Duane Nookemis is a first-term member of Council for Huu-ay-aht First Nations, a modern treaty nation located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. He holds the Treaty Implementation and Lands and Natural Resources portfolios for his nation.
Duane is the son of Linda Young, and his grandparents are Edward and Mable Nookemis. He grew up in Anacla, and still calls Huu-ay-aht’s village his home. He is a proud father and grandfather.
Prior to being elected in a by-election, Duane spent more than 20 years working for the Huu-ay-aht government in several roles. Including forestry, fisheries, and infrastructure. He also worked for the Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses on the West Coast Trail crew. These positions gave him a strong work ethic and knowledge of Huu-ay-aht lands that he uses to guide him as he makes decisions as a councillor for his Nation. He has always taken a commonsense approach to make decisions that follow the guidance of elders and traditional teachings.
Duane remains focused on looking after the land and natural resources so that citizens can continue to make a living from it, while protecting the natural resources for the next generation. He wants to ensure the Nation takes advantage of the opportunities the Maa-nulth Treaty offers so Huu-ay-aht remains a strong, resilient treaty nation.
Duane wants to bring back commercial fishing opportunities for his people. He sees ideas like a mosquito fleet and growing opportunities in forestry as ways to help the Nation get back to making a living from the sea and the land. He is passionate about implementing the Hišuk ma c̕awak Integrated Resource Management Plan to ensure the Nation is doing everything it can to manage the lands in a responsible way, not only for now, but for future generations.