Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc

Carrie Leonard is a proud business woman who will stand for First Nations Rights and Titles along with supporting First Nations Businesses. Carrie and her husband Cliff Loucks, own the award winning first nations business, Sun Ridge Contracting. They have been known to win the Chamber of Commerce First Nations Business of the Year Award, along with B.C. Aboriginal Business of the Year Award. SRC has provided trucks, heavy equipment, and expert staff in the mining, civil, earthworks and forestry sectors. SRC currently works at New Gold New Afton, multiple Trans Mountain Expansion Project sites and has some new up and coming contracts for other companies! The company is busier than ever and growing to meet the demands of many diverse clients who respect the strong leadership work. SRC is proud to be a COR certified company that strives to “Work Safe, Home Safe” which has built their reputation within the Tk’emlups te Secwepmec territory.

Carrie understands the challenges of being an Indigenous business owner, and particularly a woman in her industry. “My mother taught me to be strong and proud, to not take handouts, and to work hard” she also says “make every day count and do the best you can each and every day.” Carrie wears many hats in her company and is 100% involved in every aspect of their business. She fights to stay positive and take the high road.

Giving back is very important to both Carrie and Cliff. The company, which is 100% Indigenous owned, is proud to maintain between 60% – 75% indigenous employment. SRC is strong supporters of their community, donating and giving back to their community by ways of education bursaries, sponsoring the Kamloopa Pow Wow, Variety Club Children’s Hospital, funds, Kamloops Food Bank, and most recently supporting the health care sector by donating air purifiers and helping the home-care areas within the Q’wemtsin Health Society. These are just a few things that SRC does to give back to their community.

 

Attention: Individuals, Communities and Nations Planning Visits to Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc

On June 15, 2021 the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc shared a letter to all Nations regarding Le Estcwéy̓ (The Missing—215+ Children) including our role as caretakers, maintaining safety of community and guests, and particularly requests for ceremonies in honour of the children. We have hosted many guests to date and recognize the importance of welcoming anyone into our community who wish to pay their respects.

Current processes have required visitors to complete Event Request Forms so that we can adequately host guests.

For the month of August, however, we are taking the much needed time and space to grieve and conduct ceremony as a community. Over a duration of 15 days, the families of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc will be visiting the sacred burial site. This area has not been accessible to anyone outside of the TteS Language and Culture Department, who have been caring for the children regularly with drumming, songs and ceremony.

As we take this time, we have decided that any event or ceremony requests received will be postponed until September 2021. Those Nations who have been on their journey to Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc prior to this announcement, will be welcomed as we have been anticipating their arrival for some time.

Note: Guests are still welcome to visit our community such as the Kamloops Indian Residential School Monument or Powwow Arbour Grounds on their own.

We thank you for your understanding of this notice and look forward to hosting you again in September.

Yours truly,
Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir (Chief)
On behalf of Council

 

READ FULL RELEASE

YUCWEMINEM NE TSETSITCWS-KUCW SOCIETY
Call for Board of Directors (Voluntary Positions)

 

Application deadline: Friday, September 3, 3021 at 2:00 pm.

Are you looking for a unique leadership opportunity? Have you been yearning to put your talent in strategic thinking, financial forecasting, organization behavior, project management or policy advocacy in the service of a great cause?

Well, look no further! If you are committed to improving Housing options for Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc, we are looking for you!

Yucwemínem ne Tsetsítcws-kucw Society (also referred to as “the YneT Society”) is the new not-for-profit organization mandated to lead the development and management of non-profit housing for the Tk’emlúpsemc and raise the standard of housing for the community. The organization is mandated to build on strong cultural practices and traditions of the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc. The YneT Society is currently developing their strategic plan to identify their deliverables for housing in the next five years.

This is an exciting opportunity for skilled and dynamic individuals to contribute to and help shape the new Yucwemínem ne Tsetsítcws-kucw Society.

Term lengths for the Board of Directors is for 3 years. The structure of the Board of Directors will include a minimum of 3 Directors, or such other number as may be determined from time to time by the Board, up to a maximum of 9 Directors. A majority of the Directors will be TteS Members.

 

ROLE PURPOSE:

The members of the YneT Society will be the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Council, and the Board of Directors shall be appointed by Council.

The Board of Directors will receive overall direction from Council and will be responsible for operation of the YneT Society. The Board will be a policy board and will provide input in areas such as governing structure, finance, human resources, tenant relations, operations and maintenance, housing development, and infrastructure.

The Board will report to the Members of the Society and will provide strategic direction to the YneT Society’s CEO.

 

COMMITMENT:

Board members will be required to attend regularly scheduled meetings as well as being expected to attend the Annual General Meeting, special events, and fulfilling other commitments of the role. There will be a minimum of one annual general meeting per year with the option for additional extraordinary general meetings as the need arises, and Directors will be required to read all documents and materials provided in advance and participate fully in the meetings.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

Preference will be given to candidates who possess a professional qualification or experience in at least one of the following areas:

• Indigenous governance and administration
• Housing development
• Construction
• Non-profit management
• Accounting, banking, or financial management
• Project management
• Social Work
• Government relations

In selecting the Board of Directors, the Council will utilize a matrix selection process to ensure a broad range and diversity of skills, knowledge, experience, and expertise.

Directors may not be remunerated in any capacity as a Director or Officer, however, Directors may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred while acting on behalf of the Society.

 

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit the following for consideration for the position:

• Resume with relevant experience & qualifications
• Cover letter
•  Three references

 

Please submit your application to Kyle Kreutzer, Executive Director Member Services at kyle.kreutzer@kib.ca. Be sure to include the phrase “Board of Directors Application” in the subject line of your email.

Deadline for applications is Friday, September 3, 3021 at 2:00 pm.

If you have questions, please call 250-819-1561 and ask to speak with Kyle Kreutzer, Executive Director Member Services or email kyle.kreutzer@kib.ca.

The Language and Cultural department have been carefully planning the Sacred 13 Grassroots Family Ceremony which will run from August 3-29 on select dates. This time is for TTeS families to visit, pay their respects and to mourn the 215+ children and to honor the survivors who held firm to the truth of the unmarked graves.

 

The Tk’emlups Education Department Summer 2021 Newsletter is out!  Highlights include program updates, student achievements, and more. We’d like to thank you for taking the time to keep up to date with our programs and services as well as celebrating the accomplishments of our hard-working students and program participants.

Click image to download the newsletter.

 

FNHA has identified TteS as a First Nations community that qualifies for the FNHA Air Purifier Support Program.
Due to limited quantities, priority and distribution of the purifiers will be based on the following FNHA eligibility:

• must be a TteS member living on-reserve
• live in a home without a ventilation system that can recirculate air
• have limited transportation / mobility and are unable to access a community clean air shelter
• have asthma
• are pregnant and/or live with babies or young children
• have heart disease or diabetes
• have respiratory symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or a positive COVID-19 test, or are a close contact of someone with a positive COVID test

Currently we are generating a list of names of TteS members who are interested in this program. Please note that eligible members will only receive one air purifier per home.

To put your name onto the waitlist, please contact:

Alysha Sigsworth, TteS Reception
(250) 828-9810
alysha.sigsworth@@kib.ca

 

July 15, 2021 – Kamloops. Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc calls on people worldwide to bear witness to a very important truth about Indigenous People and Canada. Indian Residential Schools have been referred to as a historic dark chapter – but Indigenous people very much live with the repercussions today.

“We are here today to honour the missing children in our caretaking who may have experienced unthinkable circumstances leading to their death and whose remains were placed in unmarked graves. We are not here for retaliation. We are here for truth telling. We are mapping a way forward to bring peace to Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS) missing children, their families and their communities. We will follow the evidence and the science while we pay heed to what oral tellings KIRS survivors share with us,” affirmed Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir

DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

 

INVITATION TO MEDIA TO ATTEND IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY

Date and Time: July 15, 2021, 9-11 am Pacific
Location: Virtual and In person
In person: must be pre-registered – DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM

Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre Ballroom ABC, 1250 Rogers Way, Kamloops, BC

Please note that the public event is being hosted outside of community as all suitable community venues are currently being used to meet the needs of wildfire evacuees.

To register for virtual attendance (zoom): https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsf-GtrTkqH9P-F-yfc2DCnbr56PonV3br

 

Event Roll Out:

8:45 am Pacific: Zoom start for media to join and tech check.

9:00 – 10:00 am Pacific: Public Presentation

• Public Presentation on Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS) ground penetrating radar report findings
• Technical briefing on the ground penetrating radar work undertaken.
• Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc next steps
• Statements from KIRS survivors and intergenerational survivor

NOTE: Questions will be deferred to the Media event starting at 10:15.

Speakers: Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Legal Council, GPR specialist and other experts, KIRS survivors and intergenerational survivor

10:00- 10:15: BREAK

10:15 – 11:00 am: Media Event – with speakers from public presentation: Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Legal Council, GPR Specialist and other experts.

NOTE: to be trauma informed, the KIRS survivors and intergenerational survivor will not be participating in the media event.

 For media attending in person- there is limited availability for one-on- one interviews with Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir. Please send your requests in prior.

Media is permitted to livestream the full event. An HD version of the full event will also be available immediately after the event.

Additionally the livestream will be available over the following platforms:

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/event/1130101

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TkemlupsteSecwepemc

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc website: https://tkemlups.ca/event/july15-am/

 

Contact: Racelle Kooy

Media Relations for Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Kamloops Indian Residential School Le Estcwéý (The Missing)

Email: media@kib.ca

 

 

 

Some Background Resources

 

From the Canadian Archaeological Association:

• Resources for Indigenous Communities Considering Investigating Unmarked Graves

https://canadianarchaeology.com/caa/resources-indigenous-communities-considering-investigating-unmarked-graves

 

• Remote Sensing and Grave Detection

https://canadianarchaeology.com/caa/sites/default/files/page/caa_remote_sensing_faq_v1.pdf

 

• Recommended Pathway for Locating Unmarked Graves around Residential Schools

https://canadianarchaeology.com/caa/sites/default/files/page/caa_remote_sensing_pathways_v1.pdf

 

Q’wemtsín Health Society (QHS) and Sk’elep School of Excellence have been working in partnership on a food sovereignty program and are thrilled to be able to use products from that project to help feed evacuees from local forest fires.

“The need for food sovereignty became more evident during the COVID pandemic and now again during these times of emergency,” explained Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir, “Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc Council and community are incredibly proud of the students for being able to help out in this way”.

The food security project started through the dedication of Laura Kalina, a dietitian with the Q’wemtsín Health Society, who is committed to being able to produce healthy food locally. “QHS sees land-based programs such as the food security project, as part of the overall strategy to build healthy and resilient communities”.

The idea was brought to the Sk’elep School principal Cheryl Sebastian and Lead Teacher Arlene Dixon, who were immediately committed to the goal of teaching the students about the importance of locally grown food. “Sk’elep students have really enjoyed the experience of planting, tending, and harvesting the crops. Culturally, food is the centre of our family and community relationships, so it is extra special that the harvest from our gardens is feeding our neighbours and friends in a time of stress and need”.

Kukwstép-kucw to all the Sk’elep students and staff and QHS for being able to help so many!

 

From the Office of the Chief –
On behalf of Council, I just wanted to reach out to membership regarding the extreme fire risk we are currently facing.  The severe heat remains, with no end in sight.  There were several fires last night and today on TteS lands all caused by lightening strikes.

We are asking that everyone be extra vigilant and fire smart.  If you see a fire, please report it to *5555.

Please prepare a “to go” bag and determine an evacuation plan and route for your household and your Elders.  We all need to be ready to leave our homes with short notice, if needed.

In the event, you must evacuate, please pack:

• Your emergency bag and important legal documents
• Several days of clothing
• Any medicines you require
• Activities and comfort items for your children
• Leashes, carriers, and food for your pets
• Any precious photos or mementos that cannot be replaced

Also:

• Ensure your car has a full tank of gas
• Shut off any propone tanks
• Designate a safe meeting place with family and loved ones

Please check in on any family, friends or neighbours who may need a helping hand due to mobility or other issues and share this information with those family members that may not have access to internet.

TteS has an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in place.  Sk’elep school is being set up for evacuees (tables / chairs / cots). The EOC trailer will be manned and is located near MSG.

If you are evacuated and are going to an evacuation centre, remember to sign up with the registration desk so you can be contacted or reunited with family and loved ones.  Please don’t forget to register online, at https://ess.gov.bc.ca/.

Please check the following sites to monitor the ongoing fire situation.

• TteS Facebook or Twitter
• City of Kamloops and the TNRD website or Twitter
• EmergencyInfoBC: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/
• Keep up-to-date on the provincial wildfire situation at bcwildfire.ca.
• Track road closures at http://www.drivebc.com.

Phone your loved ones to check in.  As a community we need to make sure everyone stays safe.

Yecwestsútce

Respectfully,

Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir

On behalf of Council