (Ladies) went to Geraldine Dekoninc, while Closest to the Pin (Ladies) went to Lauralee Edgell.

Dekoninc and Edgell, along with teammates Deb Masso and Thomas Dick, won Most Honest Team honors.

The Tlu-piich Games take place from Aug. 10 through Aug. 14. The Games begin at 3 p.m. at Bob Dailey, with Opening Ceremonies at 5 p.m.

The site of the Tseshaht winter village of Tlukwatkwuu7is was the scene of an unveiling ceremony hosted by the Port Alberni Port Authority (PAPA) and the City of Port Alberni on July 21.

Known informally as the “Somass Strip” development, Thursday’s opening marks the second phase of an initiative to create public access along the Port Alberni waterfront, starting at Harbour Quay and proceeding along historic Tseshaht territory along the foreshore.

Tseshaht elected Chief Councillor Cynthia Dick gave a brief welcoming address.

“[PAPA CEO] Zoran Knezevic came to see me after the [Tseshaht Council] election and filled me in on the project,” Dick said. “My part is to be here today and remind everybody of our traditional territory.”

Tseshaht historian Darrell Ross provided Ha-Shith-Sa with a backgrounder on the area.

The new public space, named Tyee Landing, is located off Harbour Road between Fishermen’s Harbour and the Somass Division cedar mill. A new strip of roadway (with parking) runs off Harbour Road to the entrance to Centennial Pier.

According to Ross, the location was roughly the site of Tlukwatkwuu7is, which was the principal winter settlement of Tseshaht, and included a wolf ritual beach, where the sacred ceremony (memorably painted by the late Tseshaht artist Dr. George Clutesi) was performed.

To the north was Nuupts'ikapis, roughly on the Catalyst paper mill site, and to the south, T'iipis. Both were seasonal villages, and Nuupts'ikapis also featured a wolf ritual beach.

The marine foreshore was completely appropriated by the forest industry by the early 20th century, and all trace of Tseshaht life was simply plowed over.

Acting mayor Jack McLeman expressed his hope that the revitalization of the area would increase awareness of the Nuu-chah-nulth history.

“I knew there had been something here. But the only name I knew for it was ‘The Dike.’ I worked at Somass for years. We stacked lumber here,” McLeman said.

“That’s why I am happy about the new name. ‘Tyee’ is a Nuu-chah-nulth word that came into the Chinook [working] language, and people know it means something big, whether that is a grand chief or the king, or spring salmon.”

The entrance sign was unveiled by PAPA chair Ron Crema, PAPA public relations director David McCormick and Camela Tang, vice-chair of the Island Coastal Economic Trust, which has provided much of the funding for the long-term project, along with Small Craft Harbours and Western Economic Development Corporation.

The guests then shifted to the Centennial Pier entrance, where Cynthia Dick and Hupacasath communications director Jolleen Dick unveiled a carving by Vancouver artist Jesse Toso, mirroring his rising salmon carving at the other end of the strip on Harbour Quay.

McCormick said the plan is to continue to grow the area for small business and community/cultural activities.

“We’d like to see other artists become involved and do centerpieces,” he said. “[Tseshaht artist] Gordon Dick is a treasure in the community. We would like to see him down here.”

Former Port Alberni mayor and current PAPA vice-chair Ken McRae was one of the early driving forces in the revitalization of the waterfront. For Port Alberni to evolve successfully, he said, acknowledgement of First Nations tradition, culture and history must be a priority.

“That’s the future. We have to work well together,” he said. “The future of the province is in conjunction with First Nations.”

Current Mayor Mike Ruttan attended the event in an unofficial capacity. Ruttan agreed that the Nuu-chah-nulth presence has become an integral component in the marketing of Port Alberni.

“There are so many opportunities. When we work together as an entire community we can create a much more positive story – and a lot more economic opportunities for everybody,” Ruttan said.

“We’re always looking for ways to expand that. We’re always looking for suggestions… the story is changing, and it’s a positive one, so let’s keep that going.”

Community member Marilyn Scanlon was the winner of the “Name the Development” contest. She received a pair of return airfare tickets to Vancouver from Pacific Seaplanes, which now operates off Centennial Pier.

Related: http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2016-06-29/reconciliation-power-profile-a...