MHSS December Newsletter

Community

Interview with Sabrina Campbell, Deputy Chief Councillor

Following last newsletter’s interview with the newly elected Chief Councillor, n̓aasʔałuk (John Rampanen), MHSS will continue to feature interviews with elected councilors and leadership. We intend for this to function as a platform from which our community’s leaders can share a bit about themselves and discuss their roles and vision for the future of the nation.

This month, we invited Deputy Chief Sabrina Campbell to talk with us.

MHSS: To start with, could you briefly introduce yourself?

Sabrina Campbell (SC): My name is Sabrina Campbell, my parents are Janice (Frank) and Darrell Campbell. My family lineage comes from the Frank and Campbell families, from ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ qʷaacwiiʔatḥ. My grandparents are Julia (Ignace) and Ernest Campbell, and Irene (David) and Archie Frank. Colonially, I am recognized as Ahousaht, kuuas way I am Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Ditidaht. I take pride in my lineage as I have strong connections to each family connection.

MHSS: What is your background? Prior to coming into your role, what did you do? What experience and education did you acquire that contribute to your role?

SC: I have worked interconnectedly with Ahousaht since I was a teenager. Working various jobs that were administrative to fisheries. The dynamics behind my current position allows me to utilize those skills mixed with education. My educational background is I have a Bachelors in Global Studies and Business. Mostly focusing on international relations, economics, policy, and management. All correlate to this current position as Ahousaht Deputy Chief Councillor, because it is balancing a business, policies, governments, and cultural identity.

MHSS: What motivated you to become involved as an elected leader for our nation?

SC: The motivation stems from utilizing skills to the benefit of Ahousaht people. I never really anticipated pursuing an elected position; when I first was nominated I was a broke student. But working with dynamic people in dynamic situations allowed me to understand the importance of nation governance. In the past, I always referred to myself as a young woman, who necessarily wouldn’t be taken seriously in a professional capacity. However, friends and family highly encouraged me to continue this path.

MHSS: What are your core values and how do you exercise and manifest those values in your position?

SC: This position is formally an elected position, the core values come from Ahousaht people. I am simply the voice and worker behind initiatives that Ahousaht people want.

MHSS: What aspects of the role have you found challenging - and what aspects have been rewarding?

SC: The challenging parts are capacity and funding. There are days where making tough decisions can be hard on yourself, because you want to help everyone. Capacity is being in a rural location and weather can slow capital projects down. The very rewarding parts are when funding flows through and projects that have been waiting years can be done (paved roads for example) or when there is an amazing Ahousaht cultural gathering that makes our identity as a nation that much stronger.

MHSS: What is your vision for the future of our nation? What opportunities do you see for change?

SC: Iisaakstalth – respect one another Hahuupstalth – teach one another

Ya?akstalth – care for one another

Huupiitstalth – help one another

A lot of future visions stems from who we are in our core values. Working as one in various sectors makes Ahousaht a strong nation. There are several healing components happening and so many positive initiatives, it is creating intergenerational changes. Opportunities vary from economic growth, intergenerational healing, youth opportunities, educational prosperity and several other initiatives.

BC Ferries Subsidy

We would like to clarify that the round trips to and from Ahousaht provided by the Ahous Hakoom are made possible by means of funding acquired through a BC Ferries Subsidy. These funds, which allow us to provide the essential service of a consistent, scheduled means of transportation, subsidize the costs of operating the Hakoom, including passenger rates, but only up to a certain amount. As we run more trips than are covered by the subsidy, we exceed the subsidized amount and incur these operating costs ourselves, and thus do not profit from operating the Hakoom; again, this service is provided solely to guarantee transportation for the community.

Fuel Station Breakdown

In 2021, fuel station prices were increased to account for a number of factors, including significant upgrades, which we would like to relay here for the sake of clarity and transparency:

• Upgraded POS System

• Building Upgrades

• Wages

• Staff

• Hydro

• Wifi

• Internet

• Telephone

• Environmental costs

In careful consideration of the cost of maintaining and operating the station, prices have been adjusted to reflect these costs so that we may continue to sustainably provide this essential service.

Home-Use Fisheries

We would like to acknowledge and give thanks to our home-use fishermen and women, who worked hard this year to provide for the community and without the collective effort of which home-use this year would not have been possible!

Trollers:

Francis Campbell. - Karen Loyd

Louis Frank - Tsusiaht 2 Casper

Paul Robinson

Russel Robinson

Errol Sam

Mosquito Fleet:

Walter Thomas - C.Rose

Bertie Titian - Little Echoe

Roberta Adams - Miss Gunna Bee, Precious Gem, Maabells

Daniel John Sr - 3 Kings

George John Jr - Princess Claudine

Derek Thomas - Letica Irene

Rodney Atleo - MV Neveah Lily

Russell Frank - Hailey Irene

Greg and Bonnie - Bite M

Peter Williams Sr - Tyco

Louis Frank - Casper Pepsi Can

Scott Frank - Mystic Ryan

Peter J WilliamsBert Thomas - Cougar Island

Louie Frank Sr - Pa Kettle

Arnie Thomas - Pa Kettle

Lacey Adams - Precious Gemz / Mutuk

Summer Youth Employees:

Tayshaun Charleson

Lawrence Thomas

Keenan Titian

Ashton Williams

Jeremy Sam

Economic Development

Maquinna Park Reopening

We are thrilled to share that following a period of closure, Maquinna Marine Park is once again open to visitors with a few important changes to access and fees. Please reference the following news and media releases for more information!

For Immediate Release October 28, 2022

Maquinna Marine Provincial Park 2022 Re-opening

Cultural and Ecotourism – Ahousaht First Nation, Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

AHOUSAHT FIRST NATION AND BC PARKS RE-OPEN MAQUINNA MARINE PROVINCIAL PARK WITH NEW ACCESS CONDITIONS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

TOFINO, BC – the Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS) on behalf of the Ahousaht First Nation, and BC Parks are welcoming visitors back to the Maquinna Marine Park (the “Park”) and hot springs after a lengthy closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The re-opening is accompanied by improved facilities and new access conditions that seek to enhance the visitor experience and uphold the ecological and Indigenous cultural values and uses of the area

The Maquinna Marine Provincial Park and its natural assets are in Ahousaht territories (the “hahoulthee”) and a traditional home of the Manhousaht people. Between 28,000 to 32,000 people visit the Park and hot springs each year

Historically marginalized from the Clayoquot Sound economy, the Ahousaht are taking steps to assert control over their lands to provide economic benefits, environmental and cultural protections to the Ahousaht people. The Ahousaht have been pleased to be working collaboratively with BC Parks on efforts to re-open and manage the Maquinna Marine Provincial Park and are working together to develop a new visitor use management plan for the Park that carefully considers ecological values, Indigenous cultural values and uses, visitor experiences, facilities, and infrastructure MHSS and BC Parks are also working together to re-name the Park, out of respect for the Ahousaht hereditary Chiefs (the “Hawiih”). Interim measures and access c onditions to address overcrowding at the hot springs are being piloted as part of the re-opening. Visitors are encouraged to book their trip to the hot springs with operators who have valid BC Park Use Permits in order to ensure that visitor management strategies are being followed.

Coinciding with the re-opening of Maquinna Park, MHSS is introducing the Ahousaht Stewardship Fund, which was established as a way for visitors to Ahousaht hahoulthee to financially support the work of the Hawiih and their ancestral responsibilities to steward Ahousaht lands and waters The Ahousaht Stewardship Fund supports the capacity of the MHSS in its work, including: marine risk management and monitoring, restoration and fisheries enhancement, park use operations, cultural tourism and youth programs, community food security and economic diversification, building and maintaining trails and other infrastructure throughout the hahoulthee

The Ahousaht Stewardship Fund is voluntary. The rate schedule has been created as a suggestion. We encourage all visitors to pay a voluntary Ahousaht Stewardship Fee when visiting Ahousaht hahoulthee, to support Ahousaht in continuing our ancestral responsibility to steward and monitor the lands and waters that support our people.

The recommended payment for individuals, families, school groups and non-profits visiting the hot springs at the

Maatsquii Dock Update

The new dock over at Maatsquii (the funds for which acquired through Island Coast Economic Trust) - is expected to be installed between December 2022 and February 2023. Lone Cone campground and trail access are to be determined, pending the results of the investigation into the Christie Residential School grounds.

Tofino Wilderness Resort Renovations Update

We are thrilled to share that renovations at the Tofino Wilderness Resort are well underway and we are on schedule for a soft opening on May 1, 2023. Presently in the first phase of work, we are focusing on the barge, replacing the balcony vinyl and main skylight, and repainting the exterior. Next, the team will work on the Longhouse deck and minor renovations to the building itself, before then moving onto the spa deck and roof renovations, the replacement of the facility boardwalk and, lastly, the completion of staff accommodation. We will continue to provide updates on progress as we go, and are excited to share more as we move closer toward opening!

Catface Mountain Trail Development

In conjunction with the construction and renovations over at the Tofino Wilderness Resort, a trail up Catface Mountain (Čaatapi) is currently being developed by Tyler Huebner and TCH Contracting. Following a preexisting road that was introduced and subsequently abandoned by Imperial Metals, the trail will be used by the Tofino Wilderness Resort to provide guests with guided experiences (on foot or on wheels) to the top of one of our haḥuułii’s most notable mountains.

As the current road up Čaatapi is completely unmaintained (overgrown with alder and obstructed by washouts), developing the trail has been a significant undertaking. Stay tuned for more updates as progress is made.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge Protocol Agreement

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge has enjoyed a long relationship with MHSS, which includes the continued commitment of working towards having 50% of staff be hired from Ahousaht. This commitment to Ahousaht employment continues the momentous opportunity for community members to gain working experience and launch long-term careers in hospitality. We highly encourage anybody interested to apply for these jobs, and to not hesitate to reach out to Sarah Cruse at cwlgm@clayoquotwildernesslodge.com with any questions regarding the application process!

On November 24, MHSS spoke to Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge General Manager, Sarah Cruse, about the ongoing commitment of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge to provide opportunities for Ahousaht.

MHSS: Could you briefly introduce yourself?

SC: My name is Sarah Cruse, and I was born in Toronto, Ontario. I have worked in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, BC, Hawaii, California, Colorado… and Vancouver Island is now my home.

MHSS: What is your background, in terms of education and work experience?

SC: My beginnings are from grass roots, literally; as my background is managing golf courses, I went to school to grow grass in Agronomy, I often say that I am a farmer! My claim to fame is graduating as a Golf Course Superintendent and becoming the second female superintendent in Canada when Banff Springs Hotel hired me at age 23. Over the years, I moved up into management and oversaw about 10 different golf courses, each and every one adding more experience to my resume. I also attended Cornell University for Hotel Management. I tell that story with purpose as here I am today in the privileged position of managing Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge. Work hard, and miracles can happen.

MHSS: What brought you to this role as General Manager at CWL?

SC: I was working for Peninsula Hotels at their California property of Quail Lodge Golf and Country Club when I decided it was time to come home to Canada. I saw an advert for Clayoquot and knew I had to be here. I worked for the founder Rick Genovese for one year before returning to the States, where I continued working as GM for Dunton Hot Springs, a wilderness resort in Colorado. But I left my heart behind at Clayoquot and promised that I would one day return. How blessed I felt when new ownership, Baillie Lodges, brought me home, and here I am today… dreams do come true!

MHSS: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge has made a protocol agreement with ʕaḥuusʔatḥ, the goal of which is to provide employment opportunities and work towards 50% of staff being hired from the community. Our first question would be, what is your strategy for attaining this goal?

SC: We are building our recruitment channels, as listed below, and we would like to continue to grow this. We are always open to considering further channels to improve and welcome any ideas for better engagement:

• MHSS

• Lenny / Skookum and the Warriors Program

• Jared Dick at NTC

• Spirit Eagle

• Naas Foods

• Friends of Redd Fish

• Kaleigh & Ashley, 2022 interns.

MHSS: What sort of community engagement will there be?

SC: We will continue to work with MHSS, as we have in previous years, as well as considering other channels. CWL is committed to the hiring and employment of ʕaḥuusʔatḥ musčim and look forward to fostering that partnership for many years to come.

MHSS: What kind of positions will be available? Will there be jobs available for novices / youth, as well as more specialized positions?

SC: The departments we have are maintenance, housekeeping, cookhouse kitchen and staff kitchen, restaurant server, guest services, experiences for equine, and marine and adventure guides. All positions are presently available, and we are ideally looking for individuals with experience in these fields.

MHSS: What kind of working environment is it up here? What does an average day look like?

SC: The working environment becomes like a family environment as each team relies on each other to serve guests and attend to chores and tasks. We also have

all of our staff live on-site, so the staff village certainly becomes a large family home, which is where employees become friends. Our work environment is of very high standards and we serve discerning guests of the world, so our employees are well-trained on service standards and the work culture of becoming a team, making this an extraordinary place to work, live and love your home and job.

Each department has varying work schedules based on 8 hours - employees generally either start in the early morning from 5:30 am, or in the late afternoon, from 3:00 pm. The experience department works on day-rates, with the hours varying, depending on the tour of the day.

MHSS: Can a job at CWL lead into a career? When community members come up to work, is this something that could be long-term with opportunities to potentially take on more responsibilities and move up into senior positions?

SC: Absolutely. We have entry-level positions, supervisor and management roles at CWL. Also, given that we’re now part of Baillie Lodges, based in Australia, there’s potential to transfer to other BL sites in Australia or New Zealand.

MHSS: Are there any employee benefits?

SC: Tons!

• Paid work

• Tip pool

• Free room (and tasty food)

• Staff excursions like hiking, kayaking, canyoning, interpretive boat trips

• Games room with foosball, billiards, darts and ping pong

• Movie theater room

• Workshops for ongoing education

• Great community of new friends and events

MHSS: Lastly, are there any words of welcome that you would like to extend to the community?

SC: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge was built, and now operates on traditional ʕaḥuusʔatḥ haḥuułii. We can see the traditional winter village of Huuʔinmitis from our dock, cookhouse, spa, bar, and most tents, even! Every day we walk through forests with culturally modified trees and rivers that flow with salmon. When we walk into the pristine old growth of the Ursus Valley, we stop at the CMT surveying camp of Rosealie Thomas, Kurt John and Alex Ostepiuk from 1995. When we take interpretive zodiac tours through Clayoquot Sound we cruise by Whaler’s Island, Bartlett Island and sometimes are lucky enough to walk the Wildside Trail. We acknowledge as a company and to our guests that the Ahousaht have entered into an agreement with CWL allowing the operation of some of its experiences in Ahousaht Territory that is unceded ʕaḥuusʔatḥ haḥuułii. We very much appreciate the ability to share this territory with our guests as it is very special. CWL is extremely committed to remaining respectful stewards of the land that we love to live and work on.

We at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge invite you to come work with us, come visit us, to explore your haḥuułii, and to share your knowledge and experiences with CWL employees and guests.

2022 Donor Acknowledgement

Stewardship

TNC & Nike Site Visit with Cascadia Seaweed

In what has the potential to be an incredibly exciting new venture, Nike, invested in exploring new ways of radically reducing their carbon footprint, have been working with the Nature Conservancy to undertake a feasibility study regarding the capacity of seaweed as a biomaterial to be used in the creation of textiles and fibers. On October 25th, the two companies, hosted by MHSS, were welcomed into the ʕaḥuusʔatḥ haḥuułii to to visit a Sugar Kelp (Saccharina Latissima) farm belonging to Cascadia Seaweed (the company with which Nike would partner with), who gave an informative presentation detailing their own research, protocol agreements, and vision for the future.

Colin Bates, Senior Research Assistant at Cascadia, spoke about the company’s internal research efforts into the benefits of seaweed farming, which they hope to substantiate given that not much solid evidence has accrued thus far. Using a mix of traditional and cutting-edge sampling techniques, the Research team has undertaken an extensive evaluation of the effect of their farms on their surrounding environment. To sample fish biodiversity, they employ divers (writing down and counting the fish they see), ROVs (“electronic divers” or “underwater drones”) and homemade underwater cameras, programmed to turn on for five minutes every hour. After the data focusing on fish has been acquired, they will then move on to environmental data, using multi-parameter oceanographic data loggers to measure temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, torridity, chlorophyll and pressure.

“One of the things that inspired us to do this project was the first farm we put in in Clayoquot Sound,” says William T. Collins, Chairman of Cascadia. “The loggers and the coastal boat operators would go up and down every day past the farm and anecdotally they told us that in the three years the farm was there they saw a flourish of mammals and birds and fish all around the farm that they had never seen. That anecdotal information said, “okay, maybe there is something to this seaweed farm as an attraction for a broader ecosystem.” So in our ecosystem services division now, we’re looking at ways to talk about seaweed farms as an economic driver within a larger seascape, because we believe there’s a lot of folks interested in supporting natural capital - we’re seeing it at some of the big corporate levels. Natural Capital is finally paying for the fact that we’ve been utilizing, for example, ocean systems as a transportation route without really too much concern for the ocean itself. Our goal with ecosystem services is to see if we can’t leverage that economic driver at the center of a much broader ecosystem.”

Regarding protocol, Cascadia demonstrated a strong understanding of and respect for the protocols of the nations they work with, emphasizing that the first thing they ensure is that the nations get compensated and that their workforces are extended opportunities. They also provide biostock - meaning that a portion of the farm is made available to the host nation to use to make medicines or for educational use. Conservation is another priority - ensuring that (for example, by planting more kelp intended not to be harvested) they actively improve the health of the waters. Lastly, any data collected in a nation’s territory becomes shared ownership with said nation.

“It’s driven by a climate emergency imperative,” remarks Collins. “I’m scared for

MHSS | 2022

the planet more than anything. If we stop investing in these kinds of things, we may lose a decade, and we don’t have a decade to lose. And attacking the climate emergency is not one path - we’ve got to do it in many different ways.” Cascadia has certainly taken a number of approaches - from the aforementioned kelp planting to replacing toxic chemicals with sodium alginate (extracted from kelp). For Nike, represented on the site visit by James Zormeir, Haily Toelle and Noah Murphy Reinhertz1, a partnership with Cascadia looks promising. If all goes well, within a few years time we could be wearing shoes made out of seaweed.

In support of the important work being done at Cascadia, MHSS has made a contribution of $30,000 to go towards infrastructure upgrades.

River Counts

2022 river counts are in, and the results are as follows:

Chinook

Location Number of Surveys Week of Last Survey PL + D Count Avg. Raw Peak (8 yr) Avg. Esc Est (12 yr)

Bedwell River 3 October 9-15 44 360 440

Megin River 2 October 2-8 78 20 40

Moyeha River 3 October 9-15 118 60 80

Cypre River 4 October 1622 4 580 1,010

Warn Bay Creek 1 October 1622 0 10 20

Coho

Location Number of Surveys Week of Last Survey PL + D Count

Avg. Raw Peak (8 yr) Avg. Esc Est (12 yr)

Bedwell River 3 October 9-15 418 900 1,370

Megin River 2 October 2-8 1,179 600 1,100

Moyeha River 3 October 9-15 479 1,100 1,780

Cypre River 4 October 1622 76 720 1,120

Warn Bay Creek 1 October 1622 0 40 50

1 known for his work on Nike’s Space Hippie collection (which used materials with the highest recycled content and lowest carbon emissions the company had accomplished to date).

Location Number of Surveys Week of Last Survey PL + D Count Avg. Raw Peak (8 yr) Avg. Esc Est (12 yr)

Bedwell River 3 October 9-15 103 1,690 3,170

Megin River 2 October 2-8 106 270 910

Moyeha River 3 October 9-15 1,435 1,310 5,680

Cypre River 4 October 1622 47 880 1,680

Warn Bay Creek 1 October 1622 5 910 1,390

Pink Sockeye

Location Number of Surveys Week of Last Survey PL + D Count Avg. Raw Peak (8 yr) Avg. Esc Est (12 yr)

Bedwell River 3 October 9-15 12 10 40

Megin River 2 October 2-8 0 0 30

Moyeha River 3 October 9-15 4 0 10

Cypre River 4 October 1622 1 0 10

Location Number of Surveys Week of Last Survey PL + D Count

Avg. Raw Peak (8 yr) Avg. Esc Est (12 yr)

Bedwell River 3 October 9-15 139 20 430

Megin River 2 October 2-8 0 820 1,050

Moyeha River 3 October 9-15 134 180 280

Cypre River 4 October 1622 0 30 40

As these numbers clearly indicate, the number of fish returning to our rivers is critically low. We would like to stress the importance of letting these fish return up the rivers to spawn, as catching them will further devastate the already struggling returns. As a preventative measure, cameras have been installed at the Megin River to to discourage and identify poachers.

The river counts listed here were conducted by Tofino Fish Enhancement, headed by Doug Palfrey, who has been doing this work for over thirty years. Counts are done on-location, in the water, by Palfrey and his team, and are thus highly accurate.

MHSS fully supports the work of Tofino Fish Enhancement and are pleased to report that our latest donations to the company covered the rearing and release of 70,000 Coho into Cypre River this year, and the brood capture of adults in Cypre. It also funded a trip to Ahousaht to look into the newly developed Hatchery In a Can, and a day of netting Chum. In December, funds will be used to go towards netting Cypre Coho adults.

Warn Bay - Coastal Restoration Society

In the fall of 2021, Coastal Restoration Society organized a cleanup of Warn Bay that focused on recyclable and non-recyclable materials (including hazardous materials such as oil and fuels). The project took the crews over two weeks to complete and equated to hundreds of kg in several full landing craft vessel loads full of collected debris. Fast forward one year, and Coastal Restoration Society’s European Green Crab Program is now using the Warn Bay area as the control site for the monitoring of eelgrass. We would like to acknowledge and thank CRS for their important work and continued dedication to ensuring that the Ahousaht Hahoulthee and surrounding areas are kept clean and healthy.

New Staff

John ḥaaʔaksuqƛ qʷayac̓iik

Troy

My name is Troy John, ḥaaʔaksuqƛ qʷayac̓iik (inner strength of a wolf), and I am a lead Guardian for the Hereditary Chiefs, who oversee MHSS for the Ahousaht people.

I was hired as a guardian when I returned from my healing journey. My work involves taking care of and watching over the land, ocean, and rivers, and to have connection to the wildlife that surrounds us. I also get to work on the trials (Lone Cone, Maquinna Park and Wildside) within the ʕaḥuusʔatḥ haḥuułii; I am fortunate enough to maintain these trials that encompass a significant amount old growth forest and culturally modified trees (CMTs).

My roots are strong on the Nuu-chah-nulth coast - my Grandmother is Cecelia john (Kyuquot/Cheklesaht), my grandfather is Anthony John (Ehattesaht/Chinehkint) , Grandfather Paul Smith Nuchatlaht. Grandmother Julia Smith Mowachaht/Muchalaht, Grandmother Agnes John Dorthy Mack Ahousaht, kelsmit. I value the work that I do and to share knowledge with my fellow people.

Vanessa Denham Assistant

Hi Everybody! My name is Vanessa Denham; I come from the Skeetchestn Nation (just outside of Kamloops) on my father’s side of the family, and am of Greek descent on my mother’s side. I was born and raised on the traditional territories of the Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w, səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxw and šx-wməθkwəy̓əmaɁɬ təməxw people. I just recently received an undergraduate education at Emily Carr University of Art in Design, where I studied a broad range of subjects and graduated with a BFA in Photography.

I joined MHSS for the winter to assist with paperwork and to help out around the office. I am honored to have the opportunity to work for the Ahousaht Nation and Hereditary chiefs, and am excited to be a part of all of the amazing things that are going on here at MHSS!

Job Posting