Category Archives: Indigenous Nations

Energy, Indigenous Nations

Regulator approves TMX plan to trench through ‘extremely sacred’ Secwépemc site

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Editor’s note: Another example of the conflict between industry and First Nations Sacred sites.

By Aaron Hemens, IndigiNews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Secwépemc knowledge-keeper is outraged after Trans Mountain was given approval from Canada’s energy regulator to trench through an important cultural site to build its pipeline expansion — calling the project colonialism personified.

“Evil is putting it lightly,” said Mike McKenzie, who is from Skeetchestn.

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Indigenous Nations, Politics

Pemberton pauses Official Community Plan process to build ‘deeper’ relationship with Lil’wat Nation

Editor’s note: A possible model of how rural communities and First Nations can cooperate.

By Roisin Cullen, Pique Magazine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Village of Pemberton (VOP) is pausing its Official Community Plan (OCP) review process so officials can focus on building a “deeper and more meaningful” relationship with the Lil’wat Nation, the VOP announced at Pemberton’s Sept. 12 council meeting.

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Disaster, Indigenous Nations

Frantic escapes, damaged homes and lost time: First Nations hit hardest when wildfire season comes

Editor’s note: An alarming trend that needs to be addressed.

By Matteo Cimellaro, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Debbie Rupke (Tomma) heard a rattle at her door. It was her cousin in a panic, telling her they had only minutes to leave. Strong winds had shifted, and the Bushcreek fire, which has burned at least 43,084 hectares north of Kelowna so far, was bearing down on their homes. Rupke (Tomma) had returned from Vancouver the day before, so she grabbed her yet-to-be-unpacked suitcase and her most precious memento: a family portrait of her daughter she gave up for adoption at 15.

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Food, Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

Paul Muskee on Klahoose Aquaculture & QXMC

Paul Muskee has been working for QXMC for close to 15 years and for the last decade has been with Klahoose Aquaculture.

“I feel like my life has led me this way. When I was younger, I did work in aquaculture and I did work in forestry. I was also a mining technologist for a bunch of years, but I grew up  around Powell River, Lund and Desolation Sound.  Running boats has always been part of what I’ve done. I’ve loved working for Klahoose. They’ve been a great employer and I really like the people I’ve work with,” he explained.  

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Business, Indigenous Nations, Tourism

QXMC: Search for a new General Manager

QXMC, the Klahoose First Nation development company, is looking for a new General Manager. 

 “We’ve retained a search company that has a great track record of looking for candidates of this type of size.  In the past, we’ve used companies like Boyden that sort of do searches for Fortune 500 companies, and that’s not what we’re looking for,” explained Ron Buchhorn, Chairman of the QXMC Board.

“We’re looking for people who can run a diverse business. We’re probably talking about $140 million in revenue. It’s a big business mainly on the logging side, which is where most of the revenue comes from, but it’s diverse in terms of logging,  aquaculture, resorts, ecotours, our bear touring operations, and having a sensitivity to our owners and understanding their goals and how they’d like the company operated.” 

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