The Chilliwack
Progress Friday
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Sports
News Feature
Scene
Hockey
Prize
Texture
Graduating, in spite of the system
Fibre, Earth and Fire at the Cultch
Smyl returns to lead resurrected Chiefs
120 YEARS YOUR COMMUNITY
NEWSPAPER
1891-2011
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • F R I D AY, M AY 2 7 , 2 0 1 1
Return of the Chiefs ■ Related story, page 33 Eric Welsh The Progress Junior A hockey will return to Chilliwack for the 2011-12 hockey season. The BCHL board of governors held an email vote this weekend to yay or nay the sale and relocation of the Quesnel Millionaires to Chilliwack. The result, a resounding yes for what was once one of the league’s flagship markets. “We are very proud to once again be involved with the BCHL, a first-class league with a great tradition Harvey [Smyl] of providing exciting hockwas very ey entertainwhile also important, not ment grooming qualjust on the ity young men to be profeshockey side sional hockey players, top colbut for his lege students or connection to for a head start the world the community into of business,” Moray ~ Glen Ringdal said Keith in a news release issued late Tuesday morning. “We are enthusiastic about BCHL hockey and passionate about the role the club plays in moulding our leaders of the future. So many prominent and successful men have come through the ranks of the BCHL to the forefront of business and community service because of the philosophy and practices of the league.” The relocated team will take the name Chiefs, reclaiming the moniker used by the junior A squad that played in Chilliwack from 1990 to 2006. The name was made available when the Langley team changed its name to the Rivermen in late April.
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Continued: CHIEFS/ p9
Sheila Schmidt, outgoing board president of the Fraser Valley Aboriginal Children and Family Services Society, speaks during a celebration at the Landing Sports Centre on Thursday. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
‘Tears of joy’ as Sto:lo celebrate child care agency Robert Freeman The Progress A ceremony to celebrate the creation of a revamped Sto:lo child protection agency was held Thursday at The Landing Sports Centre in Chilliwack. But it appears the agency – which still carries the Xyolhmeylh name of the earlier version – is not supported by all Sto:lo communities, and it may not lead to a healing of the political rift that split the Sto:lo into two camps, the Sto:lo Nation and the Sto:lo Tribal Council. Differences over child protection as delivered by Xyolhmeylh was one of the main factors in the 2004 break-up, and differ-
ences over child apprehension policy remain. Sheila Schmidt, president of the newly-created Fraser Valley Aboriginal Children and Family Services Society, which now operates the Xyolhmeylh agency, would not comment on that policy Thursday, saying it is a political issue and the board is a non-political body. “Today, we’re celebrating moving forward,” she said. “Today, we’re celebrating the passing of the reins from the ministry to the Fraser Valley.” In 2007, the B.C. Children and Families Ministry took over dayto-day operations of the troubled agency, but on Dec. 17 last year, a delegation enabling agreement
was signed by provincial and federal officials that returned control of Xyolhmeylh back into the hands of the aboriginal community. Deb Foxcroft, assistant deputy minister at the children’s ministry, said the agreement that will allow the Sto:lo to provide care for their own children, as well as those from other aboriginal groups like the Metis and “urban” children living offreserve, was “a long time coming.” “There’s been a lot of blood and sweat and tears to get to this place,” she said. “Now we shed tears of joy.” She said aboriginal children will get care based on their own
culture and traditions. “This is where children belong, and this is where they need to be,” she said. Barb Walsh, the ministry’s Fraser region representative, said the board was an “inspiration” for its “vision” and its hard work turning the vision into reality. “You’ve created a vision and developed a vision and worked toward a vision,” she said. “It’s been a remarkable thing to watch.” “The vision for delivering services to children and families in the territory is in very capable hands,” she said. Continued: CONTROL/ p12
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