Tla-o-qui-aht looks forward to reopening

Now that more than 60 per cent have a fi rst dose, the government gives a road map to province-wide recovery

By Denise Titian Ha-shilth-Sa Reporter

British Columbia – Circuit Breaker COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. “We have been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health offi cer. She laid out the four-step restart plan in a televised statement on May 25. Now that more than 60 per cent of the province’s adult population have been immunized with at least one dose of vaccine. While COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have stabilized, the province can move forward with the lifting of restrictions in a careful and gradual way, said Henry. Beginning May 25, the province eased restrictions and started Step One of BC’s Restart Plan designed to get people back together. This will mean that restaurants and bars may resume indoor service with physical distancing and mask requirements. Activities that are now allowed under Step One include: -Maximum of fi ve visitors or one household allowed for indoor personal gatherings -Maximum of 10 people for outdoor personal gatherings -Maximum of 10 people for seated indoor organized gatherings with safety protocols -Maximum of 50 people for seated outdoor organized gatherings with safety protocols -Recreational travel only within designated health region -Indoor and outdoor dining for up to six people with safety protocols -Resume outdoor sports (games) with no spectators, low-intensity fi tness with safety protocols -Continue a gradual return to workplaces towards pre-pandemic conditions -Provincewide mask mandate, business safety protocols and physical distancing measures remain in place -Return of indoor in-person faith-based gatherings (reduced capacity) based on consultation with public health Step Two could begin June 15 if conditions permit. Back in March 2021, when the third wave of COVID-19 cases began sweeping through the province, offi cials moved to prevent overwhelming the health care system with what they called “circuit breaker” measures. “Rising case levels, variants of concern, increased transmission and an increase in more severe cases are huge concerns,” said Adrian Dix, minister of Health, in March. “B.C. public health offi cials are making the tough choices now to break the chain and protect our communities.” They remind people that getting vaccinated is the most important tool to supporting the restart. Now that at least 60 per cent of the 18-plus population have received at least a fi rst dose vaccination and case counts have been declining, the provincial health offi cials hope to see a complete return to a pre-COVID-19 world by as early as Sept. 7. In order for that to happen, more than 70 per cent of the adult population must be inoculated with at least the fi rst dose of vaccine, along with low case counts and low COVID-19 hospitalizations. If we move to Step Four later this summer, normal social contact would be permitted and mask wearing would become a personal choice. For now, people can continue a gradual return to the workplace with COVID-19 safety plans in place. Indoor low-intensity group exercise with limited capacity is permitted. Outdoor games and practices for all ages is allowed, but spectators are Bonnie Henry not permitted to any indoor or outdoor sports activities. It is hoped that Step Two can begin June 15 if at least 65 per cent of the adult population have received at least a fi rst dose of vaccine with continued declining case counts and hospitalizations. Masks will continue to be required at indoor settings. In Step Two, outdoor personal gatherings will increase up to 50 people. This includes birthday parties, barbecues and block parties. Recreational travel within B.C. will be allowed. By Canada Day, July 1, Step Three will begin if 70 per cent of the 18-plus population have received a fi rst dose of vaccine, along with low case counts and low numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Premier John Horgan said that it is important to move forward in a thoughtful way. He said more than 1,600 lives have been lost since the pandemic began 15 months ago. He acknowledged the sacrifi ces British Columbians have made over that time. “We will continue to ask you to make sacrifi ces over the next few weeks,” he said. He added that if things continue to go in the right direction, we could possibly see late graduation ceremonies. “We’re excited about our opening plan…but we don’t want to lurch forward only to have to lurch backward,” he said. An emotional Dr. Bonnie Henry said they have been waiting for this day for a long time. “The focus is to protect people and get them safely back to enjoying life,” she said. The key is the distribution of safe, eff ective vaccines. And Henry says the province has a safe, steady, reliable supply. Henry recalled that the restart plan that began in the summer of 2020 was derailed in October and November when the second wave of COVID-19 started. Back then, vaccine was not available. The fi rst doses of vaccine were administered in British Columbia in December 2020, and since then, distribution has been widespread. “By February all long-term care residents were vaccinated – that is when we saw the value of vaccine,” said Henry. “Fewer people were getting sick and when they did they had milder symptoms.” In March 2021 the third wave of COVID-19 brought with it variants which increased pressure on the health care system. Henry says there has been a dramatic increase in vaccine supply and now people as young as age 12 can get vaccinated. “We have seen the case rates come down dramatically since the vaccines have arrived. Now we have the foundation for a new restart,” she said. If you or anyone in your family feels sick, the PHO advises that you stay home and get tested immediately.

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation looks forward to re-opening

By Melissa Renwick Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofi no, BC - British Columbians can anticipate returning “to normal life” by early September, after B.C. offi cials launched a four-step plan to ease pandemic restrictions on Tuesday. Under the provincial restart plan, indoor dining and low-intensity indoor fi tness classes can resume, a maximum of fi ve visitors are allowed to gather indoors and 10 people are permitted for outdoor gatherings. The province continues to be divided into three regional zones, however Provincial Health Offi cer Dr. Bonnie Henry encouraged residents to explore their designated travel zone. “Go camping within the area that you live,” she said during a press conference. Over 60 per cent of adults within the province have received their fi rst dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which has stabilized case counts and triggered a drop in hospitalizations and ICU patients, said Henry. “We will be adjusting our safety plans to make sure that businesses can continue to operate as restrictions are lifted in the coming weeks and months,” she said. “We’ll be staying fl exible because we know this virus has some tricks up its sleeve still. We will be continuing to monitor what’s happening around the globe because we know that we’re not all safe until everybody has been immunized. And that still is quite a challenge in many parts of the world.” Jared Beaton, Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort general manager, said the phased approach allows the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation-owned resort to ease into operating at maximum capacity. “This allows us to have a little bit of a softer open,” he said. “And [to] make sure that our staff are coming back gradually – being trained properly.” The earliest the province will move into Phase 2 of the restart plan is June 15. Phase 3 is anticipated to begin July 1 and Phase 4 will start Sept. 7, pending a continued rise in vaccination rates and a decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. While the resort may not be able to operate at full capacity until September, Beaton said the “pent-up demand” is likely to make for a busy Fall. “The way occupancy is going in the books right now [indicates] we’re heading into a very strong fall,” he said. “I don’t see us going back into that rut again, where I’m having to lay staff off after them being trained. I’m very confi dent we’ll keep everybody gainfully employed, based on what I’m seeing right now.” With its stakes in the tourism industry, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation tribal administrator Jim Chisholm said the nation has been fi nancially impacted.

Photo by Melissa Renwick Tourists fl ocked to Long Beach as B.C. transitioned into Phase 3 of its restart plan last summer. COVID-19 restrictions are once again opening up. “Obviously we want to see things open up - everybody does,” he said. “But the health of our people is fi rst and foremost … We’re not going to put people into jeopardy, or our community’s at risk, for fi nancial rewards – that isn’t going to happen.” Since the beginning of the pandemic, Tla-o-qui-aht has had a security gate to restrict access to their communities, chief and council meetings subsequently moved to Zoom and the band offi ce remains closed, said Chisholm. “We’ve done everything we can to ensure everybody’s health,” he said. “We’ve followed every precaution and recommendation from the government.” By following the provincial health orders and adopting a COVID-19 safety plan, Beaton said he feels they are “doing the right thing.” Tin Wis is currently operating at around 35 per cent capacity, said Beaton. “We all want to be open at full capacity,” he said. “But at the end of the day, we have to be responsible, too.” The next best thing, is the phased approach outlined by the government, said Beaton. “We’re really excited to start welcoming people back to the hotel in a safe manner so that they can come out and enjoy the nature,” he said. “I think it’s really exciting that the prospect of being open for travel this summer is great.”

Ha-Shilth-Sa newspaper is published by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council for distribution to the members of the NTC-member First Nations, as well as other interested groups and individuals. Information and original work contained in this newspaper is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without written permission from:

Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M2. Telephone: (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 Web page: www.hashilthsa.com facebook: Hashilthsa Ntc

2020 Subscription rates:

$35 per year in Canada and $45 per year in the U.S.A. and $55 per year in foreign countries. Payable to the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.

Manager/Editor/Reporter Eric Plummer (Ext. 243) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 eric.plummer@nuuchahnulth.org Reporter Denise Titian (Ext. 240) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 denise.titian@nuuchahnulth.org Reporter Melissa Renwick (416) 436-4277 Fax: (250) 723-0463 melissa.renwick@nuuchahnulth.org

Audio / Video Technician Mike Watts (Ext. 238) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 mike.watts@nuuchahnulth.org Editorial Assistant Holly Stocking (Ext. 302) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 holly.stocking@nuuchahnulth.org

DEADLINE:

Please note that the deadline for submissions for our next issue is

June 11, 2021 After that date, material submitted and judged appropriate cannot be guaranteed placement but, if material is still relevant, will be included in the following issue. In an ideal world, submissions would be typed rather than hand-written. Articles can be sent by e-mail to holly.stocking@nuuchahnulth.org (Windows PC). Submitted pictures must include a brief description of subject(s) and a return address. Pictures with no return address will remain on fi le. Allow two - four weeks for return. Photocopied or faxed photographs cannot be accepted.

COVERAGE:

Although we would like to be able to cover all stories and events, we will only do so subject to: - Suffi cient advance notice addressed specifi cally to Ha-Shilth-Sa. - Reporter availability at the time of the event. - Editorial space available in the paper. - Editorial deadlines being adhered to by contributors. Ha-Shilth-Sa will include letters received from its readers. Letters MUST be signed by the writer and have the writer’s full name, address and phone number on them. Names can be withheld by request. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted. We reserve the right to edit submitted material for clarity, brevity, grammar and good taste. We will defi nitely not publish letters dealing with tribal or personal disputes or issues that are critical of Nuu-chah-nulth individuals or groups. All opinions expressed in letters to the editor are purely those of the writer and will not necessarily coincide with the views or policies of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council or its member First Nations. Ha-Shilth-Sa includes paid advertising, but this does not imply Ha-Shilth-Sa or Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council recommends or endorses the content of the ads.

Visitors welcomed back to Broken Group

After a COVID closure in 2020, the Barkley Sound a raction reopens until Sept. 30

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Nuu-chah-nulth nations have worked in partnership with Parks Canada to ensure the safe reopening of the Broken Group Islands for the 2021 visitor season. The Broken Group Islands, in the Pacifi c Rim National Park Reserve, will be open to overnight visitors from June 4 to Sept. 30, 2021, as provincial health guidelines allow. Parks Canada, in collaboration with the Tseshaht First Nation, Toquaht Nation, Hupačasath First Nation, and the Uchucklesaht Tribe have implemented safety measures to protect the health of remote communities, Indigenous guardians (beachkeepers), visitors, and Parks Canada employees. “Tseshaht Ha’wiih (hereditary Chiefs), council and members have a sacred responsibility to look after the hahoulthee (territory, and everything within it) of our Ha’wiih which includes the protection, safety, health and well-being of all those within it, including the Broken Group Islands,” said Ken Watts, elected chief council of the Tseshaht First Nation. “In alignment with our sacred responsibility of uu-a-thluk (taking care of), we worked hand-in-hand with Parks Canada to ensure appropriate conditions are put in place, including safe operating plans and other restrictions to ensure everyone is safe. COVID-19 is still here, and we must treat each other, the territory and the situation with iisaak (respect).” Reservations opened on May 31 and campers can book their adventure by visiting reservation.pc.gc.ca or by calling 1-877-RESERVE (1-877-737-3783). All visitors are encouraged to check B.C.’s provincial travel restrictions (in place until at least June 15) in advance of making reservations; those whose plans do not respect the current travel restrictions will be asked to cancel their reservations. Camping availability will be reduced in 2021, and advance reservations are required (no overnight guests without advanced reservations will be allowed). The Broken Group Islands are only accessible by boat or kayak. According to a press release by Parks Canada, visitors should not expect the same experience as in previous years, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Before visiting, visitors are asked to plan ahead by researching the availability of access points, travel restrictions, and community protocols. Visitors are also asked to learn in advance whether First Nations villages are welcoming visitors prior to arrival. Visitors should note, Secret Beach Campground Marina and Kayak Launch, in the Toquaht Nation Treaty Settlement lands, will remain closed until further notice. Launching for trips into the Broken Group Islands will not be possible from there. The Toquaht Nation community of Macoah is currently closed to nonresidents. Within the Broken Group Islands, Nettle, Keith, Effi ngham and Benson islands are closed to visitors until further notice, to protect the health and safety of the local community. Access by Lady Rose Marine Services is not available to visitors until further notice. Detailed information and future updates on overnight experiences in Pacifi c Rim National Park Reserve can be found online at pc.gc.ca/Pacifi cRim.

Photo by Roy Luck/Wikimedia Commons The Broken Group Islands, in the Pacifi c Rim National Park Reserve, will be open to overnight visitors from June 4 to Sept. 30, 2021.

Ha-Shilth-Sa belongs to every Nuu-chah-nulth person including those who have passed on, and those who are not yet born. A community newspaper cannot exist without community involvement. If you have any great pictures you’ve taken, stories or poems you’ve written, or artwork you have done, please let us know so we can include it in your newspaper. E-mail holly.stocking@nuuchahnulth.org. This year is Ha-Shilth-Sa’s 47th year of serving the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. We look forward to your continued input and support. Kleco! Kleco!

Legal Information

The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability for non-insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisements

Ground penetrating radar uncovers the remains of 215 children buried at Kamloops Indian Residential School

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

British Columbia – Tk’emlúps te Secwé pemcKukpi7 First Nations reported the heartbreaking discovery of the remains of more than 200 children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. In a statement dated May 27, 2021, Chief Roseanne Casimer, said, “It is with a heavy heart that Tk’emlúps te Secwé pemcKukpi7 confi rms an unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented by the Kamloops Indian Residential School. This past weekend, with the help of a ground penetrating radar specialist, the stark truth of the preliminary fi ndings came to light – the confi rmation of the remains of 215 children who were students of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.” The Kamloops Indian Residential school was the largest in Canada, with up to 500 Indigenous children from all over the province forced to attend at times. The institution was part of the Canadian residential school system and one of the 130 schools for First Nations children that operated in Canada between 1874 and 1977. The school building still stands today. Residential Schools were typically run by Christian churches or the federal government from the 1840s to the 1990s. They were designed to strip children of their culture and assimilate them to the ways of the Euro-Canadian settlers. Indigenous children as young as fi ve years old were removed from their families and forced to attend the schools, where many children say they suff ered horrifi c physical abuse, rape, malnutrition and other atrocities. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other federal leaders have apologized for the schools and compensation has been paid to thousands of Indigenous people who were aff ected. This announcement has re-opened wounds for some elderly survivors of residential schools.

Photo by Denise Titian Organized by Wally and Donna Samuel, survivors of Alberni Indian Residential School, the May 28 vigil helped people to connect and share their grief.

“It’s horrible,” said Tla-o-qui-aht elected chief Moses Martin, ading it’s proof that the things the survivors said really happened. “This is confi rmation of what our people have been saying, I feel for the families.” NTC Vice-President Mariah Charleson never attended residential school, but her father, his siblings and parents did. “I only ever stepped foot at Old Christie grounds once,” she wrote in a social media post, saying she was there to hike a mountain a few years ago. Her uncle brought her to where Christie Indian Residential School once stood on Meares Island near Tofi no. “He told me about how it was...girls on one side and boys on the other when they went to school there,” she wrote. “First thing I noticed was the graveyard. It’s not normal for a graveyard to be at a school people!!” Barney Williams, an 81-year-old Tla-oqui-aht elder, was one of several Nuuchah-nulth people who attended Kamloops Indian Residential school. He said he couldn’t remember the year but he was there for Grades 9 to 11. Most of those he was there with are gone, but a few are still with us. “There was Wilson George, Steven David, Earl Smith, Eugene Leo, the Hayes sisters, Mary Rose, Odelia and Josephine,” he recalled. There was also Anna Joseph. Vi George (Amos), Felix Charleson and Howard Tom. Williams said they were completely unaware that there was a burial ground at the school. But he remembers stories. “There was a couple of people missing but they always attributed it to running away or getting killed on a train track,” he said. As to why he would go so far from home when there were residential schools on the island, Williams explained that he was raised Catholic so he had to go to a Catholic residential school like Christie, which also had its own cemetery. It was up to the authorities to decide which institution the children would be “shipped” to, as Barney recalled. Christie was an elementary school, only going from Grades 1 to 8. The Kamloops school encompassed Kindergarten to Grade 12. Williams was feeling emotionally drained after hearing news of the fi nd in Kamloops. “It’s been a tough day, emotional,” he said. “It brings up a lot of emotion for a lot of us, it brings us back to that time and place. I know my brother Earl was upset about it,” he added. “We heard a lot of stuff and now there’s proof.” Racelle Kooy, media contact for Tk’emlúps te Secwé pemcKukpi7, indicated that the 215 children’s remains found could change. These are preliminary fi ndings and there will be an update in June, she told Ha-Shilth-Sa. “We had a knowing in our community that we were able to verify. To our knowledge, these missing children are undocumented deaths, some were as young as three years old,” stated Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir. In the meantime, Tk’emlúps te Secwé pemcKukpi7 has engaged the coroner and is reaching out to the communities that had children attending Kamloops Indian Residential School. The Secwé pemc Museum Archivist is working with Royal British Columbia Museum and others to seek out any existing records of these deaths. “The Tk’emlúps te Secwé pemcKukpi7 will continue to work with the ground penetrating radar specialist to complete the survey of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School grounds,” stated the First Nation. There was a vigil in honour of the 215 children buried in Kamloops at the Port Alberni Friendship Center. Organized by residential school survivors Wally and Donna Samuel, the vigil began at 6 p.m. The Indian Residential School Survivor Society has an Emergency Crisis Line that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For help, call 1-800-721-0066. Or call the 24-hour Crisis Line at 1-866-9254419.

Judith Sayers to be installed as VIU chancellor

By Melissa Renwick Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Nanaimo, BC - Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Kekinusuqs, Dr. Judith Sayers, will be installed as Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) third chancellor during a virtual ceremony on June 17. Sayers was appointed into the position in October 2020 for a three-year term. The installation is a ceremonial introduction that’s normally held within the fi rst year of the new chancellor assuming offi ce duties. A livestream of the event will begin at 10:45 a.m., with the installation at 11 a.m. “One of the reasons I am attracted to VIU and to this position is how closely the university has worked with the Snuneymuxw First Nation and other nations,” Sayers said in a release. “I would like to see those kinds of partnerships continue to grow and fl ourish. VIU takes its commitment to reconciliation seriously, and I am excited to work with President Dr. Deb Saucier, who is also Indigenous, to continue implementing Indigenous ways of knowing and being.” The installment precursors the university’s student graduation celebration on June 24, where Sayers will off er a graduate oath and speech. Following in the footsteps of Louise Mandell Q.C., Indigenous rights lawyer, and Shawn (A-in-chut) Atleo, former chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Sayers said that she would like to help VIU become a leading voice in eradicating racism, as well as make the university a place where everyone sees themselves refl ected. “We need to be more open to working with students to do the kind of research they want to do in their own way,” she said. “So much of Indigenous history has never been written properly. When you see our students going out and exploring these areas, for me, it’s very exciting. We need to tell our own stories.” Before Sayers became president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in 2017, she was the elected chief of her nation, Hupacasath First Nation, for 14 years. Among several other accolades, Sayers became a member of the Order of Canada in 2019, and the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business inducted her into the Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame in 2009. VIU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Saucier said she looked forward to working with Sayers to “further advance the Indigenization of VIU.” “Dr. Sayers’ accomplishments in advancing Indigenous rights and promoting capacity-building sustainable development projects sets an example for our students and community members about what is possible when you put your passion and education to work,” she said in a release. While much of Sayer’s life has centred on advocacy work, she said her next area of focus is “higher education.” “I’d like to take on a major role in promoting innovative ideas and better understanding through education,” she said.

Photo by Melody Charlie Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Judith Sayers will be installed as Vancouver Island University’s third chancellor at a virtual ceremony on June 17.