Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc

Update on the Band Reparations Class Action – trial starts Monday September 12, 2022 in Vancouver, B.C.

On Monday, September 12 representative plaintiffs shíshálh Nation and Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc begin their fight for compensation for the collective harm suffered as a result of the residential school system, including in particular the loss of and damage to our languages and cultures. In total, 326 First Nations across Canada have joined the Band Reparations lawsuit as class members.

The trial starts on September 12, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Federal Court in Vancouver, BC, and is expected to last six to eight weeks. The trial will be broadcast live online on the Zoom platform. Those wishing to watch will need to register with the Federal Court here:
https://cas-satj.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p-zrAg2WSfqtFS-ZBPWK-g

During the trial, the court will decide whether Canada is legally responsible for the collective harms suffered by bands as a result of residential schools, including in particular loss of language and culture.

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After a two-year hiatus from the Kamloops Pride Week Celebrations due to COVID, TteS is honoured to be celebrating Kamloops Pride Week 2022. The Pride Week activities are being held on the direct ancestral lands of Tk’emlúpsemc.

As an organization, we are committed to the fundamental values of respect, equality, and inclusivity for all. Pride week allows us the opportunity to hold space for and celebrate the contributions of the 2SLGBTQQIA++ communities. It is also time to reflect on the progress that has been made and acknowledge that there is still work to be done to ensure that everyone feels safe in being who they are.

TteS continues to be an ally and walk in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQQIA++ communities. It is all our responsibilities to ensure equal rights and representation of diverse sexual and gender identities.

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After a two year absence, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc (TteS), is honoured to be the host community for the 41st Annual Kamloopa Pow Wow on July 29 to 31, 2022 here on our beautiful and direct ancestral lands.

We welcome all our members and guests to come and participate in the Pow Wow events or witness and enjoy the celebration of the rich and vibrant culture from across Turtle Island.

This is a cultural event, and as such, it is anticipated that everyone will ensure that they act in a respectful, courteous and appropriate manner. Extra security has been hired to ensure that this important event remains safe for all those that attend.

With this extreme heat, we are asking attendees to take extra care in looking after yourselves. For those that need a break from the heat, there is a Cooling Centre located in the Sandman Centre, downtown Kamloops, which is open daily from noon to 8pm.

For the health of everyone attending, if you are not feeling well or are showing any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home.

During Kamloopa, the sacred site (the location of the Le Estcwicwéý or the missing children) is not open to the public and we request that all be respectful of the Monument by the residential school.

Again, we welcome you to Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and hope you enjoy Kamloopa. Let’s come together safely in celebration.

Yours truly,
Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc

Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir (Chief)
On behalf of Council

Weytkp Xwexwéyt-tp,

After a two-year hiatus from the Kamloopa Pow Wow due to COVID, Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc (TteS), is honoured to be the host community for the 41st Annual Kamloopa Pow Wow on July 29 to 31, 2022 here on our beautiful and direct ancestral lands.

Part of our role as the host community is to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all people to come and learn, witness, and enjoy the celebration of our rich and vibrant culture from across turtle island.

We share in the responsibility to address systemic racism and to eliminate gendered violence. TteS Chief and Council continue to be committed to creating an inclusive environment and addressing these very important issues that our communities have been facing for far too long.

We want our people and our guests to continue to be proud of this amazing event that showcases our heritage and culture and welcoming more than 1,300 dancers and up to 25,000 spectators.

We thank and support the Kamloopa Pow Wow Society for taking corrective steps to address the outdated rules. Those rules do not reflect TteS values. TteS Chief and Council endorses the implementation of a National Action Plan that addresses violence against Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and 2SLGBTQQIA++. They are our people and are our ḱwséltkten, our family, and we all hold them dear and are honoured to be walking in solidarity and unity with each other. We are committed to ending racism and discrimination and we must all do our part to do for better our children and future generations.

Kukwstsétselp.

Respectfully,

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir
On behalf of Council and our Membership

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From the Office of the Chief –

On behalf of Tk̓emlúps Council, I would just like to say Yerí7 re sxexé7 (congrats) to all the TteS graduates of 2022. We would like to pay tribute to your hard work and dedication that you have had to get you to this very important milestone – graduation.

Challenges will always be there, so it is up to you how to face them and grow and learn from them.

We also acknowledge and celebrate the teachers that have influenced, inspired and supported you throughout the years.

As you move forward in life, we also want you to carry with great pride your identity as Tk̓emlúpsemc. Never forget your roots and the importance of culture, language, and traditions. These values are what links generations to generations. The recognition of the interconnectedness of all, and respect for our lands, water, medicines, plants, and each other, will help guide you towards a successful future. Try to maintain balance in your life to create health and happiness.

Here are the words I live by: “Know your Passion, Visualize your Plans, Collect your Resources, and always be Determined to Succeed!” I practice those values in both my personal and professional life and share that with all of you as you continue with your academic paths.

We at TteS truly wish you so much success today and in the future!! Congratulations to all the Grads of 2022!! You did it and we wish you success in all your endeavors. Le7es ke7s w7ec wel me7 yews!! ( we wish you the best forever/always!!)

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

Post-Secondary Graduates
Melissa Mathias
Kylie Pilkington
Keanna Pilkington
Laurie Ahdemar
Lachanda Michel
Ethan Bottle
Gabrielle Boucher
Whitney Evans
Yvonne Fortier
Jenna Myers
Christopher Paul
Jaden Stefanyk
Vinette Manuel

Statement from Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Chief and Council

In consideration of events that have recently taken place, this is a reminder to guests of TteS, that by entering onto our lands, you agree to refrain from disrespecting staff, community members and visitors, with verbal or physical harassment, abusive language, cursing, or threats. We do not condone any videos/pictures/audio being taken of anyone without their consent.

Violators of our protocol will be escorted out.

Anyone who intends on being guests on our lands, are required to uphold our cultural protocols.

Trespassing on our lands is strictly prohibited. Violators will be removed and/or prosecuted.

Please also note that any non Tḱemlúpsemc ceremonial requests must be approved by Chief and Council.

Kukwstép-kucw for your understanding.

Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc
Chief and Council

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As a precautionary measure to support freshet preparedness Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc has activated its Emergency Operations Centre to level 1.

This allows TteS to actively monitor dike levels and to begin select protection operations including the stockpiling of sandbags if the need arises.

North and South Thompson Rivers
Due to extended cooler weather in April and May, snow pack melt has been delayed by two to four weeks throughout the province. June 1st 2022 snow pack throughout BC is above normal.

North Thompson Snow Basin: 175% of Normal
South Thompson Snow Basin: 157% of Normal

Continued significant risk for high freshet flows and rise of the North and South Thompson Rivers over the short-term is from potential heavy rain to fall on a melting snow pack.

Summary
TteS Dykes are constructed to one-in-200-year flood design standards.

TteS will be increasing the frequency of infrastructure inspections of IR#1 dikes and sealing of catch basins.

Residents are reminded to stay away from creeks and rivers during freshet as high waters are extremely dangerous.

Resources
To report flood-related concerns, call TteS Public Works at 250-318-6400

ARGO Road Maintenance (Kamloops Service Area)
Provincial highways located on reserve include East Shuswap Road.
Please report all concerns to Argo Road maintenance’s 24-hour call-in number:
1 800 661-2025
argokam@argoroads.ca

Sand bags
Sand and sandbags are available at TteS Public Works yard to residents looking to protect their properties and take precautions against rising waters:
762 East Athabasca Street

Community Sandbag Volunteers
Those interested can register their interest in assisting with the preparation of sandbags.
To volunteer contact:

Shane Wardrobe
TteS Emergency Operations Coordinator
236-597-9844
June and July (24-7, on-call as needed)

TteS will continue to provide updates on water levels and flood preparation activities as necessary.

For additional information regarding City of Kamloops flood protection efforts, go online to: www.kamloops.ca/flooding

Please be advised, that the Lands, Leasing & Tax Department (“LLTD”) is scheduled to do the 2022 Property Tax Run, therefore, they will be unavailable for regular day-to-day operations on the following dates:

• June 22 – 24, 2022
• June 27 – 30, 2022

During these dates either leave a message with the LLTD Receptionist at 250-828-9784 or email the staff and they will reply when they resume regular day-to-day operations on July 4, 2022, at 8:00 AM

Kukwstéc-kucw
Lands, Leasing & Tax Department

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Kamloops, BC — Today, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, in partnership with the BC Achievement Foundation, announced in a news release that the City of Kamloops and the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc have been honored with a British Columbia Reconciliation Award recognizing individuals, groups, and organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership, integrity, respect, and commitment to furthering the Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s report. Recipients of this provincial award are selected by a committee that includes representation by Indigenous Elders and BC First Nations leadership.

The BC Reconciliation Award comes less than a month after Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian and Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir formally accepted a national Collaboration Award of Excellence from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators, which also recognizes the achievements of our communities in building relationships towards reconciliation.

“The relationship we have built with the City of Kamloops is fostering meaningful connections and dialogue leading to initiatives that have had a great benefit to both organizations,” said Kúkpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir. “We are honoured to be recognized for charting this path together and hope to be an inspiration to other communities with similar potential for collaboration.”

For more than a decade, the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops have been building on collaborative initiatives in areas of protocol, communication, and celebrations through shared service agreements, including fire protection, transit, and sanitary sewer management. This partnership has grown through a transparent process committed to acknowledging and celebrating Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc culture, values, and history.

Those years of meaningful relationship building were invaluable when one year ago this spring, our communities bore witness to the tragic confirmation of the unmarked graves of 215 children who were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, now known as Le Estcwicwéỳ (The Missing). With the eyes of the nation watching, the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc showed vision and strength in sharing their collective grief and in encouraging Canadians to better understand the harmful history and legacy of the residential school system and the inter-generational impacts it has had on Indigenous people.

“This year has been an important reminder that our relationship is one of ongoing reconciliation,” said Mayor Ken Christian. “Because of the enhanced level of trust between our two governments, we’ve been able to face the past together and acknowledge that we may still make mistakes, but we are also looking to the future and can see opportunity and hope in a collaborative path forward. We are honoured by the recognition we have received in this work and are encouraged to continue growing together.”

A formal ceremony to present the BC Reconciliation Award is being planned for the fall.

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PRESS RELEASE – Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc, June 7, 2022

On behalf of the Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc, we are very pleased to learn of the appointment and mandate of Kimberly Murray to the position of Special Interlocutor for Canada, in relation to unmarked burials. Since we learned of the likely presence of children, L’Estcwicwéý (the Missing) on the Kamloops Indian Residential School grounds, just over a year ago, Tḱemlúps has taken responsibility for them. We are exercising our inherent jurisdiction over the investigation at Tḱemlúps, to determine how many children are there, who they were, who their people are, how they came to be buried there, how they should be cared for, and what justice needs to be sought on behalf of them and their families. We have heard from Minister Lametti, on behalf of Canada, that Canada respects our jurisdiction and is there to provide whatever support it can to ensure that we can meet our obligations to L’Estcwicwéý and their people. The mandate of the Special Interlocutor confirms this.

So many Indigenous communities across Canada are launching similar investigations. It will be painstaking, vitally important work, work that will take time and resources. Canada has an essential role to play in ensuring those resources are available, and that all our communities can find their lost children, and comfort them and their families. The Special Interlocutor will, we hope, work with all our communities to make this happen.

Ms. Murray comes to this role with a wealth of experience and a demonstrated commitment to serving residential school survivors and their families. We look forward to working with Canada, the Special Interlocutor, and our brothers and sisters across the country, as we work for the children, and their relations, to achieve some measure of comfort and justice for them.

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Media Contact:
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir (Chief)
Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc
Email: kukpi7.rosanne@kib.ca
Phone: 250-819-2255

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