A New Day
Well, today's another day closer to our little election. I suppose in the great scheme of things, it's pretty trivial, but to those of us whom are connected to the process and will be impacted by the signing of a land claim agreement, it's very unnerving. Our greatest weakness in the present process and governance model is that it is antiquated, outdated and simply has outlived its usefulness. I'm sure that it doesn't even comply with the constitution of Canada, because it was implemented way back in the 1800's. The promise by the BC government, and by the BC Treaty Commission now headed by Steven Point is that the so-called treaty will provide a better way of living, but we all know that any contract may or may not be implemented if there is no way of policing it. I don't know of any contract, or real Treaty agreed upon by any government of Canada that is respected in accordance to the spirit behind the agreement.

The band council here in Kitsumkalum is not particularly bad to the people, it's not overly abusive or evil, it's just inadequate and not keeping up with the times. After all, the councillors receive in the neighbourhood of $400.00 per month in honourariums, or at least that's what it was 4 years ago, to attend regular meetings that deal with the issues of the day. So, for the sake of argument, if we were to say that they do receive $4oo.00 per month each and they all collected it without guilt, then over 8 months, they have collected $3,200.00. Then, multiply that by 6, and you get a grand total of $19,000.00, and if the chief is still collecting as well, that jumps it up to $22,400.00 for doing nothing! According to Don, there has been no band council meetings, and no guidance from the chief whom is responsible to see that these things happen. Now, the problem is that the band council can continue to do this with impunity because they don't have to answer to the community, and as long as they file their reports to Ottawa everything is just fine. There is no local accountability unless the people demand it. We haven't had one, single public meeting, we have no reports on funding dollars and their use, we have no reports on earnings from the gas bar, or House of Sim oi ghets store, and so if there is abuse happening anywhere in the economic development chain, it will just carry right on. If this kind of governance happened in the school board offices, or in the city hall, there would be charges laid, and heads would roll.

I would change that pretty quick. No pork-barrelling would be allowed, because I would establish a watch-dog committee that reports to the community. I also take issue with the fact that many councils complain about austerity, lack of funds to do anything and the first grab they make is off the backs of their employees. They band administration gets some earnings, but not significant amounts and all it does is create scornful bureaucrats and takes away the initiative to build creative and communicative team-work. We need to provide decent living standards, decent working conditions, decent holidays and provision of sick and family days and boost morale, which will then create more efficiency and willingness to contribute.

Job postings would go out to all members so that everyone has equal opportunity, and decisions would be made according to merit, experience and capacity. Local employees should, and would receive training opportunities so that they can look forward to better jobs. Every councillor would be made responsible to a portfolio based on their interests and training, and would be expected to report to their constituents. They would not be allowed to interfere with administration on the ground, instead they would recommend solutions to the council as a whole, and to the manager of the area they are interested in. No councillor would be allowed to ignore issues that they don't know much about, because their collective votes impact everyone. Councillors would be expected to be role models, and improper behaviour in the community and anywhere else would bring consequences as decided upon by the rest of the council; and, if need be, the community as a whole.

We would concentrate on building enforceable policies and procedures, and implementing them through a public plebiscite, that way, these things must be approved by the public if any future council decides to ignore, or change them. The election process would begin to change, in that the results of future elections would require that the chief and council be first answerable to the people who elected them, then to the Dept. of Indian Affairs.

We need to build working relationships with the communities that we live with, because collectively, the Tsimshian nation, coupled with the Nishga'a, the Haisla, the Gitxan and the neigbours to the north, the Tahltan-Tlingkit contribute enormously to the economies of the north, and we receive very little respect for it. That has to change. We need more work opportunities in local communities that provide for people that have the skills, but don't have on reserve jobs to apply to.

If we hope to improve education amoung our population, we need greater involvement in the system. There has to be more participation in PAC groups in the schools, more people attending meetings that govern the process, more participants in the role model programs and so on. Then, if something doesn't please us we have the right to complain.

We know who we are, we know who we are related to and we know the importance of family. Therefore, it's our responsibility to decide who is Tsimshian or not, this is a matter that should not concern the Dept. of Indian Affairs.

Locally, we need to provide better housing opportunities, apartments, better roads and sidewalks and better safety regarding the intrusion of animals wandering within the community, and presenting a clear and present danger to our children.

Who is planning for major disaster control? Where are the plans that will go into effect if some major problem arised, like a train derailment, or vehicle accident where toxic substances could affect the community? These issues need public input, and public training.

Where is our community plan? How should future developments look and be placed?

Lots of questions, no answers yet.

See you later...