Frankly Speaking

Frank Bucholtz photo Joanne Charles, councillor with Semiahmoo First Nation, shared some powerful words about reconciliation with an attentive audience at the Semiahmoo Spirit Stage on Monday night, as part of a  community discussion on reconciliation, diversity and equality/ The event was one of a series of community discussions hosted by organizers of the Gordie Hogg Liberal campaign in the federal riding of South Surrey-White Rock. With her on stage is emcee Deb Saih. The discovery of unmarked grave sites at four former residential school properties has changed the tenor of discussion about Canada’s relationships with indigenous people. Local governments have an important role to play in the process of meaningful reconciliation - as do all of us as citizens. Delta council has gone a fair ways down that path, largely due to a treaty with the Tsawwassen First Nation,  and White Rock’s relationship with the Semiahmoo First Nation is improving considerably, after some rough pat...

Photo from National Observer First Nations people in B.C. and across the country aren't too excited about the Canada 150 celebrations, as most of them do not have treaties. Many of them (but not all) feel planned developments such as Kinder Morgan's proposed twinning of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline will do significant damage to the lands they and their ancestors have called home for thousands of years. Despite years of favourable court rulings, governments have dragged their feet on treaties and other means of making First Nations people feel they are an integral and valued component of the Canadian mosaic. Canada turns 150 years old this week.   Celebrations of this milestone have been somewhat muted, when compared to the 100 th anniversary in 1967 which captured the attention and interest of nearly all Canadians and many people in other countries. It is worthwhile to remember what this country has achieved, look at where it is going and consider changes to ...

White Rock resident Beverly McLaughlin took this photo of the water in her washing machine last fall. She said "aesthetically, it's very unpleasing." On June 5, there were more reports of dark-coloured water coming from the taps in White Rock homes. Just when you think the White Rock water utility takeover couldn’t get any murkier, it does – both literally and, more importantly, figuratively. In just one week, the public learned that (yet again) the water is cloudy and disgusting to look at; the federal government has moved in to help Semiahmoo First Nation get clean water and get out of any dealings with White Rock’s water system; and the city and Metro Vancouver are pulling out all the stops in court to keep every possible detail of the takeover of the water system secret. The dirty water story came from Coldicutt Avenue resident Derek Sigurdson. He was leaving his house June 5 when he was stopped by a neighbour carrying a glass of brown water. “He said, ‘...

This week's column in the Peace Arch News and Surrey Leader The Little Campbell River flows through the Semiahmoo First Nation's lands in South Surrey. Frank Bucholtz photo The recent revelation of the salaries, income and expenses of the Semiahmoo First Nation prompted a lot of reaction from right across the country – and most particularly from a few members of the band, which is based in South Surrey. Although the Semiahmoo First Nation has only 93 members, chief Willard Cook collected a salary of $267,729, including $420 for expenses. Councillor Joanne Charles collected $200,756 in salary and expenses, while councillor Roxanne Charles collected much less, just $32,198 in salary and expenses. Revelations of the salary, income and expenses comes as a result of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, passed by the Conservative government. The stated purpose is to let band members and taxpayers be fully aware of the financial position of First Nations acros...