CHIEF AND COUNCIL CHIEF S REPORT

Message from Kukpi7 (Chief) Cliff Arnouse

Wéytk kwseltktens:

There are values and principles every family has and supports. Each are the guides that are the road maps for our family, community, and nation, we pass to our children, as examples to teach them.

Kwseltknews –we are all related

Knucwectsut.s –help yourself

Mellelc –take time for yourself

Slexlexs –develop wisdom

These and related principle are good, for everyone to practice, on your own journey.

Wéytk cwexweytk kuc, le7 te sitk, me7 skwest Kukpi7 Cliff Arnouse, from Cstèlnec, (Adams Lake). Having 6+ brothers and one sister. There were other family members before my time and gives me a good appreciation of family values.

My mom was Regina Agnes Arnouse (Michel) (D) born 1921 in Kamloops BC, to Catherine and Lazare Michel (D) of the Neskonlith reserve. She had brothers, sisters and many aunties and uncles.

My dad was Frederick Alex Arnouse (D) from Adams Lake, born in 1916 also in Kamloops BC. Fred had several brothers and sisters, I can go further back in my family story, but I only have limited space.

These strong traditional principles, came from these and other family heads, throughout my life in the Adams Lake and related typical areas. I have been told the stories, name places, and heard the old language from these and other families who’s names we may have not heard for awhile or forgotten.

Additional principles are, that if you want something done right, roll up your sleeves and get in there and help make the good changes. Having solutions to the many situations, rather than adding to the questions, is goals some need to be working towards.

A prominent inspirational elder and mentor, now in the spirit world, mentioned “Always keep one foot in the past and one foot in the future and remember where you came from, to know where you are going”. All the great and good advice from him and others on their journey has been very helpful.

This year 2020 has been demanding for ALIB because of the COVID 19 and we have planned on starting some new projects, like the potable water lines expansion, new housing construction and new health building, our camp grounds, to mention a few.

Our New Water lines project is completed, to Wagon Road currently, west down Kamloops Shuswap Road. The final phases to the boundary of our reserve to include elder Lawrence Michel house was to be financed with the other Public works community projects delayed at this time.

Renovations is the investment into these homes many years ago has been left too long and needs to be fixed to current building standards. Mold has been a priority and has been addressed, for the most part.

We hope to begin building new CMHC homes this year in our newly purchased subdivision. Again, the funds were also linked to the GBM loan approvals meeting.

Photo by Karen Everard, Communication Dept. Chief Atahm School Grand Opening Ceremony August 15, 2019

Message from Kukpi7 (Chief) Cliff Arnouse

Budgets has followed the new Finance Administration Law (FAL), this year maybe pushed back a few weeks or months for community information. This is because of the COVID 19 ravaging our nation. The emergency funding set out to assist our memberships and community at this difficult time to have enough food, BC hydro, natural gas, wood bills paid. There are many that have been laid off from their jobs, schools are closed, as is many stores and restaurants, ALIB is purchasing goods and meat to share for a good food box to house holds on reserves. For off reserve members there are funds from ISC given to agencies in major centre to assist urban members with food. The band was to borrow a smaller amount of funds to cover funds for a short fall for the housing, water, and health building projects at our GBM, but this got delayed or cancelled by the comments and questions.

Secwepemctsin, is taught in our schools by the fluent teachers, elders. Secwepemctsin defines who we are, where we came from, tells of our values, principles. Our stories, songs are also indicators of our nation’s boundaries and spiritual beliefs.

Policies-there has been several Councillors working on the development and re-reviewing of the various policies. Due to the delays with the virus this will be put on hold at this time until its safe to gather again.

Economic development our two campgrounds because they a need to be renovated or up graded to better standards for health and safety reasons have also been impacted by the GBM Budget.

Environmental concerns have not abated in and around that community. Last summer the health authority closed the beaches, due to high E.COLI health contamination concerns. There is a costly procedure to fix the sewer systems on the Shuswap Lakes. They are also included in the closures due to the virus.

Douglas Claim- has been sitting idle for years and requires a review by Council. The major sun peaks development recently has pushed the boundaries to their limits. Letters by our communities do not seem to change their plans. We need more political involvement to help move this forward. Little Shuswap and ALIB has written letters regarding our concerns.

In closing I have been a politician since 1995, with others that are not here with us today. The natural political shifts that are with us now are good for our community. My brother Doug stated, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”, at that time I did not know what he meant, but today its obvious.

Everyone stay with the COVID 19 plan, it is having a positive effect in BC and Secwepemc territories. We want our moms, dads, brothers, sisters, cousins and uncles, aunties to be all safe, healthy and be able to gather for the ceremonies, celebrations once again.

Many of the gardens put in this year will be good for the harvests this fall. Getting back to the land is the work many are doing with the built garden’s boxes supplied to those wanting to plant fresh vegetables and fruits.

The warmer weather is here, and we appreciate the difficulty it takes to keeping in doors and away from the Pow Wows.

I commend you all for the sacrifices you all are making to keep your families safe, Kukstemc

All my relations Kukpi7 Cliff Arnouse

Photo by Denise Michel, Communications Dept. Land clearing in preparation for IR #4 new subdivision.