Elections

I am Klakwagiila; I come from the House of Tsee-sah-aht in Mowachaht. I am a Hereditary Chief from Mowachaht/Muchlaht First Nation (MMFN). As a member of the BCAFN I am formally seeking to fill the vacancy on the BCAFN Board of Directors.

As the Chief of Mowochaht/Muchalht, I can bring over 40 years of experiences in working on First Nations issues including justice, policing, governance, fisheries and environmental management. I am very familiar with the BCAFN, having participated on the BCAFN Governance Committee, and the AFN First Nations Policing Task Force (co-chaired by Regional Chief Teegee).

I was born on Vancouver Island, and I have served 21 years of police service with the RCMP. I have also served with the Quinalt Tribal Police and Makah Tribal police in Washington State. In 2000, my late dad (Jerry Jack) held a 2-day potlatch and gave me his Chieftainship. When my father passed in 2006, my uncle, Ben Jack acted as Chief Councillor at MMFN in my political seat; 5 years ago I reclaimed my political roll with MMFN, and support my people to defend our rights and title, under our hereditary system and under the Indian Act.

I have been involved with various political organizations including the BCAFN, UBCIC and First Nations Summit; we are also part of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and active in protecting our forestry, fisheries and marine resources. Last year we had unfortunate incidents with the local forest licensee and FLNRORD. I can bring valuable insight for the BCAFN Board and Regional Chief on fisheries, policing, forestry and governance. I’ve also worked with the First Nations Health Council throughout this Covid pandemic. took my seat, since then I have been involved with all the Political Organizations, as well as FNHA.

I’m also very familiar with marine spill response having acted as the lead for MMN in our Nootka Sound when a 60 year old vessel began leaking oil – I worked on the ground with our people, DFO and the Coast Guard to ensure our environment, rights and responsibilities were respected, protected and supported.

I believe I can add value to the BCAFN Board as I would be a good representative of the coastal region. I live in Gold River and can often be found in Campbell River, Nanaimo, or Friendly Cove on the west coast monitoring our waters. We have full internet access and can participate in BCAFN Board meetings remotely or in person (as needed). I look forward to working with the Regional Chief and the BCAFN Board of Directors.

Kleco Kleco.

Harlan Schilling was raised in his home community of Lower Post, BC where he has had the honour to serve the community as a Councillor from 2017 – 2020, and now as their Deputy Chief. Prior to his political career, Harlan served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a combat engineer for seven years.

Harlan is passionate in serving his people and working hard to support meaningful and sustainable community healing and development. In his time on Council, Harlan has had the honour of overseeing many large initiatives for community growth. These include numerous new social programs and a number of exciting infrastructure projects including a new affordable housing initiative, an upcoming community multipurpose centre and a water treatment plant. The community is also looking toward programs and initiatives to strengthen resilience to the impacts of climate change. Harlan has championed (and participated in) training for an upcoming local fire crew and attack base as well as new clean energy initiatives for the community including the use of solar for the new multi-purpose building and geothermal exploration.

After years of effort, the Daylu Dena Council was successful in demolishing the residential school in their community in 2021. Harlan worked to serve and care for his people as they took this important step towards healing for residential school survivors and all those impacted by the Lower Post residential school. The demolition was a momentous step in allowing the community to heal and look towards a brighter future.

With community engagement as a pillar of Harlan’s approach to leadership, he looks to the voices in his community and the wisdom of Elders for guidance and direction. During his time in leadership, Harlan has worked to strengthen Daylu Dena’s relationships with other governments and has built lasting partnerships.
With an approach that seeks to meet the needs of his community and looks for opportunities for mutual benefit, he has built bridges and worked successfully on projects with First Nations, Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments. Among other First Nations across BC and the Yukon, Harlan has worked extensively with the 3Nations: Kaska, Tahltan, and Tlingit. Working together to meet the needs of their peoples, this close partnership with the 3Nations often sees work that reaches to break the barrier of the colonial Yukon/BC border and support healing and growth for these Nations whose lands span across this divide.

Harlan has had the opportunity to work alongside four other Chiefs with the Dena Kayeh Institute (DKI) in their work to develop the Dena Kʼéh Kusān; a proposed Kaska Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area for the Kaska peoples and British Columbians. This initiative would ensure 3.9 million hectares of protected lands and waters in the Kaska Traditional Territory.

Harlan has a vision that sees Nations coming together on Kaska lands to learn and celebrate First Nations culture and language as an avenue for healing from trauma and addiction. This year, Harlan let an initiative for his community that successfully secured funding to purchase a property to develop gathering spaces
and on-the-land healing and wellness programs delivered through Kaska culture and language. With a space now secured, Harlan and his team are working to create culturally safe spaces for healing and reconnection with the land and waters.

Harlan is deeply honoured to be considered for the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) Board of Directors. As a young leader from a Northern community, Harlan hopes to bring a new perspective to the board. His energy and drive to see positive change for Indigenous peoples has fuelled his success in many large projects, events and initiatives over the past five years. In his time in leadership, Harlan has looked to find the balance between honouring traditional values, while still adapting to succeed in an ever evolving world. Seeing through projects for his community of Lower Post, Harlan has overcome many roadblocks and challenges that required him to quickly adapt and solve complex problems to ensure the community’s vision moves forward. Harlan believes that he could make a significant contribution to the BCAFN Board and that this opportunity would allow him to continue his work and vision for healthy, growing and thriving First Nations across the North, BC, and all of Canada.

My name is Zachary Thomas Scott Astakeesic, a member of the Upper Nicola Indian Band from the Syilx Nation. My grandparents are Ronald and Charlotte Ned and mother is Yvonne R. Ned – all members of the Okanagan Syilx Nation of the Upper Nicola Band.

I am excited to be back in Canada after moving home to the Okanagan after 20 years living in California, USA. Having the opportunity to live in the USA and visiting home every summer to stay with my grandparents whom taught me the traditional territories and enjoyed their stories of growing up in our community and showing all the resilience and strength of Residential School Survivors.

In the United States, I was appointed youth representative to the National Congress of American Indians by President Brian Cladoosby of The NCAI to represent youth issues in 2014 from tribes in California. I attended conferences since and have met many women informally from leadership where we discuss the pressing issues from women protections, safety and rights.

With my return to Canada, I’m concerned that youth issues are represented along with the pressing issues of the day. To me, the issues of the day for First Nation current events are one in the same with the youth. My goal is to look at the issues concerning youth but other issues from climate change to education. We should remember our Chiefs and leaders who have proven economic development and business as a real opportunity for our youth and their future.

I know it’s been a tough 2+ years for First Nation peoples – with restrictions, isolation, health and financial worry. With many other communities throughout the province, we have also faced wildfires and floods, extreme drought and weather. That is why clean, safe and healthy drinking water, and source water protection are vital. We have opportunities for fire training from an international nonprofit that specializes in the extreme fires we know now we must deal with yearly. We can bring these organizations to the front and act as true protectors of our land. My vision is to see First Nations youth and their voice to grow stronger as we see our elders and their strength during this time of speaking out reach the Prime Minister of CA and Papal offices.

My top priorities (in no set order):

• Climate Change
• Education
• Trauma (addiction)

My campaign email address: zachastakeesic@outlook.com
You can also find me on Facebook as Zach Astakeesic.

Justen Peters is a member of the Okanagan Indian Band and grew up on the OKIB reserve near Round Lake and Salmon River. Being raised closely by his stemtima (maternal grandmother) and other elders in his community, Justen has built a strong foundation for himself rooted in the traditional teachings, culture, and resilience of his ancestors. Spirituality is very important to Justen, as well as practicing gratitude and showing appreciation for the beauty of natural world. Justen has a great respect for nature, as well as a creative mind and love for learning.

In 2018, Justen attended the very first CANDO Economic Development Youth Summit in Enoch First Nations, where he was awarded with the “mover and shaker” award, and whose team came in third place overall. The real award were the friendships and business relationships that he made there and continues to nurture to this day. It was truly a life-changing event that showed Justen that anything was possible and that there are people out there who want to make a positive difference. The CANDO EDYS was the catalyst in Justen’s life that gave him the courage to pursue a career in economic development.

In the summer of 2018, Justen worked at his community’s economic development company the Okanagan Indian Band Group of Companies. Then in the following Fall, he worked for the provincial government of British Columbia for a year at the joint-office of Indigenous Economic Development where he learned about all of the initiatives happening across the province of BC between First Nations and outside parties (resource development, tourism, trade, infrastructure etc.). Then, in the Fall of 2019, using what he had learned working at a micro level for his community and then at a macro level for the region of BC, Justen was appointed to be the Male Youth Representative for the BC Assembly of First Nations, where his knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Economic Development has continued to grow stronger.

Justen now runs his own tourism business called “knmalka senqalten” where he provides cultural tours about local Okanagan First Nations history, culture, and plant medicine. He is also working with the BC Native Court Workers to create a steering committee that will help serve Indigenous youth who were in foster care and to help reconcile their relationships to the criminal law system. Justen also sits as a Youth representative for the BC Indigenous Agriculture Advisory council, and co-chair for the OKIB Youth Leadership Council. Lastly, but certainly not least, Justen holds the Environment portfolio for the AFN National Youth Council.

During this past term, Justen started the BCAFN Youth Representative Podcast where other BC First Nations young leaders who are driving change in their communities are showcased and bring awareness to their impacts and initiatives. Justen also helped develop the BCAFN Youth Representative handbook which will assist future First Nations youth reps in their roles with BCAFN. Justen is advocating for increasing BCAFN’s capacity and resources for more youth leaders to be involved with leadership activities through the BCAFN. Justen’s goal with his position of BCAFN youth representative is to guide First Nations youth to opportunities of leadership, whether it be in business, politics, food sovereignty, technology, economic development, fine arts, or other areas of community development.