Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc

Le7es ke7 sw7ec ne Tsítslem te Petpénye (Happy New Year to you). On behalf of Council, we just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We are looking forward to a more peaceful 2022.

The COVID pandemic is still of great concern with the Omicron variant being very transmissible and easily spread. The safety of membership and staff is Council’s utmost priority.

We are encouraging all to continue to be vigilant in protecting themselves and their loved ones from the COVID virus. We encourage all to get your booster and vaccines if you have not already done so. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against the worst outcome if you come down with COVID.

For the time being, TteS Council and staff will be working from home, whenever possible. Offices are closed to the public, unless you have a scheduled appointment. TteS will continue to provide programs and services and COVID supports.

TteS does have an organizational plan to protect our essential services staff.

We appreciate everyone’s continued patience and understanding during this ongoing challenging situation. Please stay home as much as possible to reduce your change of getting or spreading the virus. If you have any signs of illness, please stay home.

Yecwests’utce – Look after yourselves.

Chief Rosanne Casimir
On behalf of Council

~ from the Office of the Chief

On behalf of Council, I wanted to provide you an update on the Day Scholars Settlement.

The individual claims process in the Gottfriedson Indian Residential Schools Day Scholars Class Action settlement is now open. The deadline to submit a claim is October 4, 2023.  Claim forms can be completed and submitted online at:  http://www.dayscholarsclaims.com.

Paper versions of the claim forms can be requested from the Claims Administrator at 1-877-877-5786 or dayscholarsclaims@deloitte.ca. The claim forms require basic information only and do not require claimants to provide information about their experiences at Indian Residential Schools. For assistance with filling out a Claim Form, contact the Claims Administrator at 1-877-877-5786.

If you need help determining if you are eligible for compensation, or have any other questions regarding the class action and settlement, please contact Class Counsel at dayscholars@waddellphillips.ca or call 1-888-222-6845.

Diena Jules, Day Scholar and Survivor Class Representative Plaintiff, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc: “Today is an historic day. After having been left behind for so many years, the experiences of students who attended Residential Schools as Day Scholars are finally being recognized, and Day Scholars can finally apply for compensation. I encourage all of my fellow Day Scholars to apply as soon as possible.”

Each Day Scholar who attended an Indian Residential School during the day only (but did not sleep there overnight) is eligible to apply for a $10,000 Day Scholar Compensation Payment. For a full list of Indian Residential Schools that had or might have had Day Scholars and are included in the settlement see: http://www.justicefordayscholars.com/schools-lists/

In cases where the Day Scholar died on or after May 30, 2005, the deceased Day Scholar’s estate may apply for the Day Scholar Compensation Payment. Claims may be made by the estate Executor/Administrator/Trustee/Liquidator, or if none is appointed, the deceased Day Scholar’s highest priority heir.

There is also $50-million Day Scholars Revitalization Fund which will be used to support healing, wellness, education, language, culture, heritage and commemoration.   That is not a direct payment to survivors but will be based on an application process.

I am proud that Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, together with shíshálh Nation and the Grand Council of the Crees has championed the cause of Day Scholars over their ten-year battle for recognition. It was wrong that Day Scholars were excluded from the common experience payment of Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement, and we are pleased Day Scholars’ are now able to apply for compensation.

On behalf of Council, I wanted to take this time to say Kukwstép-kucw to all the former Chiefs, Leaders, Plaintiff’s and technical staff that have worked so hard to get us to this resolution.

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress because of their residential school experience.

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Related Links:

• Media Release: Waddell Phillips, Class Counsel in the Indian Residential Schools Day Scholars class action
• Media Release: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Le7es ke7 sw7ec ne Tsítslem te Petpénye (Happy New Year to you),

In response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we are recommending all TteS Community members remain vigilant in protecting themselves and their loved ones from the COVID-19 virus. QHS and Interior Health continues to recommend everyone who is eligible to receive their first, second, and/or third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to make those appointments as soon as they can. The vaccine remains the best protection against having the worst outcome when someone comes down with COVID-19.

• interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/disease-outbreaks/covid-19/immunization-clinics
• interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/disease-outbreaks/covid-19

Starting on Tuesday, January 4th, TteS services will be provided as usual, however Kúkpi7 and Tkwenkwenem7íple7 (Chief and Council) as well as a majority of TteS staff will be performing their roles remotely, when possible. It is our hope these proactive measures will lessen the chance of creating a ‘super-spreader’ event within the TteS offices. We are recommending and requesting TteS Community members avoid coming to the office in person until further notice, however in-person appointments may be considered on a case-by-case basis. We will provide a further update as we continue to monitor and react to this evolving situation under the current Provincial health and safety recommendations and regulations.

We greatly appreciate TteS Community members’ continued patience and understanding during this challenging situation we find ourselves navigating as we begin 2022.

Stay well, stay safe, and please take care of each other.

Kukwstsétsemc.

From the Office of the Chief –

I wanted to provide an update on the Vatican trip that was scheduled for December 2021 to meet with The Holy See, Pope Francis. The Vatican meeting has been postponed. A new date will be confirmed and further notice to follow January 2022.

I wanted to ensure that membership was aware of this change in plans. The decision was made due to the health and safety concerns for the entire 13-member delegation from Canada that was scheduled to meet the Pope.

This delay in the meeting will allow me to do additional reach out to TteS survivors as well as survivors from other Nations that also attended KIRS. I want to ensure that survivors have the opportunity to be part of the dialogue to inform me about the messages that I will bring forward.

Membership will be kept informed of the updated plans and I look forward to continued dialogue with membership.

Sincerely,
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir
On behalf of Council

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From the Office of the Chief –

December 6^th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. This day is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it.

On behalf of Council, I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we all have a role and responsibility to assist in ending violence. We want to build a community and a Nation that values all people and where all people can be safe and secure in their homes and communities. We need to end the gendered and racialized violent crimes against aboriginal women.

We all must uphold and declare that there should be no tolerance for any form of bullying, racism, or harassment or violence. This is particularly true as gender-based violence in Canada has been magnified and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We need to stand in unity to work together to end the violence and create a healthier safer future for our friends, family and loved ones. We need to STOP THE VIOLENCE!

If you need additional resources, please contact:

Ending Violence BC

Kamloops Community YMCA – Women’s Emergency Shelter (shelter@kamloopsy.ca, 250-374-6162 or text 250-682-7931)

CMHA -Emerald Hostel Emergency Shelter – Temporary Shelter – For men and their children 250-372-3031

CMHA-Emerald Hostel Emergency Shelter – Temporary Shelter – For Women and their children 250-828-1122

Mustard seed New Life Community – temporary shelter 250-434-9898

Elizabeth Fry Society 250-374-2119

BCAAFC – Ending Violence

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Please be advised that K-12 school cheques have been printed and mailed. Due to road closures and recent natural disasters, Canadian postal mail is delayed.

Please be patient in receiving your cheque in the mail. The Education and Finance Departments have done everything we can to get cheques in the mail as fast as possible. However, we have no control of when they will be delivered.

As we don’t have estimates on delivery dates, you could follow up with the postal office for delivery times. In the meantime, please check your mailboxes regularly.

Thanks in advance for your patience,
The Education Department

Download digital copies of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc candidates brochures.

Kúkpi7

• Rosanne Casimir
• Chad Gottfriedson
• Jeanette Jules

Tkwenem7íple7

• Marie Baptiste
• Thomas Blank
• Evelyn Camille
• Nikki Fraser
• Freda Jules
• Sonny Leonard
• Dave Manuel
• Morning-Star Peters
• Denny Thomas
• Viola Thomas

Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc invites Pope Francis to bear witness to Le Estcwéý and meet Kamloops Indian Residential School Survivors

October 28, 2021, Tk̓emlúps – Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Chief and Council state the following regarding the announcement from the Holy See’s Press Office indicating that Pope Francis plans to come to Canada in the context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples:

“It would be deeply meaningful to welcome the Holy See, Pope Francis, to Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, as our heart wrenching news was the first of the wave of confirmations of unmarked graves with thousands more lives lost coming to light. It’d be a historic moment for Kamloops Residential Indian School Survivors and for our community who continues to navigate the impacts following the horrific confirmation of the missing children,” declared Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir.

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October 7, 2021, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc – This statement is in follow up Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc leadership and grassroots family representatives discussions regarding the public apology made by the Prime Minister of Canada on October 6, 2021, as well as the call between Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that took place on October 2, 2021.

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From the Office of the Chief –

On behalf of Council, I just wanted to take the time to say Kukwstép-kucw to all those that honoured the first official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Here at Tk̓emlúps, our membership and ḱwséltkten came together to support each other as we remember our collective experiences at residential school and to honour the missing children.  We also celebrated the beauty of the Secwépemc people, language, lands, and culture.  There was such great power and unity in having our community, Nation and country drumming the honour song for all the children of residential schools across Canada.  We drummed together for the healing of ourselves and Mother Earth so that our future generations will never have to suffer the painful injustices of genocide.

We were honoured to have National Chief Roseanne Archibald, BC Regional Chief Terry Teegee, Kukpi7 Wayne Christian, Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Minister Murray Rankin, Minister Mike Farnworth, and Mayor Ken Christian join us to recognize the day and honour our survivors, intergenerational survivors, and the “Le Estcwéý,” the missing.  Your presence and words were truly appreciated. We also want to acknowledge the many other dignitaries that also joined us at our arbor.

Thank you, George Casimir, Josh Gottfriedson for hosting, Kyle Kreutzer, Julie John and FNHA for helping to organize the event and for all those who were there to support our people.

Let us all be the hope and change in making a difference to ensure that every child matters. Reconciliation can only happen when we work together and take time understand each other.  We extend our deep appreciation to all for standing in solidarity with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc.   It is our time to stand up and celebrate our pride as indigenous people of the land.   Kukwstép-kucw (on behalf of all of us, we thank you all) for the outpouring of love, prayers for our community and the missing children in our care. Thank you for being with us on a historical day – the very first National Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation Day.

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir

On behalf of Council