This Council has been very busy this year. We meet every two weeks, one Friday and then one Thursday evening. Kukwpi7 and the CAO are both very busy, and they report to Council to provide updates and to get approvals for the required work.
Recently, the whole Council (except for one member) attended the First Nations leadership meetings in Vancouver. We had six scheduled meetings with different ministers. These meetings are held to follow up on ongoing projects and to advocate for funding. We have been fortunate to maintain strong relationships with the government.
There is currently a beehive of activity within the community housing program. They are working hard to complete all of the roofs before the snow arrives.
Christmas dinner will be at 2 p.m. on December 7th.
I sit on the following boards: SCPP, Finance, and the Community Forest. I am in my final year of CFL and received an extension to mentor new board member Lori Billyboy. I have attended four tours with the Community Forest: one to see the area, which is 22,000 hectares including Big Lake and Flat Rock; a second to identify a medicine-picking area, which Virginia Gilbert attended; a third tour with the Cultural Team for medicine picking; and a fourth with the Community Forest board members and the Community Granting Board. They said the tours were very enlightening.
Recently, I have been involved with the emergency crisis and trauma work. Ariel Billyboy and I have been doing interviews with families within the community. Once we have completed our part, it will be brought to the community for further input and review. It will then be compiled and presented to the community to finalize a response plan.
There will be membership voting on December 5th from 5–8 p.m. This is very important for voting members to pay attention to. The applicants will be giving presentations to the audience. The Membership Code was developed to protect the community. Currently, ISC has been issuing 719 numbers, and many times these individuals should have been placed on another list, not WLFN’s. When they are issued a 719 number, they are not Band Members; they are deemed affiliates until they are voted into our community by the registered members. This has been a longstanding issue with ISC. We have repeatedly told them not to issue 719 numbers until individuals are registered members, but they continue to do so. We have recommended that they use a different number—such as 1000—while individuals are affiliates, and then issue a 719 number only if they are voted into the community. I strongly believe we have a solid legal case against the government if the Band ever followed up. They are putting our community at risk by continuing to issue the 719 numbers.
The Christmas season is upon us, and I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. An emergency contact list will also be sent out for the holidays.
Kukwstéc-kuc, Councillor Ann Louie
WLFN MEMBERSHIP VOTE
DINNER INCLUDED
Friday, Dec. 5, 5-9 PM at the Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium
WLFN Electors (Registered WLFN Members over the age of 18) will have the opportunity to vote on Category 2 applicants for WLFN Membership. Dinner included.
Doors open at 5 PM, with voting from 7-9 PM.
For more information, including the list of 2025 Category 2 applicants, visit: wlfn.ca/event/2025-membership-vote/ or scan here →
WHO’S READY?
The most recent round of infrastructure upgrades at WLFN’s Chief William Pow Wow Arbor are complete, and ready for another phenomenal year of pow wow.
We are excited to report that the most recent round of upgrades at the Chief William Pow Wow Arbor are complete, and the grounds are ready for another exciting year.
This most recent round of upgrades include:
• A completely new grass dance surface with upgraded drainage and irrigation, to ensure a consistent surface for years to come.
• A fully paved perimeter, extending all the way to the outer edge of the arbor, with a level transition to the grass surface for enhanced accessibility for all.
• Etchings of Secwépemc pictographs at each entrance of the arbor.
• Refinishing and refreshing of the entire wood structure.
Kukwstép-kucw; WLFN extends a warm thank-you to all our partners who made these upgrades possible: TRUE Consulting, Lake Excavating, Bench Site Design, and of course our own Manager of Facilities, Robert Gudbranson. ■
Christmas Bonus & Community Trust Payment Submissions Now Open
Merry Christmas! Registered WLFN Members (voted-on members) are now invited to submit their forms for their 2025 Christmas Bonus, and annual Community Trust distribution payments. The deadline to submit this form and direct deposit information is December 5, 2025. For more information and to submit for your payment, visit:
At the Quigli Office: Mon, Wed & Fri p. 250-296-3507 ext. 135
e. shawna.robbins@wlfn.ca
Bobby-Jo Kowalski
Employment Coordinator
At the Quigli Office: Tues, Wed & Thurs p. 250-296-3507 ext. 190
e. bobby-jo.kowalski@wlfn.ca
Employment & Training Support for WLFN Members
Williams Lake First Nation’s Employment & Training Department is here to help WLFN members and Indigenous community members build skills, explore training, and move toward meaningful employment. Our team offers hands-on, personal support tailored to your goals, whether you’re preparing to enter the workforce, changing careers, or looking to upgrade your qualifications.
Shawna and Bobby-Jo can help with resumes and cover letters, job searches, interview prep, applications, transportation to local interviews, referrals, and access to job opportunities. They are here to advocate for you throughout your training and career journey.
WLFN’s Trades & Career Development Program offers funding for registered WLFN Members; up to $5,000 per year for trades and short-term training (under 4 months), covering tuition, books, supplies, living allowance, and travel. Members can also access up to $500 every three years for work gear or safety equipment. Additional CCATEC funding is available for all Indigenous clients who are unemployed, underemployed, or at risk of job loss, supporting training, job readiness, and employment services.
The team supports both group and individual training, including First Aid, WHMIS, Traffic Control, industry certifications, trades foundations, short-term programs, driving lessons, and more. Tell us what training you’re interested in—we’ll help you explore your options and potential funding sources.
For more information, visit: www.wlfn.ca/employment-training/
Celebrating One Year at the Osprey Nest
On November 12, 2025, The Osprey Nest Social House and Eatery marked its first year of operation.
The team celebrated with a beautiful spread of charcuterie, delicious cocktails, and some teasers from their new menu. Behind the scenes, the Osprey’s first year has had all the excitement of a season of the Bear. What keeps the team going is a never-ending commitment to impeccable fine-dining and a warm, Indigenous-forward atmosphere.
Trisha Johnny (left) has been leading the charge as General Manager, with Taryn Dick (right) as
Kitchen Leader. The staff are delighted to have Ryan Bissell and Heidi Murphy from the Coastal Chef Collective in residence, bringing 50 years of combined experience and a multi-unit restaurant portfolio. This pair has been collaborating with the Osprey team to strengthen the menu, enhance the atmosphere, and elevate the restaurant’s craft of great hospitality.
Drop in to try an offering from the brand new menu. For hours and more information, visit:
www.theospreynest.ca
Horsefly Tcets ̓ (Elk) Camera Trap Monitoring Project
Over the late summer and fall, Williams Lake First Nation’s Natural Resources Department, in partnership with the Province of BC, launched a Tcets (Elk) Camera Trap Monitoring Project in the greater Horsefly area. Tcets have long been an important part of Secwépemc culture, stories, and sustenance. In recent years, more Tcets have been returning to parts of WLFN’s Traditional Territory, but there is still very limited data about their numbers, seasonal movements, and how they interact with other wildlife and ranching areas.
This project started following the WLFN Tcets (Elk) Harvesting Directive, issued in September 2025 in response to reports of Tcets being harvested in the Horsefly area. That Directive clearly states that WLFN does not authorize or condone the
hunting of Tcets at this time by either non-Members or Members. Tcets populations within WLFN’s Traditional Territory remain critically diminished, and any further harvesting threatens their recovery and long-term sustainability. The Directive also states that until the population recovers to a level that can support sustainable harvesting, WLFN will continue to oppose any provincially regulated Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) or general open season for Tcets within WLFN’s Traditional Territory.
To help fill knowledge gaps of Tcets populations in the territory, and to support the goals of the Directive, WLFN and provincial biologists are working together on the first phase of a larger, multi-year research program on Tcets. This first phase involves placing 60 wildlife cameras in key habitat areas to help us learn:
• Where Tcets are spending time throughout the year
• How many Tcets are in the Horsefly region
• Which habitats and migration corridors are most important
• How Tcets interact with moose, deer, and other species such as cattle.
WLFN’s Wildlife Stewardship Coordinator
Madison Novakowski and the rest of the team have been leading by organizing, deploying and checking cameras. “We caught a photo of a Tcets the very first time we checked the cameras!” Madison recounts. “It was a meaningful moment, and a strong sign that this work is both timely and worthwhile.” So far, the cameras have also observed moose, deer and a “stubborn squirrel.”
This project is about far more than just capturing wildlife photos. It represents WLFN’s commitment to protecting future harvesting opportunities of culturally important species for Members, and ensuring that decisions about wildlife in our Territory are guided by Indigenous knowledge, science and leadership. By deepening our understanding of Tcets populations, habitat and movements, the Camera Trap Project supports the goals of the Tcets (Elk) Harvesting Directive and strengthens the role of First Nations led science. The knowledge gathered will help WLFN make informed decisions about conservation and recovery, while laying the groundwork for future co-management of Tcets with the Province. Through this work, we are taking meaningful steps toward a future where healthy elk herds once again sustain our people, culture, and way of life.
WLFN Wildlife Stewarship
Coordinator Madison Novakowski with BC Provincial Biologist Cullen Sikkes
Reconciliation Night: The Williams Lake Mustangs defeated Kamloops Storm 7-6 in overtime, making for an exhilerating game, while some of WLFN’s best and brightest pow wow dancers took centre ice at the intermission. Photos by Lasha McIntyre.
page: (1)
This
Bobbi Gilbert and Ariel Billyboy, (2) Sterling Alphonse, (3) Cash Sellars, and (4) Cyrah John.
Next page: (1) Cyrah John, Michaellaine Evans, Kukwpi7 Willie Sellars, Sterling Alphonse, William Lulua, Reggie Sandy and Danikka Murphy, (2) Robert Howse, and (3) Willow Louie.
Perspectives At Odds
How Colonial Frameworks Misread Secwépemc Mobility and Survival
From a Western or European perspective, an Indigenous village that is no longer continuously occupied is often treated as “abandoned,” and the people who once lived there are assumed to have disappeared. This framing not only erases the ongoing presence of Indigenous nations but also misunderstands how mobility, seasonal use, and land stewardship function within Indigenous systems of governance and belonging.
James Teit’s account of the Canyon Division Secwépemc reveals how misleading that colonial lens can be. He notes that even after survivors relocated from their village sites west of the Fraser River—and even as newcomers imposed laws that restricted Secwépemc responses to encroachment—the people did not relinquish their territory. While the Tŝilhqot’in began settling on lands along Riske Creek and expanded their hunting into Secwépemc areas, the Secwépemc continued to claim, use, and protect their traditional hunting grounds, maintaining their presence despite immense pressure.
Rather than an “extinct” group tied to a single static village, the Secwépemc remained active on the land, navigating new constraints and defending their territory in the face of outside intrusion. Teit’s description underscores a broader truth: Indigenous presence does not end when a permanent dwelling site is vacated. The land continues to hold relationships, rights, and responsibilities that are carried forward by the people, regardless of where they reside.
A similar pattern appears in R. v. Billy and Johnny (2006), where Judge Gordon recounts the Tŝilhqot’in movement eastward toward the Fraser and East Chilcotin Rivers. Drawing on historical sources, he describes how gold rush settlement, smallpox outbreaks, and colonial policies created the conditions for this shift. As he explains, the devastation of Secwépemc communities west of the Fraser River, combined with the forced relocation of sur-
vivors, left the region “practically unoccupied except as a Shuswap hunting ground,” which in turn opened the door for Tŝilhqot’in settlement. Colonial authorities, eager to concentrate Indigenous groups near centres of “civilization” where they could be more easily monitored and controlled, further encouraged this eastward movement.
Judge Gordon acknowledges that established Secwépemc villages existed west of the Fraser. Yet, despite this recognition, he ultimately characterizes the relocation of survivors as the effective abandonment or extinction of those communities. On that basis, he concludes that the Canyon Shuswap’s established right to trade fish was extinguished with the loss of an “intact functioning community.”
Framing the community in this way allows the court to treat the Secwépemc presence as something that ended with depopulation, rather than as an ongoing relationship to land and cultural practice maintained by descendants. As a result, even Caroline Billy’s claim, rooted in her lineage and in practices carried forward through generations, is dismissed. The judgment reflects the same colonial assumption that once a specific village site is vacated, the people’s rights and identity tied to that place disappear as well.
The Secwépemc understanding of village continuity differs sharply from the Western notion that a community becomes “extinct” once its physical site is no longer occupied. For the Secwépemc, a village does not cease to exist simply because its people were forced to relocate after an epidemic or other disaster. The life of the community continues through its people, its stories, and its enduring relationship to the land.
When survivors join relatives in neighbouring Secwépemc villages, they bring with them their original community’s names, songs, place-based responsibilities, and histories. These cultural and kinship ties preserve the identity of the village long after its buildings or winter homes stand empty. In this way, the relocated families carry the village forward, ensuring that its lineage remains woven into the broader Secwépemc world.
The village sites themselves also remain spiritually alive. In Secwépemc worldview, places—whether
they are former settlements, fishing areas, or burial grounds—hold their own spirits, histories, and teachings. Even when uninhabited, these sites continue to be visited, cared for, and honoured. Their presence is felt most strongly in ancestral village sites such as Flatrock and what is now the City of Williams Lake, where the spirit of the community remains rooted in the land.
Historical crises often required communities to consolidate for survival, leading several formerly distinct villages to gather together in a single new location. This process represents transformation, not disappearance. The identity of the earlier villages is carried into the new one, preserved in oral histories, family lines, and cultural practice. Archival and oral accounts make this clear: while epidemics devastated populations and sometimes destroyed winter homes, the people’s names, songs, ancestral duties, and kinship relations endured. Elders and healers were often among the first to be lost, but survivors regrouped around relatives and food sources, maintaining the social fabric of the original communities.
From a Secwépemc perspective, then, it is far more accurate to speak of transformation, merging, or continuity rather than extinction. A village lives on through its descendants, its stories, and its enduring place in the Secwépemc memory of the land.
Riske Creek (Peq) Village : Canyon Division
This Secwépemc village of the Canyon Division was located around Riske Creek, west of the Fraser River. Historical sources report that the community was “practically exterminated by small-pox in 1862,” with the few survivors relocating to live among the Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake) people. After the epidemic, Peq was no longer occupied as an independent settlement, but its survivors continued within the cultural and oral framework of the Secwépemc by merging into the neighbouring community.
Peq and other Canyon Secwépemc villages were devastated by the 1862 smallpox epidemic. Yet rather than disappearing, the remaining members integrated into another Secwépemc community,
allowing the village’s identity to transform and continue in new forms. This raises an important question: does the vacancy of a village site mean it is truly abandoned, or do the people, their lineage, and their connections to the land endure even when the physical settlement is no longer inhabited?
Pelikekiki (Missioner Creek) Village — near today’s Williams Lake
Pelikekiki (also recorded in archival documents as “Pellikekiki” or “Pelikehiki”) was an original village site of the T’exelcemc (Williams Lake First Nation) people, located at Missioner Creek near the present-day City of Williams Lake. Oral history consistently identifies Pelikekiki as a significant and longstanding Secwépemc settlement. Research indicates that many T’exelcemc members died of smallpox here in 1862, including Chief William. In the years that followed, the T’exelcemc were further displaced through illegal pre-emptions beginning in the 1860s, eventually being relocated to reserve lands at the south end of Williams Lake in 1881.
Although the original village site became unpopulated, the survivors did not disappear; they continued as part of the living continuity of the T’exelcemc at a new location. The land may have been taken and the village site left uninhabited, but the people, their identity, and their responsibilities persisted. This raises an important question: if circumstances were to change, could the descendants of these communities return and reclaim their ancestral villages?
While epidemics and the taking of lands caused certain village sites to cease functioning as they once had, the Secwépemc people and their community identities endured—often through relocation or by joining neighbouring Secwépemc bands. From a Secwépemc perspective, it is far more accurate to speak of transformation or merging than of the “extinction” of a village. The identity of these places continues in their names, songs, responsibilities, land-connections, and in the collective Secwépemc understanding of ancestral village sites.
EVENTS
Here’s what’s happening around WLFN. For a complete and up-to-date listing, visit wlfn.ca/events
November 29 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
WLFN Elders Christmas Bazaar
Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium, 2674 Indian Drive, Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Everybody welcome! Join us for WLFN’s Elders Christmas Bazaar! Over 30 vendors with artisan goods, clothes, artwork, food, and more. Plus: Hourly door prizes | Loonie Auction | Concession | 50/50
December 1 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Gnocchi Making for WLFN Members
WLFN Elders Building, 2682 Shuswap Drive, Williams Lake, BC, Canada
WLFN Members, Melissa from Klassy Kitchen will be facilitating an evening of making gnocchi! Learn how to make gnocchi from scratch. Each participant will make enough for dinner and a few leftovers to take home. Dinner included. Seating is limited! Open to WLFN Members only. To sign up, or for more information, contact: kyleen.toyne@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext 186
December 2 @ 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Jam Making Day for WLFN Members
Culture and Language Building, 189 Groundhog Drive 189 Groundhog Dr, Williams Lake, BC
WLFN Members, the Culture & Language Department welcomes WLFN Community Members to join us in preparing for the Winter Solstice! Come lend a hand, learn, and enjoy time together. Lunch, snacks, and refreshments will be provided at all three events. Please contact Kim for more details, kim.swanson@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext. 102
December 3 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm (ongoing)
Wellbriety Series
WLFN Elders Building, 2682 Shuswap Cres, Williams Lake
Everyone, join us for a series of Wellbriety gatherings—an inclusive, supportive space focused on healing and growth through Indigenous traditions and values. Come share a meal, connect with community, and take steps on your healing journey.
December 5 @ 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Membership Vote on Category 2 Applicants
Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium 2674 Indian Drive, Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
WLFN Electors (Registered WLFN Members over the age of 18) will have the opportunity to vote on Category 2 applicants for WLFN Membership. Dinner included. Doors open at 5 PM, with voting from 7-9 PM. For more information, including the list of 2025 Category 2 applicants, visit: www.wlfn.ca/event/2025-membership-vote
December 7 @ 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
WLFN Christmas Dinner
Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium, 2674 Indian Drive, Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
WLFN Community and staff, join us for our annual Community Christmas Dinner! Doors open at 2 PM, with dinner starting at 3:30 PM. Santa will be making an appearance at 4:30 PM, taking pics and handing out gifts! Come get into the holiday spirit with your community! WLFN Staff are warmly invited to join.
December 10 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Christmas Craft Making for WLFN Members
WLFN Elders Building, 2682 Shuswap Drive, Williams Lake, BC, Canada
WLFN Members, please join us for a fun afternoon of making Christmas crafts! Snacks provided. Spots are limited! To sign up, contact Kyleen: kyleen.toyne@wlfn.ca or by phone, 150-296-3507 ect. 186.
December 11 @ 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Traditional Craft Workshop for WLFN Members
Culture and Language Building, 189 Groundhog Drive 189 Groundhog Dr, Williams Lake, BC
WLFN Members, join us to make traditional crafts! We will be making devil’s club bead necklaces, dream catchers, and ornaments. Or, bring your own craft projects. Snacks provided. To sign up, contact: 250.296.3507 ext.102 | kim.swanson@wlfn.ca
December 13 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Drop-In Swimming & Exercise for WLFN Members
Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, 525 Proctor St, Williams Lake, BC, Canada
WLFN Members, sign up for drop-in swimming or exercise at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. Bring your family for a fun afternoon of swimming, or come to the gym for a workout. Contact: kyleen.toyne@wlfn.ca | 250.296.3507 ext 186
December 14 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Drop-In Christmas Baking for WLFN Members
WLFN Elders Building, 2682 Shuswap Drive, Williams Lake, BC, Canada
WLFN Members, come join for community Christmas baking! Spend sometime helping bake goods and take a tin for you and your family to enjoy over the holidays! To sign up, contact: kyleen.toyne@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext. 186
December 15 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Istkem te Xlitemc-kucw – Winter Arrives Feast
Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium 2674 Indian Drive, Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
WLFN community, join us for a feast! Door prizes, giveaways, and a delicious catered dinner. We will also welcome all the new babies to the community with a ceremony. If you have a new baby to be welcomed, please email: kim.swanson@wlfn.ca
