Way’ to all our relatives,

Many of you have seen Facebook posts from supporters of the “Sinixt Confederacy,” claiming Chiefs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) are telling stakeholders in the Arrow Lakes to stop telling Sinixt stories, that we have called for the border to be shut to Sinixt people, and that we have said we want to “bury the Sinixt.” All of these claims are false. They are provoking threats of violence against our Chiefs and creating confusion and division among our people. Is this our sqilxw ways? Is this the example we want to show our youth, and the future we want for them? This has become so personal and divisive, that we need to share some important facts.

A Way Back to Unity

When the border was drawn along the 49th parallel, both sides of our Nation were left to fend for ourselves against colonial governments. We all endured devastating impacts. Today, Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) is compensated for impacts on the US side of the border and controls over a million acres of land. In Canada, we are still fighting for our sovereignty, Rights and Title. Despite these challenges, we have continued to foster collaboration with all US entities to advance the healing and reinvigoration of our waterways and lands. The truth, according to our Elders (including those who testified at the Desautel trial), is that the Sinixt have always been part of our Syilx Okanagan Nation. We have one language, one culture, one land and one people. We have never claimed extinction or separation. In fact, we have consistently worked with CCTBC on many issues from salmon reintroduction to border crossing gatherings, and our offers to mediate this issue have been rejected but remain open.

We appeal to all our relatives for unity. We remain committed to abiding by the principals of our Okanagan Nation Declaration (1987) and the Syilx Unity Declaration we all signed in 2010, and to upholding those values to respect each other’s rights and needs.

The Syilx Unity Declaration made four important agreements:

1. Political Unity: We agreed to foster cooperation through political unity and alliance.
2. Cultural Unity: We agreed to protect, preserve, and promote our common culture, history, and language.
3. Economic Unity: We agreed to foster and expand economic development within our communities.
4. Territorial Unity: We agreed to make best efforts to proceed in unity on all claims or assertions to title and/or rights that pertain to our Indigenous territory or special claims.

This is the path of shared success, and it requires leaders who are willing to respect and uphold the principles embodied within the Syilx Unity Declaration, and who are committed to maintaining unity among all our relations, for the good of all, for all time.

We Had to Act: Colonial Governments Excluding Us from Our Territory

This is not our first disagreement or conflict with CCT Business Council (CCTBC). However, it is important to point out we did not walk away from, tear up, or disregard the 2010 Syilx Unity Declaration. Instead, it is the CCTBC who unilaterally walked away and created the “Sinixt Confederacy” in our Eastern Territory without consulting us, and without our consent.

Until recently, our Chiefs tried to resolve this conflict behind closed doors as relatives. This changed this past fall when we decided to sound the alarm because the federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders were starting to exclude us from projects and decisions in our Eastern Territory, including the Arrow Lakes. Meanwhile, they were expanding consultation with the “Sinixt Confederacy,” including on the Big White Ski Resort expansion in the heart of our Territory.

These are threats to our Nation. As such, we have begun reminding governments, companies, and partners in the Arrow Lakes that we hold and exercise Title to our Eastern Territory, and we are the representative and successor group for Sinixt people in Canada, and that many members of our communities are of Sinixt descent.

The truth is that our Chiefs, past and present, have always supported our US-based Sinixt relatives’ right to hunt and gather in our Territory. Where we draw the line, is the right to economic benefit from modern uses and projects within our Territory.

Just as the Colville Tribes wouldn’t expect us to come south and start demanding money, land and consultation on the US-side of the border, we expect our US-based relatives to honour the same principle. Instead, the Desautel Supreme Court ruling, which we supported in good faith through the testimony of our Elders, is being used as a weapon against us, turning an Aboriginal right to hunt, into a reason to reach across the border and claim exclusive rights to our Territory.

Rather than upholding principles of unity, the CCTBC, through the “Sinixt Confederacy,” is pursuing a path of division and exclusion. It is undoing our cooperative successes like salmon restoration, and it is unravelling ties between our once unified Nation, and for what?

We Will Do Everything to Protect, Defend and Advance Our Rights and Title

Our Chiefs have not tried to reach across the border into Colville Tribes’ business areas to demand money or land. We have not hired expensive lawyers and PR firms to seek unilateral involvement and say over Syilx Okanagan Territory in the United States. We have not done any of these things, but as sure as salmon, we will fight the strongest current, and we will do everything to protect, defend and advance the Rights and Title of our people in Canada.

The recent threats made against our Chiefs online are a form of violence, just as efforts to rewrite history and claim and exclude us from our Arrow Lakes Territory are a form of colonial violence. The Syilx Okanagan are a strong people. We have consistently defended our lands and resources throughout our whole territory since time immemorial. We will continue to do so, and our collective resolve is stronger than ever to protect, defend and preserve our Aboriginal Title and Rights to all of our lands and resources. We only hope peace and unity will prevail with our relatives south of the border.

Lim’limpt

Open Letter: Correcting False and Dangerous Claims of the Sinixt Confederacy and Finding a Way Back to Unity

For more information:

y̓il̓mixʷm Robert Louie, Westbank First Nation
Chiefs Executive Council, Syilx Okanagan Nation
rlouie@wfn.ca

Tara Montgomery
ONA Communications Lead
250-862-6866

Andrew Frank
CEC Communications Advisor
604-367-2112

UPDATE: Due to a funeral for a Syilx elder, we are respectfully changing the venue and start time.

snpink’tn, Penticton, Syilx Territory: In a groundbreaking move for Syilx-led environmental stewardship, Syilx Chiefs, Mayors, Regional District Chairs and Councillors of the Syilx Nation and local governments from the Okanagan and Similkameen Watersheds are coming together in a newly formed Collaborative Leadership Table (hereon referred to as the table) to sign a historic agreement. This initiative marks a historic partnership aimed at protecting and restoring siwɬkʷ, water, and the t’əctx̌ap tl tqalqaltikn, watersheds, for current and future generations.

At the inaugural meeting, elected leaders will sign a Memorandum of Agreement that sets out a path for working together for siwɬkʷ and address water challenges that transcend jurisdictional boundaries. This agreement represents the first time the Syilx Nation and local governments have come together on a large scale to deal with a matter of common concern.

The leaders at this table will work together as neighbours to address common concerns for protecting and restoring siwɬkʷ, water, and the t´əctx̌ap tl tqalqaltikn, watersheds now and for future generations. Furthermore, creating an opportunity for leaders who know their watersheds best to discuss and act on water challenges that are too big for any one government to solve on their own.

This agreement supports the frameworks of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the BC Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). This agreement supports government-to-government relationships between the Syilx Nation and local governments through a collaborative and inclusive engagement process that builds relationships based on respect, trust, cooperation and partnerships.

Syilx Elder caylx, Richard Armstrong expressed his thoughts about this historic agreement: “As you move forward in this process, I encourage you to make a commitment to working together for the benefit of the watershed that we all share. Remember that the siwɬkʷ connects us all. This connection flows through our communities and across jurisdictional lines, and it carries with it a responsibility that we should not take lightly. I hold my hands up to each of you for taking the first step in this Collaborative Leadership Initiative”.

We invite journalists to attend the Memorandum of Agreement signing event to document this significant day.

Date: Friday, November 15. 2024
Time: Starts at 1:30 pm-2:30 pm, Lunch is provided
Location: Penticton Golf and Country Club, 600 Comox Street, snpink’tn, Penticton

~
The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) was formed in 1981 as the inaugural First Nations government in the Okanagan to work collectively on areas of common concern and to advance and assert Syilx Okanagan Nation Title and Rights over Syilx Okanagan Territory. The ONA Chiefs Executive Council is dedicated to upholding our inherent rights and responsibilities. The Syilx Okanagan Nation is on a long journey of righting the historical injustices that have resulted in grave impacts on our lands, waters, and communities.

For further information please contact:
Tessa Terbasket, Okanagan Nation Alliance, siwłkʷ Program Lead
C: 250- 499-9496 E: tterbasket@syilx.org

Syilx Nation and Local Governments Sign Historic Agreement to Protect siwɬkʷ

Statement by Okanagan Nation Alliance on Racist Public Comments by BC Conservative Candidate for Juan de Fuca-Malahat

Nation calls on BC Conservative leader John Rustad to take an immediate stand against hate and racism in his party, by ejecting Marina Sapozhnikov.

SYILX OKANAGAN NATION TERRITORY – (Oct. 28, 2024) – Chief Clarence Louie, Tribal Chair of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, issued the following statement in response to racist public comments by BC Conservative candidate, Marina Sapozhnikov.

The recorded comments were publicized in a Vancouver Sun article on October 24, 2024.

“We join other voices, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, in condemning the abhorrent and racist comments made by the BC Conservative candidate for the riding of Juan de Fuca-Malahat, Marina Sapozhnikov.

These ignorant and hateful comments, which constitute a form of hate speech, have no place in our society. We call on BC Conservative Leader, John Rustad, to immediately take a clear and strong stand against hate and racism, by removing her from his political party.

Indigenous Nations are the first peoples and the original rights and title holders of this province, as recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada. We have been here since time immemorial and we have survived the racist and colonial views and actions of people like Ms. Sapozhnikov, whose comments show the true depth of her own ignorance of both history and the contemporary reality of our province.

Would-be politicians who hold and espouse racist and backward views, should be immediately disqualified by their party leaders, based on the understanding that such views and comments are hateful and hurtful to Indigenous people, and completely undermine any kind of government-to-government relationship between provincial leaders and the Indigenous Nations on whose land and good graces this province depends.”

Statement by Okanagan Nation Alliance on Racist Public Comments by BC Conservative Candidate for Juan de Fuca-Malahat

980 CKNW Interview with Chief Clarence Louie on the Racist Public Comments by BC Conservative Candidate

For more information, or to arrange interviews:

Tara Montgomery
ONA Communications Lead
250-862-6866

Andrew Frank
CEC Communications Advisor
604-367-2112

Salmon Restoration Efforts at Risk After Colville Confederated Tribes’ Political Decision to Walk Away from 15-Year Sockeye Restoration Partnership with Syilx Okanagan Nation

ntytyix sockeye salmon have always been a priority in Syilx Okanagan Nation’s restoration efforts; 80% of Columbia River salmon originate from the Okanagan, where the majority spawn in Canada. This year, upwards of 300,000 sockeye have made it back into the river to spawn.

SYILX OKANAGAN NATION TERRITORY (October 24, 2024) – One of the internationally known “good news” environmental stories of recent years, has been the return of record numbers of sockeye salmon to the Okanagan River thanks to the Okanagan Nation Alliance Fisheries’ (ONA) salmon restoration efforts. Unfortunately, despite this incredible success, the work has been put at risk this year by the unilateral political decision of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to cancel funding and walk away from joint salmon restoration projects with the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

The ONA has long-established First Nation fisheries management operations and is considered to be the largest inland First Nations fishery in BC, if not Canada, including a sockeye salmon conservation hatchery.

On August 12, 2024, the Chairman of the Confederated Tribes sent two letters to ONA Fisheries project staff to cancel his tribes’ share of joint funding for salmon restoration projects that had been running for over 15 years. The short-sighted decision goes against the teachings of spiritual leaders and Syilx/Sinixt Elders like Calyx (Richard Armstrong), who have always reminded us that the work of ntytyix fish passage is bigger than all of us – a clear, stark reminder of our sacred covenants as Syilx peoples to care for our tmixʷ (all living things) and tmxʷulaxʷ (land).

The annual funding was valued at approximately $400,000 (CAD), and the cancellation, which was made with just 15 days’ notice, and without explanation, has caused significant disruption to ongoing work, risking jobs, and forcing the Syilx Okanagan Nation to make emergency triage decisions on salmon restoration projects that were already underway this fiscal year.

“This last-minute cancellation has left our project staff scrambling, and delayed projects,” said Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation, a Syilx Okanagan Nation community. “The salmon are too important to play politics with, and we will take care of them, but it’s important to note this cancellation was very disruptive and sharply at odds with Chairman Erickson’s recent media comments that his tribes want to ‘live in unity and partnership’ with our Nation.”

The Syilx Okanagan Nation has chosen to share news of the cancellation because Colville has continued to pursue a unilateral agenda of reaching across the border into Canada, demanding and acting to gain involvement over Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory. The Syilx Okanagan Nation has never attempted to do the same in the US and has in fact been prepared to meet and discuss issues, with an extended hand that remains open to Colville.

“In retrospect, the cancellation was not only an escalation of Colville’s move away from our Syilx Unity Declaration,” said Chief Louie. “But it also appears to be a direct play for full control of Upper Columbia fish passage, salmon reintroduction and research – work that we have successfully led in all parts of our Territory. Our partnership on salmon restoration was evidence of the success we achieve when we work together, as our people have done for thousands of years. Our door always has been, and always will remain open to working together again with our US relatives, as we have always had one language, one land, one culture and one people.”

A recent source of friction within the once unified nation has been Colville’s decision to claim one of their 12 tribes – the Lakes Tribe, what they now call the “Sinixt Confederacy” — is a distinct nation, deserving separate rights and compensation in the Arrow Lakes area of BC, which is part of the Eastern Territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

In Canada, the Syilx Okanagan Nation is the successor group for Sinixt descendants because many members of our communities are of Sinixt descent, the Sinixt have always been part of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, and we have continued to hunt, gather, travel and perform our ceremonies throughout our Territory including the Arrow Lakes region, to the present day.

Important Facts:

• 80% of salmon that enter the mouth of the Columbia River are Okanagan River sockeye.
• The vast majority of these salmon spawn in Canada, in the Okanagan River.
• Colville’s decision harms salmon restoration efforts that directly benefit their people by bringing salmon back and increasing fishing opportunities on the Columbia River.

The abrupt cancellation means an immediate loss of funding for:

• Fish habitat and passage assessments, analysis and conceptual designs.
• Stream/fish passage issues – investigation, community and public engagement.
• Meetings and project development for the Okanagan River Restoration Initiative (ORRI) and the Okanagan Basic Monitoring Evaluation Program (OBMEP).
• Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) support.
• Outreach funds for projects.
• Project management and coordination during construction projects.
• Six discharge stations used for drought and water management discussions with BC, and to support special projects related to environmental flows.
• Loss of administration funds and cost sharing to support proposals to government.

Salmon Restoration Efforts at Risk After Colville Confederated Tribes’ Political Decision to Walk Away from 15-Year Sockeye Restoration Partnership with Syilx Okanagan Nation

For more information, please contact:

Tara Montgomery
ONA Communications Lead
250-862-6866

Andrew Frank
CEC Communications Advisor
604-367-2112

B.C. faces potential transborder claims by U.S. Indigenous citizens across the province.

Author of the article: Chief Robert Louie for Vancouver Sun

Prioritizing B.C. First Nations is the legally and morally right thing to do. It supports local economies and helps fight rural economic disparities.

Should a U.S.-based tribe that already receives hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, including for hydroelectric power impacts on the U.S.-side of the Columbia River, receive millions more and consultation status for the same kinds of impacts on the Canadian side?

It’s a question our Syilx Okanagan Nation is being forced to ask after the U.S.-half of our previously unified nation, the Washington-based Colville Confederated Tribes, decided recently to rewrite history and claim one of its 12 tribes — the Lakes Tribe, what they now call the Sinixt Confederacy — is a distinct nation, deserving rights and compensation in Canada.

If you are the chair of the Colville Tribal Business Council, the answer to the question is yes. In an interview on Oct. 7, Jarred-Michael Erickson said “all the money” from hydroelectric revenue from B.C.’s Arrow Lakes should be going to his organization.

He was responding to our chiefs’ decision to break a years-long silence and sound the alarm on transborder consultation as a critical issue for British Columbians.

We did so because we learned of plans by the B.C. government to consult the Sinixt Confederacy on expansion plans at Big White Ski Resort, in the heart of our nation’s territory, near Kelowna.

This was on top of their expanding claims to other parts of our territory, including the Arrow Lakes. B.C. faces potential transborder claims by U.S. Indigenous citizens across the province. Whoever forms the next government must tread extremely carefully, or risk opening a Pandora’s box.

Our nation’s own story is a cautionary tale.

In 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in R. v. Desautel that a U.S. citizen and member of the Colville Confederated Tribes had an Aboriginal right to hunt in Canada. Following that, the tribes rewrote history and claimed the Arrow Lakes as their own. In the era of reconciliation, their Sinixt Confederacy found sympathy as the previously “extinct nation” was welcomed back to reclaim its territory.

The only problem was the story was untrue. As our own Syilx Okanagan Elders — respected language speakers, knowledge keepers, and Sinixt descendants — confirmed at the trial, our Sinixt lineages are alive and well in Canada. The truth is the Sinixt have always been part of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, just like other nsyilxcәn-speaking communities such as the Similkameen, Spamoxin and Inkameep. We have one language, one culture, one land, and one people.

It was the imposition of the Canada-U.S. border in 1846 that divided us. It was hydroelectric flooding and colonial impacts in the Arrow Lakes that dispersed us. We moved into other parts of our territory: The Colville reservation in the U.S. and sister communities in the Okanagan.

The painful irony is that our Syilx Okanagan Nation, in good faith, supported our U.S. relatives at the Desautel trial by providing evidence of the continued use and occupation of the Arrow Lakes by Syilx people of Sinixt descent, including the many members of our communities in Canada.

That our relatives turned away from our previous Syilx unity declaration, and began seeking to exclude us from our own territory is painful beyond words. It is also a cautionary tale of bad-faith actors and why the stakes are so high.

While the decision to draw the border along the 49th parallel was not made by our people, it now exists. Our Indigenous communities and systems of governance have adapted to this reality. While our kinship ties remain, we have adopted different citizenships and different forms of self-governance.

In the case of our U.S. relatives, they have been enriched by U.S. federal funding and large swaths of treaty land. Their campaign to claim more territory in Canada is strategic and well-funded. In contrast, in Canada, we are still using our self determination to protect and advance Syilx Okanagan Nation rights and title, as we have done since time immemorial.

Our position is clear: We support the limited right of our relatives to hunt in B.C., but when it comes to consultation, rights and title in this province, B.C.-based First Nations must always be the priority, and there should be no double-dipping for U.S. tribes.

As of last week, we have the backing of NDP Leader David Eby, who issued a joint statement with us affirming “First Nations located in B.C. must always be the priority and primary focus of all levels of government including the province of B.C.,” and recognizing “the Syilx Okanagan Nation’s representative role in relation to Sinixt people in Canada.”

The B.C. Greens have endorsed this position, and we hope the B.C. Conservatives would to.

British Columbians are on our side: In a Castanet straw poll last week, 83.1 per cent of 7,632 respondents voted no when asked: “Should U.S. First Nations be consulted about land use issues in B.C.?”

For years we have kept quiet, trying to resolve this issue internally. But as the Colville Business Council rejected our offers to meet and mediate, they made advances with government ministers and regional staff.

The provincial plan to consult it on expansion at Big White was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We decided British Columbians needed to know what was happening, and what was at stake.

Whoever forms the next B.C. government must prioritize the interest of B.C. First Nations. It is not just the legally and morally right thing to do, it is also an effective way of supporting local economies and addressing rural economic disparities through the kinds of development we welcome in our territories.

Robert Louie is chief of the Westbank First Nation, a community of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

Find the article here.

Nation launches public awareness campaign to assert its role as the representative of Sinixt people in Canada and says First Nations located on the Canadian side of the border must always be the priority and primary focus of all levels of government.

The Syilx Okanagan Nation and NDP Leader, David Eby, have issued a joint policy statement clarifying their position on an issue many British Columbians are unaware of, but that could have significant implications for BC and Canada: transborder consultation with US-based tribal groups, including on expansion plans for Big White Ski Resort, located in the heart of Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory.

BC currently faces potential transborder Aboriginal claims by US Indigenous citizens across the province, north and south.

Specifically, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, as represented by the Chiefs Executive Council, has been raising concerns over the ever-expanding transborder claims of the American-based Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, their recently created “Sinixt Confederacy,” and most recently, potential consultation with the Confederacy on expansion plans at Big White Ski Resort, situated in Westbank First Nation’s area of responsibility within Syilx Okanagan Territory.

Consultation with the Confederacy could cause serious harms to the Nation, because the Sinixt are already represented in Canada by the Syilx Okanagan Nation itself.

“We welcome NDP Leader David Eby’s clarification of his position on the critical issue of transborder consultation, through our joint policy statement, because the stakes are high for all British Columbians,” said Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation. “Our joint statement affirms that First Nations located in BC must always be the priority and primary focus of all levels of government, and we encourage all party leaders to affirm this same position.”

“All party leaders, both provincially and federally, must clarify their positions on transborder consultation with US Tribes,” said Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band and Tribal Chair of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. “We thank David Eby for his recognition and respect of the Syilx Okanagan Nation’s representative role in relation to Sinixt people in Canada in Syilx Okanagan Territory, and we believe all party leaders should publicly affirm and extend this same respect to all First Nations on the Canadian side of the border.”

The joint statement emerged after weekend discussions between David Eby and Chief Robert Louie over the Nation’s concerns that consultation plans, such as those for potential expansion at Big White Ski Resort, could go beyond anything prescribed by the courts to date, and would risk opening a Pandora’s box of transborder claims across the province. The Desautel Supreme Court of Canada decision, for example, affirmed a singular right to hunt Elk. The case was not about Aboriginal Title.

The Chiefs are also simultaneously launching a public awareness campaign to counter misinformation and a troubling pattern of consultation that has arisen, particularly in the eastern part of our territory, since the recent unilateral creation of the “Sinixt Confederacy” by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Business Council. This campaign, which includes guidelines for stakeholders and all levels of government, makes clear that: Sinixt have always been part of the Syilx Okanagan Nation; our members, including those with Sinixt ancestry continue to use and occupy all areas of our territory, including the Arrow Lakes area; and that governments and stakeholders have a duty to consult and accommodate the Syilx Okanagan Nation regarding decisions and projects that impact all areas of our territory and our Title and Rights.

“In keeping with federal and provincial commitments to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we expect all governments to understand and respect that Indigenous self-determination means that we define who we are and who represents us. Our laws must be followed,” said Rosalie Yazzie, a lawyer, Sinixt descendant and member of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. “Choosing to acknowledge unilateral claims of US-based Tribal organizations would give them a platform to try to dictate the future of our unceded land in Canada. We want our Syilx/Sinixt family south of the border to be acknowledged, but not to our exclusion. Whoever forms the next provincial and federal governments must approach this issue very thoughtfully and with our consent. Neither the Sinixt Confederacy nor Crown governments can sever our territory.”

While the story of the historical denial and alleged “extinction” of the Sinixt is tragic, it should not be used to deny the exercise of Syilx Okanagan Nation Title and Rights within our territory or to deny the identity of Syilx Okanagan peoples in Canada who are of Sinixt descent. The previous unity of the Syilx Okanagan Nation north and south of the imposed Canada-US border was reflected in the Syilx Unity Declaration of 2010 that was signed by political representatives, Elders, and respected community members from the Okanagan Nation Alliance and Colville Confederated Tribes to reflect the longstanding shared cultural, kinship, territorial, economic, and political ties of the Syilx people.

The Sinixt – just like other nsyilxcәn-speaking communities such as the Similkameen – have always been part of our Nation, and our people, including those of Sinixt descent, have always exercised our Title and Rights within our territory. We have one language, one culture, one land, and one people. We are nsyilxcәn-speaking people, and we have always been—and always will be—united by our common language, our sqixʷɬcawt (culture), and our tmxʷulaxʷ (land), which we have continuously occupied and relied upon for thousands of years, as reflected in our oral history and land use practices.

Unfortunately, Colville Confederated Tribes walked away from the Unity Declaration following the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R. v. Desautel which found that one of its tribes – the Lakes Tribe – was one successor group to the Sinixt, and that its members had a hunting right in the Arrow Lakes area. Importantly, the Court did not determine that it is the only successor group. In Canada, the Syilx Okanagan Nation is the successor group for the Sinixt, and Crown governments in Canada can’t and shouldn’t consult and accommodate a tribe on the US side of the border the same way they consult Syilx Okanagan Nation on the Canadian side.

“We have tried to resolve this issue internally as a family, but the US-based Colville Confederated Tribes and their ‘Sinixt Confederacy’ are creating conflict in our previously unified Syilx Okanagan Nation and confusion among stakeholders and well-meaning allies,” said Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band and Tribal Chair of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. “We have committed through our countless declarations and oral histories to advance, protect and defend our Title and Rights by any means necessary. It’s time the public began hearing about our history and interests from the representatives of Sinixt people in Canada.”

The Court’s finding that the Sinixt are not extinct was a victory for all Syilx Okanagan people. The Syilx Okanagan Nation intervened in the Desautel case at every level of appeal because Sinixt have always been part of the Nation, and the Arrow Lakes region is part of our territory where we exercise our Title and Rights. Our Syilx Okanagan Elders – respected language speakers and knowledge keepers, who are Sinixt descendants – testified at trial and confirmed our Sinixt lineages are alive and well in Canada and provided evidence of our continued use and occupation of the area.

Understanding that the Syilx Okanagan Nation must always be consulted and accommodated on issues involving any parts of our territory, including the Arrow Lakes area, is a critical part of truth and reconciliation. Failure to understand and accept this threatens reconciliation by seriously harming government-to-government relationships and drives further wedges between our own internal family relationships with members of the Colville Confederated Tribes.

The joint statement between David Eby and Chief Robert Louie is available here.

Guides for governments, media, cultural and educational institutions, and allies on how to report stories, consult and accommodate Sinixt people and the Syilx Okanagan Nation, are available here.

A high-resolution copy of a map of Syilx Okanagan Nation territory is available here.

For more information, please contact:

Tara Montgomery
ONA Communications Lead
250-862-6866

Andrew Frank
CEC Communications Advisor
604-367-2112

Media Release: Syilx Okanagan Nation Welcomes Joint Statement with David Eby on Transborder Consultation Policy with US Tribes, Including on Big White Ski Resort Expansion; Nation Asks All Party Leaders to Clarify Their Positions Ahead of Elections

snpinktn (Penticton), Syilx Territory: Join us on Truth and Reconciliation Day for a meaningful 2 km walk honoring the children who never returned home and to honor the resilience of survivors and the memory of those affected by the Indian residential school system.
The walk culminates at the Syilx Indian Residential School monument, kʷu səckm̓antaʔx iʔ scəcmalaʔtət k̓l citxʷtət, Bringing Our Kids Home by ‘Smoker’ Virgil Marchand. The monument is in front of the Okanagan Nation Alliance kł cp̓əlk stim̓ Hatchery. This site is historically significant as it marks where Syilx children were transported to Indian residential schools. Important to this location is the kł cp̓əlk stim̓ hatchery’s name, translating from nsyilxcən to English as “to cause to come back,” in reflecting our community’s commitment to healing and restoration, much like the return of salmon after decades of decline. The monument features a textured concrete wall with storyboards that recount the history of the Okanagan Nation’s Indian residential school experiences and celebrate our resilience. It includes bear and salmon imagery, symbolizing protection and hope for future generations. This sacred space serves as a place for reflection and remembrance.

This year’s theme, niʔʕayp kus alaʔx, translating from the nsyilxcən language to English as “We Have Always Been Here.” While orange shirts have become a powerful symbol of remembrance, we recognize that for some survivors, the color can be a painful reminder of their experiences. Last year, the Syilx Indian Residential School Committee designed blue and green shirts that focus on mental health, self-care, and the importance of healing through our sqilxw connection to the land and water as people of the land.

Date: Monday September 30, 2024
Time: Starts at 10:00 am
Location: Departing from the Safeway Parking Lot in Penticton at 10:00 am and will walk 2 km to the Syilx Indian Residential School Monument outside the kł cp̓əlk stim̓ Hatchery on the En’owkin Trail.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gC9uoFAPkjzNjcvr5

The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is was formed in 1981 as the inaugural First Nations government in the Okanagan to work collectively on areas of common concern and to advance and assert Syilx Okanagan Nation Title and Rights over Syilx Okanagan Territory. The ONA Chiefs Executive Council (CEC) is dedicated to upholding our inherent rights and responsibilities. The Syilx Okanagan Nation is on a long journey of righting the historical injustices that have resulted in grave impacts on our lands, waters, and communities.

Walk For The Children On Truth And Reconciliation Day: The Syilx Okanagan Nation Honors The Children Who Never Returned Home

For further information please contact:
Taylor Carpenter, Okanagan Nation Alliance, Syilx Indian Residential School Committee Coordinator
C: 250- 516-7225 E: tcarpenter@syilx.org

The ONA Chiefs Executive Council brought 26 leaders together on September 11 for the newly formed Okanagan and Similkameen River Watershed’s Collaborative Leadership Table to discuss shared water challenges. This was the third Leadership Table meeting and is a historic moment and turning point in regional watershed planning as the leaders committed to signing a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize their collaboration to protect siwɬkʷ (water). The Memorandum of Agreement sets out how the parties will work together on common siwɬkʷ priorities.

y̓il̓mixʷm simo, Chief Robert Louie of Westbank First Nation and Mayor Gord Milsom of West Kelowna co-hosted the meeting. “We are here to work together to protect what is precious to us, particularly the water. The Okanagan, and Similkameen Rivers are vital,” said Chief Louie. “We aim to learn from each other and understand the importance of the Memorandum of Agreement, which will set the political tone for our collaboration. I am hopeful that we will finalize this Memorandum before the snow falls”. Mayor Milsom stated, “It is our responsibility as community leaders to work together to protect and restore our water.”
The Leadership Table is a Syilx-led initiative is a continuation of three decades of work by the Syilx Nation and their partners to ensure siwɬkʷ is protected, restored and available for all living things. It was the vision of the late Chief Albert Saddleman in the early 1990’s to bring the salmon back to the Okanagan Watershed; and his vision included for the salmon to return, so does the health of the watersheds. ONA siwɬkʷ work includes the siwɬkʷ Water Declaration, the syilx siwɬkʷ Strategy and the kɬúsx̌nítkʷ Okanagan Lake Responsibility Planning Initiative (OKLRPI). Since 2018 the OKLRPI has convened Syilx and non-Syilx partners that includes municipalities, regional districts, provincial agencies and others to start a planning process to work towards an Okanagan and Similkameen Watershed Responsibility Plan.

To initiate the Collaborative Leadership Table, ONA partnered with the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER), a national Indigenous-directed non-profit charitable organization to adapt CIER’s Collaborative Leadership Initiative (CLI) model for the Okanagan region. Tessa Terbasket, a Leadership Table Coordinator says, “We know that watershed issues for the Okanagan and Similkameen Rivers are too complex for any one government to be able to solve on their own.”

caylx, Richard Armstrong, Syilx Knowledge Holder is also very supportive of the initiative and said “It makes me happy to hear that the Syilx Nation leaders are welcoming local municipal leaders to start talking about siwɬkʷ. Our elders have always told us that water is shared for all living things, and we need to work together to ensure it can sustain itself for future generations.”

The public signing event for the Memorandum of Agreement will be held on November 15, 2024, in snpink’tn, Penticton. The Coordinating team are undertaking the planning for this historic event and will be sending out a press release and background information prior to the event.

Syilx Chiefs and local government leaders join forces to tackle water issues across the Okanagan River and Similkameen River Watersheds

For more information on this initiative contact Jordan Coble, Natural Resources Committee Chair at 250-300-5673

On August 30th, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), with our Bringing the Salmon Home: The Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative (CRSRI) partners, Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC), Secwépemc Nation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the BC Ministry of Water Land and Resource Stewardship performed a second release of adult sc’win (sockeye salmon) to the Arrow Lakes. This time we were able to release 41 adult sc’win, bringing the total to 57 adult sc’win released to the Arrow Lakes in 2024.

As with the first release in July, these salmon were released as a part of our work towards kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ (cause to come back). The Arrow Lakes historically produced many adult sockeye salmon before access was blocked by the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. The sockeye were released with acoustic tracking tags that will allow us to track the fish as they migrate through the lake, hopefully homing to spawning tributaries and showing us the way home. It is possible that these fish will survive to spawn and produce natural-origin sockeye salmon from the Arrow Lakes for the first time in 85 years!

From the 16 fish released as part of the first group in July, we have observed exploratory behaviour with all fish being detected outside of the release area. We had 5 individuals migrate 130 km up the Arrow Lakes to nqwaysp (Nakusp), with the first fish arriving there on July 20th, 9 days after release. One fish was detected further up the Lake at qwspíc’aʔ (Arrowhead), 6 days later on July 26th, 185 km from Hugh L Keenleyside Dam. We hope to continue observing exploratory behaviour in the released sockeye in preparation for potential spawning in October.

This work continues to be monumental for the Syilx Nation as adult sc’win are freely swimming in the Arrow Lakes for the first time since 1938. It is our hope that these fish will provide us with data to inform future sockeye fry releases and continue building the story that salmon reintroduction is possible in the Canadian Reaches of the Columbia River.

Adult Sockeye Translocation

For More Info:
Patrick Zubick, Fisheries Biologist, Columbia Region
pzubick@syilx.org or 250-687-4697

The Syilx Okanagan Nation acknowledges the completion of an Agreement in Principle (AIP) between Canada and the United States to modernize the Columbia River Treaty (CRT), which is a milestone in the Canada-US CRT negotiations:

Statement by the Prime Minister on an agreement-in-principle reached between Canada and the United States on the Columbia River Treaty

Canada, U.S. reach agreement-in-principle to modernize Columbia River Treaty

The Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) announced by Canada and the United States on July 11, 2024, reflects their understanding of negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty (CRT) regime and their agreement-in-principle on the key elements of a Modernized Treaty as of that date.

A public document was created to describe those understandings and key elements. Additional matters may arise during the course of the continued negotiations or in the drafting of the CRT text that may result in further development of those understandings and key elements.

This document contains sections describing updates and changes that Canada and the United States have mutually determined, in principle, to incorporate into a modernized CRT. They cover flood risk management; Canadian flexibility, power coordination and transmission; compensation; power benefit sharing; ecosystem considerations; and time periods.

Since these understandings include elements not present in the existing Treaty, Canada and the United States will work together to reflect these new elements in the preamble of the Modernized Treaty. Updated elements to include are ecosystem health, Indigenous and Tribal cultural values, and adaptive management.

Read more:

Negotiations to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty Agreement-in-Principle Content Public Document

For more information, please visit: Columbia River Treaty Agreement in Principle

The Okanagan Nation Alliance has a limited number of orange shirts available. Orange shirts are $25-28 each and are pick-up only.

Orders must be 10 or more shirts. Orders less than 10 shirts will not be processed.

About the shirts:
The shirt features a flying bird with rainbow wings, lined with əts ha’ stim iʔ scəcmalaʔ – Every Child Matters and puti kʷu aláʔ – We Are Still Here in the nsyilxcən language. Designed by Billie Kruger

The back of the shirt features a dedication from our Syilx Indian Residential School Survivors Committee – Dedication from our book “Take the Indian Out of the Child” by the Syilx Indian Residential School Survivors.

Deadline To Order: Aug 16/24 at 12 PM

Order Forms:

Online Order Form (Youth and Adult)

Printable Order Form (Adult)

Printable Order Form (Youth)

Alternatively, we are available by email: rmikuletic@syilx.org

On July 11th, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), with our Bringing the Salmon Home: The Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative (CRSRI) partners, Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC), Secwépemc Nation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the BC Ministry of Water Land and Resource Stewardship released 16 adult sc’win (sockeye salmon) to the Arrow Lakes.

These salmon were released as a part of our work towards kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ (cause to come back). The Arrow Lakes historically produced many adult sockeye salmon before access was blocked by the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. The sockeye were released with acoustic tracking tags that will allow us to track the fish as they migrate through the lake, hopefully homing to spawning tributaries and showing us the way home. It is possible that these fish will survive to spawn and produce wild origin sockeye salmon from the Arrow Lakes for the first time in 85 years!

This is a monumental moment for the Syilx Nation as this is the first-time adult sockeye have been released into the Arrow Lakes since 1938. This work could not have been done without the tireless work of our team and partners. It is our hope that these fish will provide us with data to inform future Sockeye Fry releases and continue building the story that salmon reintroduction is possible in the Canadian Reaches of the Columbia River. 

Adult Sockeye Translocation

The Syilx Okanagan Nation acknowledges the completion of an Agreement in Principle (AIP) between Canada and the United States to modernize the Columbia River Treaty (CRT), which is a milestone in the Canada-US CRT negotiations:

Statement by the Prime Minister on an agreement-in-principle reached between Canada and the United States on the Columbia River Treaty

Canada, U.S. reach agreement-in-principle to modernize Columbia River Treaty

Importantly, the AIP sets out an approach that will result in ecosystem and cultural values being considered in CRT dam operations and measures being taken to support salmon in the Columbia River system. A modernized CRT will not just focus on power production and flood control as is the case currently. These are critically important measures, but there is much more work to do to address CRT impacts on the Nation.

Canada entered into the CRT with the US in 1964 to coordinate flood control and optimize hydroelectric energy production on both sides of the Canada – US border. It was entered into without any consultation with, or consent from, the Syilx Okanagan Nation. It resulted in the construction of three major dams in the Upper Columbia Basin that flooded the Arrow Lakes and converted the Upper Columbia watershed into a massive reservoir system, resulting in the devastation of large swaths of Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, the loss of Nation members’ ability to exercise rights in areas of the Territory, and desecration of ancestral burial and cultural sites.

Canada and the US started renegotiating the CRT in the spring of 2018, as the guaranteed flood control provisions otherwise terminate in September this year. Through the hard work and dedication of Syilx Okanagan leadership, Canada granted observer status to the Syilx Okanagan Nation (along with the Ktunaxa and Secwepemc Nations) in 2019. This has allowed the CEC’s negotiating team to participate in the negotiations with the US – an international precedent and a testament to the strength of a unified approach.  Canada and BC also committed to seeking the free, prior and informed consent of the Nation to the terms of a modernized CRT.

The Nation’s involvement as observers in the negotiations was important for the protection of the Nation’s Aboriginal title and self-governance rights in the tmxʷulaxʷ. However, the completion of an AIP between Canada and the US is just one step. Although we are on a path of reconciliation with Canada and BC in relation to the CRT, whether true reconciliation will be achieved will depend on the success of ongoing domestic negotiations with Canada and BC on compensation for the impacts to the Nation’s lands, waters, ceremonies and people; long-term revenue sharing of CRT-related benefits; and a meaningful role in decision making on CRT-related matters. The CEC looks forward to making progress in these negotiations over the coming months.

We still have lots of work to do before the Nation can consider providing free, prior and informed consent to a full modernized CRT. In the meantime, much work also remains for Canada and the US to draft the text of the modernized CRT based on the terms set out in the AIP.

July 11, 2024

Columbia River Treaty Agreement in Principle

Northern Pike Pose a Significant Threat to the Columbia River Fisheries

Enter to Claim for $200, $100 or $50 Prizes

WHY ARE THEY A THREAT?

They prey on native and important game species, introduce parasites and disease, and compete with other species for food resources.

HOW TO HELP?

Help keep their numbers low by participating in the Northern Pike Bounty Program. Receive entrance to a $200 Canadian Tire gift certificate reward for every Northern Pike submitted. Prizes of $100 and $50 are also available.

HOW TO SUBMIT?

Participation in this program will require catch information including the Date, Photo with Location (nearest known landmark), alongside the submitted Head, Length and Weight (optional) to the Castlegar office.

DROP-OFF LOCATION:

Castlegar Okanagan Nation Alliance Office
Open: 8am-4pm Mon-Fri
Address: 875 Columbia Ave. Castlegar, BC
Phone: 250 707 0095

For more information, contact:

Ross Zeleznik, Northern Pike Bounty Program Coordinator Okanagan Nation Alliance, Castlegar Office Phone: 250-687-0340 Email: rzeleznik@syilx.org

Pike Incentive Poster

Syilx Okanagan Nation Commend the Biden Administration for release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement to Restore kiɁlawnaɁ (Grizzly Bear) to the US North Cascades Ecosystem

It is with much anticipation and hope, of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, that with the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement to restore kiɁlawnaɁ to the North Cascades that we will be able to collaborate and move forward to restore grizzly bear populations to this transboundary ecosystem together. We acknowledge the work of the US Department of Interior, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US National Park Service to launch a public review of this statement which outlines the options for restoration.

kiɁlawnaɁ has been an integral part of Syilx culture and an important indicator of the health and well-being of the land and Syilx people, since time immemorial. “Only within the last 150 years have kiɁlawnaɁ been absent from the North Cascades landscape- a result of persecution and overhunting by settlers. Much like our people, the tmixʷ (all living things) are resilient. The kiɁlawnaɁ, is a part of who we are, our nation has worked tirelessly to restore salmon, and now we continue the journey to bring kiɁlawnaɁ home to the North Cascades,” stated Chief Clarence Louie, Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) Tribal Chairman.

In 2014, the Syilx Nation declared kiɁlawnaɁ protected across Syilx Territory, and mandated the ONA to take action to restore and protect endangered populations, including the North Cascades. ONA has since led recovery and stewardship planning efforts, in partnership with neighbouring Nations, the BC Ministries of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship and Forests, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and supporting ENGOs. Just as the Syilx Okanagan Territory is transboundary, the North Cascades is a transboundary population and thus requires coordinated efforts on both sides of the Canada-US border. In the fall of 2022, the Syilx Okanagan Nation called on the US Government to relaunch the recovery planning efforts in the US portion of the North Cascades. It is with great pleasure that we learn of this relaunch of the EIS, and re-confirm our commitment to bringing kiɁlawnaɁ  home to the North Cascades.

Syilx Nation Natural Resources Chair, Jordan Coble also added, “The announcement of the EIS review process in the US marks an important moment in time for recovery efforts on both sides of the border. Many decades of work, by many committed people have led us to where we are now. From the Syilx Nation’s perspective, our partnership with BC on this work is a demonstration of implementing DRIPA in its’ purest form- we are collectively righting a wrong, and returning kiɁlawnaɁ to an ecosystem that depends on their presence.”

We look forward to continued work with our many BC and US partners to restore and protect grizzly bears in the North Cascades. Through the Joint Nations Grizzly Bear Initiative we continue to advance work towards restoration of the North Cascades population in many ways, including the development of a Stewardship Strategy which contains the necessary steps to advance recovery, as per the BC Auditor General’s 2017 recommendations and referenced in BC’s Provincial grizzly bear strategy.

The ONA is committed to conserve, manage, co-manage the wildlife, lands and waters of the Nation’s territory. In doing so, the Nation will be true to its spiritual and environmental values, mindful of the cultural and social needs and aspirations of its individual bands, and strong in its assertion of the Nation’s rights and title to its entire area of occupancy and use.

For more information please contact:
ki law na (Chief Clarence Louie), ONA Tribal Chair                    Cailyn Glasser, ONA Natural Resource Manager
T:  1-250-498-9132                                                                          T: 1-250-469-1595

Media Release: Restoration of kiɁlawnaɁ (Grizzly Bear) to the US North Cascades Ecosystem

The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is installing a Passive Integrated Technology (PIT) antenna array, contributing to the network of four current mainstem Okanagan River arrays and four tributary arrays within the Canadian portion of the Okanagan Valley. These arrays provide invaluable data to fisheries and resource managers regarding the migrations of anadromous salmonids (Sockeye, Chinook, Steelhead, etc). This expansion ONA’s Pit Detection Network will monitor the reintroduction of Sockeye to Okanagan Lake. The installation consists of two fishway antennas and one instream array.

• PIT arrays are submerged antennas fastened to the river bottom, which span the width of river
• Fish swim over the antennas as they migrate; fish containing PIT tags are scanned by the antennas
• Several thousand fish are tagged annually, within the Okanagan and throughout the northwest USA
• Release and detection data is uploaded to online PTAGIS database, enabling the migration and life history of individual fish to be tracked
• ONA tags approximately 10,000 Sockeye smolts annually, in addition to 500+ Steelhead/Rainbow trout, and occasionally ONA hatchery raised Chinook salmon
• Tagging and the PIT array network potentially enables fish to be tracked from their stream/lake of origin to the Pacific Ocean and back, and can help answer questions on run timing, life history, and population
• A Qualified Environmental Professional will always be on-site during the project and every effort is taken to ensure there is little disturbance to the habitat, environment and water quality.

WORKS: The installation consists of two fishway antennas and one instream array. Works will consist of the installation of a pit array across the 30m width of Okanagan River, 70m downstream from Okanagan Lake/Penticton Dam in Penticton, BC. The design will consist of four (4) – 1m x 6m x 15cm diameter and two (2) – 1m x 6m x 15cm diameter HDPE antennas. Each antenna will be anchored with duckbill anchors attached to cam straps. Installation will require minor displacement of local streambed materials to install the antennas flush with the existing riverbed. A trench will be dug next to the walking trail for electrical conduit.

PROJECT TEAM: All work will be conducted by ONA fisheries biologists and technicians, along with Biomark, who manufactured the technology, provides technical support and will be on-site to oversee installation

Project Manager/Field Lead: Carley Simpson, ONA Fisheries Biologist
Email: csimpson@syilx.org Phone: 250-707-0095 ext: 311 (contact for questions)
Field Staff: ONA: Seth Kruger, Dave Tom, Isaac Jack; Biomark Staff: Gaelan Flaherty, Peter Mackinnon

PROJECT PARTNERS/FUNDERS:
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Grant Public Utility District, and Chelan Public Utility District

2023 FAQ – Okanagan Dam PIT Array

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) and Upper Nicola Band (UNB) are proud to announce the signing of an Electricity Purchase Agreement (EPA) with BC Hydro. Under the terms of the EPA, the UNB and ONA have jointly developed a groundbreaking 15MWac solar project located on Upper Nicola Band’s Nicola Lake IR No.1, situated 30km northeast of Merritt and in close proximity to the BC Hydro Nicola substation.

The Syilx Okanagan Nation’s traditional territories and in particular the lands of Upper Nicola Band is an energy corridor in British Columbia. For this reason, the Syilx Okanagan leadership has committed to create opportunities for Syilx communities to develop and own energy projects that benefit members. This landmark agreement is a significant step towards the development of future sustainable energy projects on Syilx Okanagan territory. The EPA was committed to under the Interior Lower Mainland Final Agreement, which was reached between UNB, ONA and BCH in 2011.

This solar project will interconnect to the BC Hydro distribution system, further bolstering the region’s renewable energy capacity. It is set to be the largest, over 100 acres, solar plant in British Columbia, showcasing the commitment of both the ONA and UNB to sustainable energy development. This ambitious endeavor will not only contribute to the province’s cleaner energy goals but also generate economic opportunities and job creation for local communities.

Chief Dan Manuel, Upper Nicola Band, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are excited to bring this historic solar project into reality after many years of project development and negotiation with BC Hydro. It is a testament to our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development. Together, we are paving the way for a greener future while creating economic benefits for our people. As we move toward net-zero emissions globally it is projects like this that set the foundation for meaningful participation of indigenous communities”

“The signing of this Electricity Purchase Agreement marks a significant milestone for the Syilx Okanagan Nation. We are proud to be at the forefront of renewable energy initiatives, and this solar project exemplifies our dedication to self-sufficiency and the well-being of all Syilx communities,” Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair, stated.

“The signing of this Electricity Purchase Agreement is a testament to the continued vision, collaboration, and perseverance of Syilx Okanagan leadership. As a momentous endeavor, this signing illustrates how Syilx leaders are committed to the principles of sustainability, economic development, and the empowerment for Syilx Okanagan people throughout the territory,” Chief Robert Louie, Westbank First Nation, added.

~

ONA is one of 81 known Tribal Councils in Canada that currently operates within the parameters of the 1984 Cabinet approved policy that established the principles and the conditions for funding Tribal Councils. The ONA mandate is to work collectively to advance and assert Syilx Okanagan Nation Title and Rights over the Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory.

For more information, please contact:

Chief Daniel Manuel, Upper Nicola Band

T: 250-378-1986

Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair

T: 250-498-9132

Chief Robert Louie, CEC, Energy Executive Chair

T: 250-300-9899

Tara Montgomery, ONA Communications Lead

T: 250-862-6866
E: TMontgomery@syilx.org

Media Release

The Ktunaxa, Secwépemc and Syilx Okanagan Nations and their members will benefit from new interim agreements that share revenue generated from the Columbia River Treaty.

Read Full Article Here

Through the three separate interim agreements, the Ktunaxa Nation, Secwépemc Nation and Syilx Okanagan Nation will each receive 5% of the revenue generated through the sale of Canada’s share of downstream power benefits under the treaty, otherwise known as the Canadian Entitlement. The proposed interim agreements will share this revenue over four years.

“This interim agreement is significant for us,” said Kathryn Teneese, Chair of Ktunaxa Nation Council. “It’s an acknowledgment of impacts to Ktunaxa rights and title, and is one step on the path of reconciliation. Ktunaxa Nation Council, on behalf of our four member First Nations, will continue our broader collaborative work on Columbia River Treaty renewal with the other partners in this agreement. Ktunaxa perspectives are vital to this treaty process, and we value being at the table with the other Indigenous Nations, along with British Columbia and Canada.”

ki law na Chief Clarence Louie, Okanagan Nation Alliance Tribal Chair, said: “This Interim Revenue Sharing Agreement is a historic first step for our government-to-government relationship. For far too long, we have been excluded from decisions that directly impact the Syilx Nation. These previous decisions lacked any form of consent and often left us with only devastating impacts. With this announcement, the provincial government has demonstrated a level of integrity to finally do the right thing. In part, this is the result of continued efforts by the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s Chief Executive Council, who have asserted the need to be involved in establishing a new Columbia River Treaty. Alongside our First Nation neighbours in the Columbia River watershed — the Secwépemc Nation and Ktunaxa Nation — we are beginning a long journey of righting the historical wrongs of the past injustices with the Crown on decision-making, revenue sharing, ecosystems and Indigenous cultural values. This is only the beginning, yet we remain confident that the principles of collaboration and partnership central to these government relations will continue to create the change we all desire for our lands and waterways.”

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir, Tribal Chief, Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, said: “On behalf of the Secwépemc Nation, I am pleased to confirm a shared commitment resulting from the continued negotiations concerning the ongoing environmental and cultural impacts from the Columbia River Treaty. The negotiations thus far resulted in Interim Revenue Sharing Agreements between the Secwépemc, Syilx Okanagan and Ktunaxa Nations and the Province of British Columbia. These agreements represent the first time that the three Indigenous Nations within British Columbia are receiving benefits from the Columbia River Treaty dams. The dams have caused devastation to our lands and resources, and continue to impact our title and rights. We share a commitment to reconciliation while upholding the foundation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We look forward to our continued engagement, shared decision-making and co-operation as we move forward together in a way that we can all be proud of.”

The treaty was ratified in 1964 by the U.S. and Canada to provide flood control and generate additional hydro power, but was negotiated without considering the impacts it would have on the rights, culture, economies and ways of life of the Indigenous Nations. For decades, the Ktunaxa, Secwepemc and Syilx Okanagan Nations and their members have been severely affected by the construction of treaty dams and reservoirs, changes to river flows, ecosystem and cultural losses, and the related impacts to their economies. Negotiations will continue with the Secwépemc, Syilx Okanagan and Ktunaxa Nations for a long-term agreement to help address environmental, cultural and economic impacts caused by the operations of the Columbia River Treaty.

“When the Columbia River Treaty was developed, governments didn’t consult or co-operate with First Nations or any Columbia Basin residents – the very people whose lives, livelihoods and cultures would be affected for decades,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for the Columbia River Treaty. “Since 2018, Indigenous Nations with territory in the Columbia Basin have worked closely with Canada and B.C. to negotiate a modernized treaty with the U.S.; today, they are at last sharing in the benefits the treaty brings.”

Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, said: “The announcement today reflects our government’s action toward building relationships with First Nations that recognize, respect and support their right to self-determination. These agreements ensure Nations benefit from Columbia River Treaty revenues and support a new way of seeking First Nations’ free, prior and informed consent on a modernized Columbia River Treaty.”

Since 2018, Canada and the United States have been engaged in negotiations to modernize the treaty. The Ktunaxa, Secwépemc and Syilx Okanagan Nations have been an essential part of the Canadian negotiating team, alongside the governments of Canada and B.C.

The Nations have also led efforts to enhance ecosystem function and investigate the feasibility of restoring salmon to the B.C. portion of the Columbia Basin through the treaty-modernization negotiations.

Quick Facts:

• The Columbia River Treaty is a trans-boundary water management agreement between Canada and the United States, ratified in 1964, that vastly reduces the risk of floods and provides clean energy to millions of households in British Columbia and the United States.
• Revenue from the treaty goes to the Provincial Consolidated Revenue Fund and has contributed to funding of government functions, such as health care, education and infrastructure.
• The treaty dams and reservoirs flooded 110,000 hectares (270,000 acres) of Canadian ecosystems, displaced more than 2,000 residents, as well as First Nations, communities and infrastructure, and affected farms, tourism and forestry activities.
• Since May 2018, negotiators for Canada (including B.C.) and the United States have been meeting to discuss what a modernized version of the Columbia River Treaty could look like.
• During that time, representatives of the Ktunaxa, Secwépemc and Syilx Okanagan Nations have worked hand in hand with the governments of Canada and B.C. to develop and refine negotiating positions, strategies and proposals.

Learn More:

To learn more about the Columbia River Treaty, visit:
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/

To keep up with the latest Columbia River Treaty news, sign up for the newsletter at: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/sign-up/
or follow the CRT on Facebook (@ColumbiaRiverTreaty) or Twitter (@CRTreaty).

To share views on the treaty, email: columbiarivertreaty@gov.bc.ca
or write to:
Columbia River Treaty Team
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
PO Box 9314 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9N1

What: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) are honoured to announce that our efforts on reintroducing sc’win (Okanagan sockeye salmon) on Syilx territory will extend to multiple other tributaries that feed into kłusxnitkw (Okanagan Lake) over the 2023 season. This work is a continuation of the Syilx Nation commitment to our responsibilities of restoring and reintroducing back into the traditional water ways of sc’win. This will include the importance of the sc’win imprint 300,000 sc’win fry at Head-of-the-Lake, including Lower Vernon Creek. The ONA Fisheries Department works in collaboration with the Okanagan Nation member communities including Okanagan Indian Band and other organizations to reintroduction of sc’win to their once natural run. These are part of the nearly four million fry that will be released by ONA in the Okanagan sub-basin during the 2023 season.

Where: Marshall Field Dog Park, 6891 Okanagan Landing Road, Vernon, BC

When: 10:00 am, May 9, 2023

Why: Due to a large run in 2022 the ONA will be undertaking this year one of the largest sockeye fry releases. We are excited to release roughly 4.9 million sockeye fry in the territory with four million of the total into tributaries that feed into kłusxnitkw (Okanagan Lake). Out of those four million almost two million will be released in Mission Creek. This year we have reached a huge goal of our kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ sockeye reintroduction initiative and will be releasing for the first time at Lower Vernon Creek. In addition to the releases in the Okanagan Basin, we will be releasing fry into the Columbia River.
These releases in the coming season are based on decades of sustained, successful effort by the Nation to re-establish sc’win populations on the territory, which contribute to both food security and cultural revitalization for Syilx people. For decades ONA has worked towards achieving salmon passage back to kłusxnitkw. Bringing salmon back to the far reaches of kłusxnitkw is a milestone of this work. The importance of returning sc’win to kłusxnitkw is heightened due to the cooler waters of the lake, that provide the species a haven in the face of climate change and warming waters, which can prevent salmon from returning and laying their eggs.

“Bringing sc’win back to creeks and streams on kłusxnitkw, like Lower Vernon Creek, are a direct result of Syilx advocacy, Self-determination, and assertion of our Syilx collective responsibilities to govern, manage and stewards our lands and resources. The success of this work is directly connected to our ability to collaborate with a variety of partners and can be seen in the historic returns of sc’win to the Columbia watershed this last year,” Chief Byron Louis (OKIB) stated.
~
The kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ Hatchery is a testament to the perseverance of the Syilx people to realize their dream of restoring the n’titxw (Salmon) – one of our Four Food Chiefs – to their original habitat and rightful place in our territory.

Opened in 2014, the 25,000 square foot hatchery has the capacity to rear 8 million eggs. It is currently equipped to handle all fish culture aspects required for 5 million eggs from brood stock management until fry release.

For more information please contact:
Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair
T: 250-498-9132

Chad Fuller, ONA Fisheries Manager
T: 250-707-0095 ext. 104

Media Advisory Lower Vernon Creek Release

snɬuxwqnm (Castlegar), Syilx Territory: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is calling all anglers to support suppression efforts of Northern Pike. We request that all anglers catching Northern Pike in the nx̌ʷntk’ʷitkʷ (Columbia River), including the Pend d’Oreille, Kootenay, Columbia and Kettle Rivers report these catches to Ross Zeleznik, ONA Fisheries Biologist, Castlegar Office Phone: 250-687-0340 Email: rzeleznik@syilx.org

Northern Pike prey on native and important game species, introduce parasites and disease, and compete with other species for food resources. Help keep their numbers low by participating in the Northern Pike Bounty Program and receive entrance to a $200 Canadian Tire gift certificate reward for every Northern Pike submitted. Participation in this program will require catch information including the date and location (nearest known landmark) alongside a photo of the catch and the submitted head only to participating locations.

For More Info: Northern Pike Suppression

An invitation goes out to all Syilx Nation members to gather and celebrate the purchase of this important cultural and salmon fishing site that was previously taken from us.

The celebration will take place on April 14 at 11:30 am at 5444 Hawthorne Place, Okanagan Falls. Because of the cultural and historic significance of this site, a women’s sweat will be held on Wednesday night (April 12) and men’s sweat on Thursday night (April 13) starting at 6:30 pm at 5444 Hawthorne Place, OK Falls.

For more info: OIB Historic Reserve Celebration

yilíkʷlxkn in the southern Okanagan region have been experiencing a steady population decline. This decline is theorized to be due in part to infection by pneumonia or Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi), psoroptes (Psoroptes cuniculi) mites and Bluetongue contributing to overall poor yilíkʷlxkn health. The widespread reduction of available and suitable ranges, and increased human pressure have also been identified as compounding factors to their decline.

To learn more about the diseases affecting our yilíkʷlxkn: yilíkʷlxkn (Bighorn Sheep) Diseases

Help Us Continue Monitoring: 

1. Collared bighorn ewes with lambs at heel: Any photos of collared ewes/lambs and any identifiers such as number tags, location, and time.
2. Coughing or sick mountain goats and yilíkʷlxkn: Clinical signs of sick sheep may include coughing, runny nose, laboured breathing, and lethargic behaviour.
3. Crusty, scabs or poor coat condition animals: Any sick-appearing mountain goats, yilíkʷlxkn, feral horses, rabbits, or hares should be immediately reported.

Please send in all sightings you think may be important to:
Mackenzie Clarke, tmixʷ Biologist
mclarke@syilx.org or 250-681-0131

Please be advised a Blue Tongue outbreak in a herd of california big horn sheep, by GrandForks, has been confirmed. We are encouraging hunters to report any sick game they come across to Addison Fosberry, ONA Wildlife Biologist at (250) 300-8226, for more information: epizootic_hemorrhagic_disease.pdf (gov.bc.ca)

Fraser River Chinook are available for harvest in Mable Lake and at Shuswap Falls.

The salmon fishery is open to members of the: Lower Similkameen Indian Band, Okanagan Indian Band, Osoyoos Indian band, Penticton Indian Band, Upper Nicola Band, Upper Similkameen Indian Band and the Westbank First Nation.

This year the ONA fisheries department expects a low number of fish to return to the Middle Shuswap River. A small FSC fishery for Nation members will be open. The fishery is anticipated to start beginning of August and end mid-September.

Information needed to assist with the management of the fishery:

After you go out fishing please contact Howie Wright, ONA (hwright@syilx.org) to let him know the following regarding your fishing trip:

Date(s) fished, start and end time of fishing, number of lines in the water, gear used*, fish kept, fish lost, other fish kept/lost, additional information you want to share, number of people in your party

*NOTE: Snagging is not recommended

FSC Fishery_Chinook Notice_2021_updated

snpintktn (Penticton), Syilx Okanagan Territory:   Okanagan Nation Alliance Fisheries biologists will be out sampling juvenile salmonids in the Okanagan River off-channel habitats between now and the end of this June. You’ll likely spot biologists in oxbows, side channels, floodplains, and other off-channel habitat along the main river between Okanagan and Osoyoos Lakes. Biologists will be setting live capture-release fish traps, deployed during dawn to dusk, left over night, and retrieved the following day.

Off-channel habitats are aquatic areas connected to mainstream rivers for all or part of the year. These habitats are critical to the long-term survival of salmon populations. Okanagan River channelization and floodplain development have destroyed, fragmented, or significantly degraded these off-channel areas, greatly contributing to the decline of resident and ocean-going fish species. This work ultimately supports the Syilx Okanagan Nation’s efforts to restore the Okanagan River system, best summarized by the late Chief Albert Saddleman, to put back the river, bring back the fish, and put back the people.

This project is funded by the federal Indigenous Habitat Participation Program, with the support of Penticton Indian Band and Osoyoos Indian Band. The ONA is thankful for the ongoing support of Okanagan residents.

For More Information Contact:

Elinor McGrath, ONA Fisheries Biologist

Email: emcgrath@syilx.org

Phone: (250) 707-0095 ext. 102

Press Release – Spring Salmon Sampling May 27 2021

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Okanagan Territory: It is our Syilx tradition to celebrate the achievements of our people and we would like to celebrate the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) recognition of y̓ilmixʷm ki law na, Clarence Louie, as one of UBC’s 2021 Honorary Degree recipients. Today, we acknowledge and honor ki law na for this extraordinary achievement and recognition of his contribution to the Osoyoos Indian Band and the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

UBC’s recognition stated, “Since his election in December of 1984 as Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band of the Okanagan Nation, Clarence Joseph Louie has consistently emphasized economic development as a means to improve his people’s standard of living. Under his direction, the Band has become a multi‐faceted corporation that owns and manages eleven businesses and five joint ventures, employing approximately one thousand people. At the same time, he has consistently demonstrated his belief that First Nations leaders have a responsibility to incorporate First Nations language and culture in all socio‐economic initiatives as a means to preserve Indigenous heritage.”

Chief Louie has received numerous recognitions and awards including a number of aboriginal business awards over the years. In 2006 he was awarded the Order of British Columbia, in 2017, was named to the Order of Canada and in 2019 he was the first Indigenous inductee into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.
On behalf of the Syilx Okanagan people, we want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to

ki law na, for his years of leadership and commitment to economic development and serving his community and Syilx Okanagan Nation for over 34 years.

Lim’ Limpt.

For More Information Contact:
Tara Montgomery, ONA Communications Lead
Email: tmontgomery@syilx.org Phone: (250) 862-6866

Chief Clarence Louie UBC Degree Media Release

In response to the ongoing fires on the Colville Reservation, the ONA is collecting donations to support the families affected. These donations will be delivered to them next week. Any contributions are greatly appreciated.

Drop Off Date, Time and Locations:

Westbank – Sept 14-16, 2020 8:30am – 4:30pm at ONA main office

Oliver: Sept 15, 2020 12:30pm – 3:00pm at OIB band office parking lot

Keremeos: Sept 15, 2020 3:30pm – 5:30pm at LSIB band office parking lot

Penticton: Sept 16, 2020 5:00pm – 7:00pm at ONA Wade office

See poster for more details and items we are looking for and accepting:

Colville Donations Poster