Squamish Nation

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The Squamish Nation is an Indian Act government originally imposed on the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh by the Federal Government of Canada in the late 19th century. The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh are Indigenous, located in what is now considered British Columbia, Canada. Their band government comprises 16 elected councillors, serving four year terms, with an elected band manager. Their main reserves are near the town of Squamish, British Columbia and around the mouths of the Capilano River, Mosquito Creek, and Seymour River on the north shore of Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

[edit] History

The term 'Squamish Nation', is an amalgam of different villages, which became reserves under the Indian Act the Canadian government imposed on the Sḵwxwú7mesh. The history of this terminology dates back to the late 1800s when missionaries and Canadian government officials created a puppet government under the Indian Act within the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, with the goal of blocking access to resources and cultural geography. The eventual goal of this was the assimilation of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh into the settlers' colonial socio-political structures and lifestyle. Through their assimilation policies, they created a system of organizations through selected "Chiefs". These "Chiefs" were selected based on compliance, religious-affiliation, and sobriety. After passing of the Indian Act, these became the Indian Act government. At the time, the Squamish were categorized and placed into numerous small reserves, established by the settler government. Each reserve was originally in the ownership of different Sḵwxwú7mesh families. As land was being acquired, partitioned and allocated by the Federal Government without sufficient consent or consultation with the Sḵwxwú7mesh, the different villages formed into the Squamish Nation.^[1]

In July 20th, 1923 an amalgamation of the 16 signatures were apparently signed by 16 chiefs. This amalgamation became the Squamish Nation, and each chief was a seat at the council table. After decades, the hereditary system for the band council changed into an elected council. Currently, the Squamish Nation has 16 seats in its elections that occur on a four year term. Sixteen Councilors for the 16 signatures on the amalgamation.

Currently, the Squamish Nation is engaged in agreements with the Provincial Government of British Columbia and Lil'wat First Nation concerning the 2010 Olympic Games. Numerous agreements were signed prior to and following the announcement of the host city for the Games. Issues such as leased land, nation owned and operated business and other ventures currently account for much of the band council government business. The Squamish Nation recently announced the purchase of the Tree Farm License 38, which covers the Elaho Valley near Squamish, British Columbia. This is one of the rare instances of an Indigenous nation buying stolen land, as no agreement was ever signed between the Crown and the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh during colonization of the Lower Mainland. The nation also does little for its people despite its massive economic growth.^{[citation needed]}

The Squamish Nation has close ties with the Burrard Band or Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, who reside further east on Burrard Inlet, and have family connections to the Musqueam who reside on the southern edge of the city of Vancouver. Through the Four Host First Nation, the band council has ties with these other Indian Act governments.

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh communities were seriously affected by the 2005 CN Rail Cheakamus River derailment. 40,000 litres of caustic soda were accidentally released into the Cheakamus, killing 500,000 fish. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh communities around the river were advised by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority not to consume water from local wells, or local wildlife who use the river.^[2] The Squamish Nation Band Council is now taking legal action against CN Rail.

[edit] Elected councilors

The elected councilors make up the executive political body of this government. They operate on a four year term with elections occurring around November or December. They also elected a band manager.

• Alroy Baker
• Gibby Jacob
• Krisandra Jacobs
• Dale Harry
• Richard E. Baker
• Carla George
• Anthony Moody
• Byron Joseph
• Ian Campbell
• Richard Williams
• Pamela Baker
• Bill Williams
• Veronica Baker
• Dennis Joseph
• Deborah Baker

and the band manager

• Glen Newman

[edit] Reserves

This section requires expansion.

Indian Reserves under the administration of the Squamish Nation are:^[3]

• Kitsilano Indian Reserve No.6, located in the City of Vancouver, near English Bay, on the south side of the mouth of False Creek, 4.4 ha.
• Mission Indian Reserve No.6, on the north shore of Burrard Inlet on Wagg and Mosquito Creeks, bounded on the north and east by the City of North Vancouver, 59.6 ha.
• Seymour Creek Indian Reserve No.2, on north shore of Burrard Inlet, on right bank of Seymour Creek, near the mouth of Second Narrows, 45.5 ha.
• Capilano Indian Reserve No.5, on north shore of Burrard Inlet at First Narrows, north end of Lions Gate Bridge, , 155.6ha
• Skowishin Indian Reserve No.7, on left bank of the Squamish River, 29.6 ha.
• Chuckchuck Indian Reseve No. 8, on left bank of the Squamish River. 0.1 ha.
• Poyam Indian Reserve No.9, on left bank of the Squamish River, 0.3 ha.
• Skowishin Graveyard Indian Reserve No. 10, left bank of the Squamish River near the mouth of Ashlu Creek, 0.4 ha.
• Cheakamus Indian Reserve No.11, at and to the north of the junction of the Squamish and Cheakamus Rivers., 1639.4 ha.
• Yookwitz Indian Reserve No.12, right bank of the Squamish River, opposite mouth of the Cheakamus River, 9.3 ha.
• Poquiosin & Skamain Indian Reserve No. 13, left bank of the Squamish River at the mouth of the Cheakmus River, 45.2 ha
• Waiwakum Indian Reserve No.14, left bank of the Squamish River 2 miles below the mouth of the Cheakamus River 15.0 ha.
• Aikwucks Indian Reserve No.15, left bank of the Squamish River, 11.1 ha
• Seaichem Indian Reserve No.16, on the east bank of Kowtain Slough of the Squamish River, 3 miles below the mouth fo the Cheakamus River, 27.5 ha.
• Kowtain Indian Reserve No.17, on the left bank of Kowtain Slough of the Squamish River, 4 miles from that river's mouth on Howe Sound, 20.8 ha.
• Yekwaupsum Indian Reserve No.18, near left bank of the Squamish River, 3 miles from its mouth on Howe Sound, 2 ha.
• Yekwaupsum Indian Reserve No.19, on right bank of the Squamish River, 3 miles north of its mouth on Howe Sound, 1 ha.
• Stawamus Indian Reserve No.24, at the mouth of the Stawamus River at the head of Howe Sound, 1 mile southest of downtown Squamish, 22.1 ha.
• Kaikalahun Indian Reserve No.25, on west shore of Howe Sound south of Port Mellon, 11.5 ha.
• Chekwelp Indian Reserve No.26, on the west shore of Howe Sound, to the west of Keats Island, 11.3 ha.
• Chekwelp Indian Reserve No.26A, on the west shore of Howe Sound northwest of Keats Island, 0.2 ha.
• Schaltuuch Indian Reserve No.27, on a small island north of Shelter Island in Shoal Channel of Howe Sound, west of Keats Island, 5 haa.
• Defence Island Indian Reserve No.28, in Howe Sound, northeast from Anvil Island (Hat Island00, the easterly of two islands called Defence Islands, 1.7 ha.
• Kwum Kwum Indian Reserve, the westerly of the two Defence Islands northeast of Anvil Island, 6.20 ha.

[edit] Treaty claims

The Squamish Nation is currently in stage 3 of the BC Treaty Process but negotiations have not proceeded further in recent years.

[edit] Resource and development

Redirect: Template:Disputed-section The Squamish First Nation now plan to erect billboards at the approaches to Vancouver's Burrard Street Bridge as well as the Lions' Gate Bridge and the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing. ^[4] Along with the purchase of the Tree Farm Licence #38, it hopes to generate economic revenue, this despite a large groundswell of public protest.^[5]

The Squamish Nation approves of all private power developments on dozens of public rivers and takes a share of the private revenue scheme developed by the Gordon Campbell BC Liberal Government in a close door policy called the BC Energy Plan.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2010 Olympic Games

The Squamish Nation joined with the Musqueam, Tsleil-waututh, and Lil'wat through the Four Host First Nations Society to coordinate with Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), representing their interests in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics.^[6] Recently, the Squamish Nation, along with the Lil'wat, agreed to 122 hectares of land in and around Whistler, BC in co-operation for the 2010 Olympics.

[edit] See also

• Sḵwxwú7mesh
• Joe Capilano
• Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language
• Tsleil-Waututh First Nation

[edit] References

1. ^ "MacDonald, Bruce". Vancouver: A Visual History. p.17. Vancouver: Talonbooks.(1992).
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ Reserves/Settlements/Villages Detail, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada website information
4. ^ [2]
5. ^ [3]
6. ^ Four Host First Nations Society homepage

[edit] External links

• Squamish Nation