People’s Assembly

Huu-ay-aht First Nations is hosting a Special People’s Assembly on December 17, 2015.

The meeting will involve discussion and a vote on a proposed land purchase by Huu-ay-aht First Nations. Some properties provide business opportunities, while other are an opportunity to reacquire important Huu-ay-aht traditional lands. The details are highly confidential, but more information will be shared with Citizens during the December 17 meeting.

This meeting will take place at the Best Western Barclay Hotel in Port Alberni, from 3 to 9 p.m., but citizens will also have the option to attend at satellite locations in Burnaby and Anacla. If Port Alberni is the most convenient location, travel assistance will be offered from the Nation, but there will be no accommodations or child minding supplied.

The motion to be addressed is:

Whereas:

1. A number of properties have recently become available for purchase (“the Properties”);
2. The Huu-ay-aht government has determined that the Properties have the potential to provide short-, medium- and long-term business opportunities, as well as offering an opportunity to re-acquire important Huu-ay-aht traditional lands;
3. The Huu-ay-aht government has conducted preliminary financial analysis, business analysis, inspections and other studies regarding the Properties;
4. The Land Act, s. 5 requires that before land with a fair market value of over $1,000,000 is acquired by a Huu-ay-aht body, excluding an Huu-ay-aht business, the People’s Assembly must approve the acquisition;
5. Whether or not the purchase of the Properties requires People’s Assembly approval under the Land Act in this case, Executive Council wishes to have the approval of the People’s Assembly before proceeding with this purchase;

Be it resolved that the People’s Assembly hereby approves the purchase of the Properties by Huu-ay-aht First Nations, directly, or through a Huu-ay-aht business enterprise, as soon as practicable.

Due to the private nature of the material being shared at the People’s Assembly, this motion will likely be adjusted prior to the vote.

Citizens will be contacted to help them register, but if you would like to register prior to that, you can call the Port Alberni Government Office or fill out the online form on this site, under Our Government(online form).

Citizens travelling to Port Alberni can take advantage of vans that will be offering rides to and from Victoria and Nanaimo. If the vans fill up or Citizens would rather drive, gas card will be available to cover their expenses. Citizens must register in advance for gas cards. No ferry cards, accommodations or child minding will be supplied.

Huu-ay-aht will also be giving away five $100 gift cards and will hand out the Citizenship Cards that were completed at the November 21 People’s Assembly.

The satellite locations will be in Anacla, at the Anacla Government Office, and Burnaby, at the Executive Hotel and Conference Centre (4201 Lougheed Highway). Citizens at these sites will be able to watch the main meeting, ask questions and vote on the motion.

The proposed schedule for the meeting is as follows:

3 p.m. – Citizen sign-in begins

4 p.m. – Speaker calls session to order

4-6:30 p.m. – Proposed land purchase and vote

6:30-7:30 p.m. – Dinner

7:30 p.m. – Continue session, adjourn by 9 p.m. after gift raffle

If you require more information or need help registering, call the Port Alberni Government Office (250-723-0100) or the Anacla Government Office (1-888-644-4555).