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

The 20th anniversary celebration of the sockeye salmon fry release along the Penticton channel riverbanks was a heartening display of community involvement and commitment to environmental stewardship. This annual release ceremony is part of an ongoing effort to revitalize the sockeye salmon population in local waterways and educate the public about the importance of culture and conservation.

The presence of over 700 students from various schools in the South Okanagan, participating through the Fish in Schools program, reflects a concerted effort to engage and educate the younger generation about the significance of restoring ntytyix, chief salmon and the importance of ceremony. As well as the responsibility we as Syilx people have to the land and water.

Penticton Indian Band Chief Greg Gabriel said that even though the event has been ongoing for 20 years, this was the largest he had seen to date.  The nation was joined by our Fish in Schools program, with over 700 students throughout the south Okanagan in attendance.  Each student was gifted a can of Okanagan Select Salmon.

“It’s just a beautiful sight to see the children here, because they need to learn about these things. They are our future caretakers of the land and this is an important part of it,” Gabriel said.

“The more we educate each other, the general public and even our own community members, it’s going to make it easier for our future to survive, and especially things like our salmon, which is so important for our own people,” Gabriel said.

The ONA’s comprehensive approach, which includes stream restoration, rehabilitation, and dam passage initiatives alongside the fry release, demonstrates a holistic commitment to ensuring the salmon’s long-term survival. The variability in fry numbers from year to year, as noted by Hatchery Biologist Tyson Marsel, underscores the challenges faced in maintaining a sustainable salmon population.

The act of releasing the fry into the channel, accompanied by whispered wishes for their safe return, encapsulates the community’s collective hope for the salmon’s well-being and future abundance. Chief Gabriel’s closing sentiment, expressing a wish for the salmon’s safe return to the community for future feasts, reflects the profound connection between the people and the natural world.

Overall, the anniversary celebration serves as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness between culture, conservation, and community, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in safeguarding our environment for generations to come.

Other News Published on this Event:

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/485409/Hundreds-attend-milestone-year-for-fry-release-ceremony-at-Penticton-s-Shingle-Creek#:~:text=The%20goal%20is%20to%20eventually,important%20part%20of%20the%20ceremony.

https://www.pentictonherald.ca/news/article_9fe9d044-08b3-11ef-b173-4b6a90b5e158.html

tkwəɬniwt Westbank, BC: With great support and celebration, the Syilx Okanagan Nation commends the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the Announcement of the Decision to Actively Restore ki?lawna? (Grizzly Bear) to the North Cascades Ecosystem. The Nation looks forward to continuing our collaboration with the U.S. to restore grizzly bear populations to this transboundary ecosystem. We acknowledge the work of the two U.S. agencies: Department of Interior, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the U.S. National Park Service, various ENGOs, and the public for their extensive community engagement, comments, and review of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), March 21, 2024.

ki?lawna are an integral part of Syilx Okanagan culture and are a critical indicator of the health and well-being of the land and Syilx Okanagan people since time immemorial. “The decision to restore grizzly bears to this sacred part of the landscape is an indicator of our leadership’s commitments that demonstrates a clear example of our Nation’s continuing efforts to uphold our responsibilities for the tmixw. We are beginning a long process of recovery, and we are pleased to embark on this journey together with our US partners” stated Chief Clarence Louie, Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) Tribal Chairman. The ONA has been recently apprised that the two agencies have signed a Record of Decision (April 25, 2024) selecting an alternative involving the active restoration of grizzly bears to the ecosystem under a 10(j) nonessential experimental population designation. When hearing about the announcement, ONA Natural
Resources Chair, Councillor Jordan Coble added, “The announcement of the Decision to Actively Restore ki?lawna? to the U.S. North Cascades Ecosystem in the U.S. marks an important moment in history for recovery efforts on both sides of the border. Restoring ki?lawna? to the North Cascades Ecosystem has involved multiple decades of work by many committed people, leading us to where we are now. From the Syilx Okanagan Nation’s perspective, our partnership with our U.S. cohorts on this work demonstrates a clear example of naqsmiʔst xə̌l tmixʷ (coming together for all living things) and that we are collectively righting a wrong and returning ki?lawna to a transboundary ecosystem that depends on their presence. This decision re-confirms our commitment to protecting ki?lawna today and for generations to come.”

The Syilx Okanagan territory is transboundary, as the North Cascades Ecosystem is transboundary, thus requires coordinated efforts on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. In 2014, the ONA Chief’s Executive Council declared ki?lawna protected across the territory and set a mandate to take action to restore and protect endangered populations, including throughout the North Cascades Ecosystem. ONA has since led recovery and stewardship planning efforts in partnership with our nations communities and neighbouring Nations, including the S’olh Temexw Stewardship Alliance, the Coast to Cascades Grizzly Bear Initiative and Conservation Northwest. We also look forward to continuing to advance collaborative efforts to prepare for Grizzly Bear recovery in the British Columbian portion of the North Cascades with the BC and Federal Governments.

For more information, please contact:
ki law’na, Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair

Councilor, Jordan Coble, ONA NRC Chair
T: 1-250-498-9132 T: 1-250-300-5673

Cailyn Glasser, ONA Natural Resource Manager
T: 1-250-469-1595

Other Related Links: 

ONA Previous News Story Links

https://syilx.org/natural-resources/tmix%CA%B7-wildlife/ki%C9%82lawna%C9%82-grizzly-bear/north-cascades/

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/tribes-first-nations-chart-path-for-grizzlies-return-to-pnw/

https://syilx.org/restoration-of-ki%C9%82lawna%C9%82-grizzly-bear-to-the-us-north-cascades-ecosystem/

https://globalnews.ca/video/10035040/okanagan-nation-applauds-u-s-proposal-to-restore-grizzly-bears-to-north-cascades

https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/hope-for-syilx-okanagan-nation-as-us-looks-to-restore-grizzly-bear-populations-5559436

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/450854/Okanagan-Nation-cheers-return-of-U-S-proposal-to-reintroduce-grizzly-bears-to-North-Cascades

https://www.kelownacapnews.com/community/okanagan-nation-alliance-calls-for-protection-of-grizzly-bears-3214176

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/356985/Okanagan-Nation-calls-on-U-S-to-restart-grizzly-bear-recovery

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/federal-officials-grizzly-north-cascades/281-16c5b859-92bc-471a-a033-1b0b841f6cfd

https://kw3.com/grizzlies-are-coming-back-to-the-north-cascades/

https://watershedsentinel.ca/articles/no-borders-for-ki%CA%94lawna%CA%94/

Record of Decision Links

Grizzly Bear Restoration Record of Decision Signed

ParkPlanning – Joint Record of Decision (nps.gov)

US News Release

Agencies announce decision to restore grizzly bears to North Cascades – North Cascades National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

10j Rule

The final 10(j) rule will be available in the Federal Register and at https://www.regulations.gov/ in the coming days (reference Docket No. FWS-R1-ES-2023-0074).

US GB Project Page

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=112008

EIS Page

https://www.fws.gov/project/north-cascades-grizzly-bear-restoration-eis

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.
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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

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: The Syilx Okanagan Nation acknowledge recent actions taken by the BC Government and Parks Canada to relocate the last remaining styiɬcʼʔ from the Columbia South herd to the Central Selkirks maternity pen. For years Syilx Okanagan Nation leadership has prioritized the protection of styiɬcʼʔ as a critical part of Syilx Okanagan Title, Rights and interests.

Since 1995 the Columbia South subpopulation of styiɬcʼʔ declined precipitously to a lone female. The decline of this subpopulation was ultimately due to ongoing habitat loss in the herd area. We emphasize that the urgent decision to move this last caribou and extirpate the Columbia South caribou has been difficult and caused a sense of grief for Syilx Okanagan people.

“styiɬcʼʔ has been an integral and critical part of Syilx culture since time immemorial. Since colonization Syilx Okanagan people have witnessed the continued depletion of our relative and their home. In the face of such losses, we continue to assert, as we have in the past, that it is our responsibility to collectively and cooperatively recover styiɬcʼʔ (caribou), if they are to remain on the landscape. The Syilx Okanagan Nation leadership alongside other First Nation governments have been responding to declining caribou populations by leading with direction and advice from our Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers, and experts remain committed to doing what it takes to ensure the best outcomes for our relative,” stated ki?lawna (Chief Clarence Louie), ONA Tribal Chair.

The Syilx Okanagan Nation acknowledges the work of multiple First Nations to bring attention to the protection of the last remaining styiɬcʼʔ and will continue to work and collaborate with our neighbors to ensure that styiɬcʼʔ (caribou) is recovered and protected for the generations to come.

Since 2021 a collaborative process guided by Revelstoke Complex and Central Selkirks Caribou Technical Working Group (RCCSCTWG) technical advisors led to a collective decision to translocate this lone female caribou. This partnership consists of representatives from several First Nations governments including the Syilx Okanagan Nation, Ktunaxa Nation Council, Simpcw First Nation, Splatsin, Shuswap, Adams Lake Indian Band, Skwláx te Secwepemc (formerly Little Shuswap Lake Band) alongside the Province of BC and Government of Canada. The RCCSCTWG provides a collaborative space where recommendations to support styiɬcʼʔ (caribou) can be developed together. The RCCSCTWG spent many hours in order to collectively arrive at the recommendation to support the translocation of the last lone female South Columbia styiɬcʼʔ (caribou).

“The decision to translocate the last remaining styiɬcʼʔ (caribou) from the South Columbia herd required collaboration on a difficult decision. The decision was made with the best knowledge and expertise available to us, with the aim of increasing her likelihood of survival, breeding and calf retention, so that she may contribute over the long term to recovery, and ultimately, eventually, re-establishment of the South Columbia herd. Our success is dependent on collaboration, and to commit to breaking down systemic barriers to shared decision making. Ultimately, if we put styiɬcʼʔ (caribou) in the center of the discussion, we will create solutions that will lead to recovery, and persistence on the landscape- but we must harness all of the information, knowledge, and capacity we can”, Cailyn Glasser, ONA Natural Resource Manager stated.

styiɬcʼʔ (caribou) ceremonies have been undertaken by Syilx Nation members and other Nations for many years.  We continue to follow our ancestral teachings taught to us as Syilx people. We believe in the sacred connection and care of our tmix^w and all peoples for the health and well-being of tmulxwlax shared by Elders like calyx (Richard Armstrong).

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The Okanagan Nation Alliance 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?lawna (Chief Clarence Louie), ONA Tribal Chair
T:  1-250-498-9132

Cailyn Glasser, ONA Natural Resource Manager
T: 1-250-469-1595

Media 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

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: This last week the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) celebrated the 20th year of the Fish in Schools (FinS) program by delivering a final round of the fish tanks and equipment to 50 schools and institutions throughout Syilx territory. Over the last 20 years the program has rippled out to Band, Public, Private schools throughout Syilx territory, impacting and educating thousands of students.

FinS is a comprehensive fish education program for elementary to secondary students, with a focus on sc’win (sockeye salmon), their lifecycle and the importance of their ecosystems. By creating greater educational and community awareness of fish species with students of different ages, the intent is for students to become future leaders, land protectors, water managers, scientists and the multitude of environmental and social sciences professions that are available for them. In the Columbia, this program further cultivates awareness of salmon’s historical runs from the ocean, up the One River – the Columbia and upstream in the northern Canada portion of the Upper Columbia to the Kettle River, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenay Rivers, including other tributaries of the Salmo and Slocan Rivers and beyond.

As a key highlight from this year, the FinS program has nearly doubled its participation in the Columbia from last year, with 27 participant institutions in five school districts in the Upper Columbia. This upscaling is part of our broader commitments to ensure that salmon are brought back to all parts of Syilx territory, providing food and nutrients not only to people, but also contributing to the health of all creatures and ecosystems.

“This past year saw a historic return of sc’win to the Columbia basin (which includes the Okanagan subbasin), which only further illustrates the importance and success of such programs as FinS. It is part of the broader salmon restoration goals by the Syilx Okanagan Nation to bring salmon back to their original range. It exhibits how the Nation continues to uphold our sacred responsibilities — efforts that includes numerous ceremonies, ensuring salmon habitat is stewarded in the most innovative ways possible and respecting our ancestor, our Elders, our traditional knowledge keepers, and their teachings” stated Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair.

“The FinS program continues to be highly successful and popular, with far more requests for participation than we can keep pace with. The program allows students to directly participate in rearing sc’win eggs, raising the hatched fry in the classroom, and releasing the sc’win into the rivers. Seeing their life cycles firsthand, they can have a direct contribution and connection to salmon reintroduction efforts and hopefully will see the fish come back in the coming years. The program also offers educators scientific and cultural resources that enrich students’ understandings of the importance of this species, for the ecosystem and Syilx people. As such, with the growing requests by Schools, ONA requires new strategic approaches and funding opportunities to ensure the program spreads and thrives”, Chad Fuller, ONA Fisheries Manager stated.

Egg delivery to FinS participant schools has taken place over the first half of January 2023, with over 5000 eggs being sent out to schools and other institutions. Upon successfully raising the fry, students will include their fry in ceremonial releases taking place throughout the Syilx territory in May, 2023.

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The Fish in Schools program run successfully since 2003 in the Okanagan region and contributes to the kł cp̓əlk stim̓ Hatchery’s fry release efforts. The kł cp̓əlk stim̓ Hatchery is a testament to the perseverance of the Syilx people to realize their dream of restoring the salmon – one of our Four Food Chiefs – to their original habitat and rightful place in our territory.

For More Information Contact:

Chad Fuller, ONA Fisheries Manager
Tel: (250) 707-0095 ext. 104

Michael Zimmer, ONA Fisheries Biologist (Columbia Region)
Tel: (250) 304-7341

Media Release

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) are honoured to announce the return of sc’win (Sockeye Salmon) back to many of the tributaries that feed into kłusxnitkw over the 2022 season. Since 2019 ONA has worked to achieve salmon passage at Okanagan Dam in Penticton. 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.

sc’win have now been observed spawning in Penticton Creek, Trout Creek, Peachland Creek, Trepanier Creek, Powers Creek, Mission Creek, Whiteman Creek and Equesis Creek, with individual counts ranging from just a few to over 1,000. One location where the success of these returns has been recently recorded is on Trout Creek, near Summerland. This creek has seen over 400 Sockeye return to lay their eggs. The success of this return is the result of a multi-pronged effort by ONA to ensure the tributary was prepared to have fish come back, and has included marine nutrient loading, which involves placing salmon carcasses from our broodstock work [click here to learn more] back into waterways to encourage salmon to locate the waterway in the future. ONA has also recently reinstalled riffles (shallow rapids) in the channelized creek to oxygenate the water and provide spawning habitat, while engaging traditional knowledge keepers to provide ceremony and cultural protocols to the work. This has been done alongside consistent salmon fry releases into the creeks in the spring that allow the salmon to imprint on the location and know where to return.

“The return of sc’win back to these creeks and streams on kłusxnitkw are not simply a success story of salmon returning, but year of our Syilx advocacy and persistence and resistance to assert our leadership and responsibilities to govern, manage and stewards our lands and resources including our sacred food Chief sc’win(nytikxw). So this return is illustrative of a much broader picture of ensuring Syilx title and rights but our responsibilities to indigenous food sovereignty, our economy this region of Syilx Territory. Further, the cultural revitalization for Syilx people throughout the territory is imperative. By enacting our inherent responsibilities to the water and the timxw, we are ensuring that salmon will continue to return to feed our peoples and lands for generations to come,” Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair, stated.

The ONA are asking residents throughout the territory to please not walk through the rivers, or allow their dogs to go into these waterways, as they run the chance of destroying the salmon eggs that are located in their gravel nests in the water.

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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 information please contact:
y̓ilm] ixʷm (Chief) Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair
T: 250-498-9132

Media Release

OSOYOOS, BRITISH COLUMBIA (October 21, 2022) – The Osoyoos Indian Band (“OIB”) and Okanagan Nation Alliance (“ONA”) are outraged at the conduct of the Community Safety Unit in raiding a local business without the OIB’s consent. On October 19, 2022, after previously assuring OIB’s Chief and Council that they would not enter OIB lands without the consent of the community’s leadership, investigators with the Community Safety Unit (“CSU”) entered onto OIB lands and seized inventory from a local cannabis retail business. The CSU is a law enforcement body operated by the provincial Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General that is responsible for compliance and enforcement under the BC Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.

“Osoyoos Indian Band takes its responsibility to ensure public safety in our community very seriously,” said Chief Clarence Louie, the long-standing Chief of OIB and Chair of the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s Chiefs Executive Council, “but we also take seriously our sovereignty and jurisdiction over our lands. The CSU’s conduct in entering our lands without our consent after expressly advising us that they would not do so is unacceptable and undermines our efforts to work collaboratively with the provincial government. In this era of reconciliation, this is clearly not the way to build mutual trust and respect. These outdated, heavy handed government tactics of ignoring our governance role on our lands have no place in this era. Both the Prime Minister and Premier of BC have committed to Nation-to-Nation relationships with First Nations based on respect, but it is the opposite of respect for the Province to impose its authority on our reserves.”

OIB is a member of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, the representative body that works to protect, defend and advance the rights and interests of the syilx Okanagan Nation. The ONA has long advocated for the recognition of the jurisdiction of its member communities and has also expressed serious concern with the conduct of the CSU in this case. The ONA is committed to supporting OIB and all the ONA’s member communities to secure recognition of their jurisdiction over their lands and communities.

Contact Information:
Chief Clarence Louie, Osoyoos Indian Band
T:  250-498-9132

Tara Montgomery, ONA Communications Lead
T:  (250) 707-0095 ext 120
E: tmontgomery@syilx.org

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: From October 5-6, 2022, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) will host the 4^th Annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ Gathering. This event supports our Nation members to come together in solidarity, share stories and experience, and take action to ensure women, girls, two-spirit plus and kin are safe in their homes and communities. For more information on the event, including on the keynote speaker, Connie Greyeyes, please visit here.

ONA acknowledges that this Gathering takes place the day after a Sisters in Spirit Walk and Candlelight Vigil on October 4, 2022. This event also to honour and remember our MMIWG2S+, while also bringing awareness to the issues of the pervasive violence that Indigenous women, girls and two spirited plus and kin face on a daily basis.

“We Stand and Gather in solidarity with our communities and First Nation’s across Canada to end violence. Though there has been an increased recognition of the brutality that our women, girls and two-spirited plus and kin face, these issues only continue to proliferate. We see there has been a failure to address the systemic violence and impacts of colonization that persist to this day regardless of the MMIWG2S+ reports and action plans. Everything, from the deep trauma created by Indian Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop, to the effects of structural systemic institutional racism whether in health care systems RCMP, the various bureaucracies themselves and our own communities do result in further trauma and violence. Every citizen must take this responsibility serious enough to be aware of their own role in this and specifically to read the 231 Calls to justice outlined by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girl’s final report “Reclaiming Power and Place’,” Allan Louis, ONA Health Representative, states.

Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ have seen alarmingly high rates of life threating violence and disproportionally are 3.5 times more likely to experience violence than non-aboriginal women. An estimated 4,000 Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBQT+people have went missing or been murdered between 1980-2012, with some speculating the number could be as high as 4500 to date. Though they make only 4% of the population, these atrocities are 25% of cases in Canada, highlighting the great disparity that our people continue to struggle with every day.

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The ONA developed the You Empowered Strong (YES) Program to create a sustainable model of support to our families and community to begin to address the impact of family violence and sexual assault. It provides community awareness, education and training, as well as resources on de-normalizing violence and sexual assault as one of the key steps to create change and change behaviors. Using Syilx knowledge and strength-based practice to build the capacity of families and creating a strong peer network that support the wellbeing of the community.

For more information please contact:

y̓il̓mixʷm  ki law na, Chief Clarence Louie, Osoyoos Indian Band, ONA Tribal Chair
T:  250-498-9132

Jennifer Lewis, ONA Wellness Manager
T: 1-250-826-7844
E: wellness.manager@syilx.org

Media Release

We are writing this letter on behalf of the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) Chief’s Executive Council (CEC) in regards to Child Protection and Resource worker Robert Riley Saunders (Saunders). Saunders had spent over a decade stealing support services funding from mostly indigenous youth in foster care with the use of a falsified Social Work degree. This travesty and other tragic cases where young children and youth have lost their lives proves that there is a serious gap and complete lack of oversight of MCFD workers.

During Saunders time as a delegated social worker (SW), the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s (MCFD) work culture excluded Saunders from accountability and oversight. MCFD workers, Team Leads, and managers refused to listen to numerous complaints regarding Saunders’ conduct by his own clients, Indigenous Band workers and community members. This corrupt work culture became the breeding ground for Saunders to steal just under half a million dollars from youth who were on his caseload, defrauding them of their food, clothing, services and shelter allowances, leaving many of them destitute, homeless and struggling to survive.

On July 25^th 2022, Saunders plead guilty to 3 out of 13 charges and received a punishment of five years for fraud, two years for breach of trust, which will be served concurrently, and one month for forgery. In July 2022, the Syilx Okanagan Nation Chiefs’ Executive signed Tribal Council Resolution (TRC) 491, supporting Council demands for a public inquiry into the corrupt practice, actions and the policies of MCFD during the period Saunders worked on behalf of the Director.

Since the inception of MCFD in 1996, MCFD has had constant and specific oversight from the Children’s Commissioner, the Child and Youth Advocate, the Child and Youth Officer and more recently after the Gove Report, the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY). Presently, the Ministry continues to face challenges as those described 27 years ago in the Gove Report and 16 years ago in the Hughes Report, yet the government continues to fail to put recommendations directed toward MCFD into practice to protect our most vulnerable population. The government’s failure to carry out thousands of recommendations over the lifetime of MCFD, is resulting in harms too numerous to mention, deaths and devastation.

Presently, there is another hole in the MCFD safety net. An internal MCFD management deficit and possible staff corruption permitted Saunders unbridled ability to defraud children and youth for over 10 years. There was a responsibility for the Director of MCFD to oversee Saunders actions as a BC Public Service employee, and as Director’s under the Child Family and Community Services Act, (CFCSA) but that did not occur. See Appendix A.

As stated in the Okanagan Nation’s axá  iʔ  sccuntət iʔ tl x̌aʔxitət x̌l  iʔ  nqsil̓tət | Family Declaration, “it is our inherent right, that we are the ones to say what governs us, for what are the best interests, the good health, and the well-being of our children and people”. While these criminal acts occurred on our territory, we know this is not an isolated incident. Our Declaration is a reminder of our responsibility to care for those within our territory and a reminder to the Government of their responsibilities to act in good faith.

We are demanding a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fraud and theft that Saunders was able to commit, a comprehensive critical MCFD review and recommendations for change to ensure undetected internal MCFD fraud does not continue to harm children and youth. We want to ensure that any and all recommendations that result from this public inquiry and comprehensive critical provincial review are implemented with the resources required to ensure long-lasting and meaningful systemic changes to the child welfare system in BC, to increase safety, and to fulfill their obligations to reconciliation with First Nations and all Indigenous guests within the province.

Please contact ONA Executive Director, Pauline Terbasket via email at Director@syilx.org or by telephone at 250-707-0095 ext. 214 to arrange our next steps forward together.

Sincerely,

OKANAGAN NATION ALLIANCE

Appendix A

According to Court Documents, the Director:

The Director failed to adequately supervise, restrict, review and restrain Saunders. The Director failed to implement adequate systems, restraints and controls to detect and prevent Saunders’ misappropriation of funds and benefits. The Director failed to conduct reviews of Saunders’ files to detect whether Saunders was carrying out his duties appropriately and in accordance with the best interests of children, youth and families under his care. The Director delegated parental control to Saunders.

Saunders’ team lead did not hold the weekly and monthly consultation with Saunders as required by policy and/or failed to ascertain whether the children assigned to Saunders received appropriate care and failed to ascertain their level of well-being. As well, a manager did not properly supervise Saunders’ team lead, the Executive Director (ED) did not properly supervise the manager, and the supervisors in Victoria did not properly supervise the ED.

The Director was aware of previous instances of Saunders’ misconduct but failed to implement adequate supervision and controls that would have detected Saunders’ misconduct in a timely fashion. The Director’s failure to detect, supervise, restrict, review and restrain Saunders has resulted in harm to the many Indigenous youth and their families.

The Director failed to move expeditiously to review and restrain Saunders and failed to advise the Plaintiff in a timely fashion or notify the class members once Fraud was detected.

Open Letter

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: On September 30, 2022, starting at 10 am, the Syilx Okanagan Nation will host a 5 kilometer “Walk for the Children”. This takes place on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, the walk will go from the Penticton Peach at Okanagan Lake and move to the Syilx Indian Residential School Nation’s monument on En’owkin Trail. This event is open to anyone who wants to participate. As part of an ongoing commitment to cultivate support for the Syilx victims of Indian Residential Schools this walk is meant to raise awareness throughout the general public about the ongoing trauma and devastation that Syilx people face as a result of Indian Residential Schools, while demonstrating our collective support for victims and their families.

Actions like these take place while the Government of Canada has again gone back on their commitment for either truth and reconciliation, this time “forever discharging” the Catholic church from having to raise the $25 million that they had initially promised to Indian Residential School survivors across Canada. Such disturbing acts highlight the hollow promises and empty commitments of the federal government when it comes to honouring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

“The Province of BC and Government of Canada continue to use the term “Truth and Reconciliation” as a means for political gain, because it makes them look good. On the ground, we continue to fight and are challenged every day with their colonial bureaucracy and legislation that have profound impacts on our daily lives. All Canadians must hold their government to task and ensure that paths toward both truth and reconciliation take place in a meaningful and lasting manner. This goes far beyond wearing an orange shirt for a day, but requires consistent direct action. It includes everything from accessible health and wellness services to providing long-term, secure funding to support language and culture revitalization in ways that are clear of bureaucratic tape and provided directly to the people that deserve these services,” y̓il̓mixʷm (Chief) Greg Gabriel stated.

The Syilx Okanagan Nation remain committed to standing united and demand justice for the thousands of children who never returned from Indian Residential Schools. As part of this commitment, we support the Syilx Indian Residential School Committee in their ongoing efforts to collectively support each other through bringing these traumas to light.

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The Syilx Indian Residential School (SIRS) Committee is a group of highly dedicated, intergenerational Syilx Indian Residential School survivors. The SIRS Committee is invaluable in providing direction to the Nation on numerous projects regarding the Indian Residential Schools. This Committee, represented by the seven member communities, has expressed that they feel a sense of belonging from participating on this Committee. They have a true ownership role in ensuring projects move forward, taking into account their knowledge and experience. For more information on the Syilx Indian Residential School experience visit: www.syilx.org/wellness/indian-residential-school/

For more information please contact:

y̓il̓mixʷm sil-teekin, Chief Greg Gabriel, Penticton Indian Band, Syilx Child & Family Governance Representative
T: 250-490-7250

y̓il̓mixʷm  ki law na, Chief Clarence Louie, Osoyoos Indian Band, ONA Tribal Chair
T:  250-498-9132

Jennifer Lewis, ONA Wellness Manager
T: 1-250-826-7844
E: wellness.manager@syilx.org

Media Release

sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ, Syilx Okanagan Territory: From September 16-18, 2022, Elders, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, youth and community members from across the Syilx Okanagan Nation will gather at sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ (Okanagan Falls), a culturally significant site that was formally a part of the Osoyoos Indian Reserve, to take part in the annual Salmon Feast. This year’s gathering is particularly significant due to the historic runs of sc’win that are taking place this year on Syilx territory, and the opportunities to express the gratitude for the salmons return.

One of the Nation’s goals is to further the responsibilities and teachings to be keepers of our waters, territory, lands, foods, and resources. This knowledge has been passed on by our ancestors and Elders, who have always taught the importance of preserving and revitalizing the traditions, customs, and language of the Syilx people. Central to the Salmon Feast is honouring the sacredness of the river at sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ (Okanagan Falls), an important traditional fishing camp, gathering place and trading site. The Salmon Feast involves multiple events and activities including, educational activities, a stick game tournament, local artisans showcasing their work, a canoe paddle where nation members are able to also pray on the water, and on Sunday a salmon feast and ceremony for snx̌aʔiwləm  (to honour the sacredness of the river).

“The historic return of salmon to Syilx territory that took place this year demonstrates how significant and important Syilx cultural gatherings like the Salmon Feast are for our people. By enacting our inherent responsibilities to the water and the timx^w, we are ensuring that salmon will continue to return to feed our peoples and lands for generations to come. These salmon returns are not only an integral part of our culture but are also central to our food sovereignty and the capacity of our communities to be able to provide for themselves, “stated Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair.

It is vitally important that we honour the salmon so they will always come back to feed the people.

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The Salmon Feast is a traditional annual gathering that connects to the ongoing organized efforts of the Okanagan Nation Alliance to raise awareness around the importance of the habitat protection and rehabilitation of local ecosystems, watersheds, alongside promoting a renewed connection and relationship between all residents of the Region with water and fish.

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

Tara Montgomery, ONA Communications
T: 1.250.707.0095 ext. 120
C: 250.862.6866
E: tmontgomery@syilx.org

Media Release

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: From August 29-30, 2022, the Syilx Okanagan Nation will host the ‘Purple Ribbon Campaign Caravan” as part of our efforts to support Nation members and families facing addiction issues and promote International Overdose Awareness Day. In particular, it is a response to the urgent need to address the stigma that surrounds drug use. We must address the stigma that surrounds drug use and overdose, while simultaneously increasing culturally appropriate supports and services to decrease the violence and disruption that our communities face.

The Caravan will travel throughout Syilx Nation communities, bringing hundreds of people together, and will focus on sharing resources, promoting discussion, and offering information related to the drug and opioid crisis. Through raising awareness, the campaign supports good health and well-being and fostering positive social change.

“As Syilx People we continue to face an overdose emergency, with First Nations people five times more likely to experience an overdose throughout the Province of BC — despite being 2.6% of the population, Indigenous people make up 10% of overdose cases. These inequalities have their roots in intergenerational trauma which continue to resound throughout Indigenous communities to this day. This action, such as the Purple Ribbon Caravan provide the opportunity for us to unite as a people and move forward together” stated Jennifer Lewis, ONA Wellness Manger.

Alan Louis. ONA Syilx Okanagan Nation representatives stated that “The drug and opioid crisis continues to underscore the facts that social determinants of health are all linked to extreme poverty, economic disparity, poor health conditions, lack of accessible housing and are rooted in a history of colonization that resulted in the displacement of Indigenous peoples. These complex issues require holistic comprehensive response’s” adding, “we must also invest in culturally safe harm-reduction, treatment and recovery services that address the pernicious effects of discrimination and racism.”

The importance of this year’s Caravan is heightened due to the deepening impacts of a multitude of crises that continue to challenge the mental health and overall well-being of all Indigeneous people. From the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings of the 215+ at Kamloops Indian Residential School, and the devastation and disturbances created by natural disasters like wildfires and floods, our communities and members are dealing with unprecedented disruptions and trauma.

“It continues to deeply alarm me how the overdose crisis impacts our families and communities. We must come together even more to break down the stigma, reduce the fear, and shame that keep people silent, but more so as society at large seek solutions and reduce harm within our communities,” Allan Louis, Syilx Health Representative, affirms.

It is important for anyone facing these issues to know that you are not alone, and that there are resources and supports available to see you through challenging times. For more resources visit: www.syilx.org/wellness/our-programs-and-services/purple-ribbon-campaign/

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ONA joins and recognizes Purple Ribbon Day – and all the efforts globally – that provide a deeper recognition to the issue of drug addiction and overdoses, alongside all of the victims of the current opioid emergency. Efforts like the Purple Ribbon Campaign Caravan are part of a broader range of programs and activities, including the Nation Drug Forum, that the Nation takes on to actively address the current opioid crisis that is devastating communities throughout the territory.

For further information please contact:
Jennifer Lewis, ONA Wellness Manager
T: 1-250-826-7844
E: wellness.manager@syilx.org

Alan Louis
ONA CEC Syilx Nation Health Representative
T: 1-250-308-6789

Media Release

The ability of Syilx students to access post-secondary education is central to our Nation moving forward and our voices being heard.

This year the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Fortis BC and EMB Management Ltd. provided a total of 12 awards to financially support eligible Syilx Okanagan Nation students. The Building a Better Future Bursary has been granted every year since 2009.

This year the Okanagan Nation Alliance is pleased to announce four bursaries as part of this year’s Building a Better Future Bursary Program. The 2022 recipients are: