Our Mission to B.C. – Day 2
OSOYOOS, B.C. — The Osoyoos Indian Band’s land base consists of over 32,000 acres of British Columbia’s most beautiful land with potential for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and Eco-tourism development.
Grand Council Chief John Beaucage spend the night in the Osoyoos Indian Band’s Spirit Ridge Resort last night, and took in a tour of the Nk’Mip Winery, Nk’Mip Desert Golf Course, and the Nk’Mip Cultural Centre and a number of other band owned businesses. These are all owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Above: Grand Council Chief looking over the Okanagan Valley during his visit to Osoyoos Indian Band. Below: Grand Council Chief Beaucage and Osoyoos Chief Clarence Louie.
VICTORIA, B.C. — Myself, Allan Dokis and Jamie Restoule took a day trip to the capital of British Columbia, the beautiful city of Victoria. The hour-and-a-half ferry trip on the Spirit of British Columbia was a great time to enjoy the scenery, the Pacific Ocean and reflect on our upcoming meeting with the BC Government. Today, we met with Associate Deputy Minister Mike Furey and Director of Social and Economic Initiatives John Harper. We discussed, at length, the new relationships between First Nations and the provincial government, the $100 million First Nations New Relationships Trust, self-government, treaties and economics. We came away with a great number of goals for a new relationship with our own provincial government. At the end of the day, it is political will that is driving the “new relationship” and reconciliation between BC and BC First Nations. That political will has to come from the top, in this case, Premier Gordon Campbell. Also, the entire government has to play a role, not just the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.
Sasquatch. Photos By Greg Plain
