Honouring the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Persons with Community Gathering

Huu-ay-aht First Nations strongly supports the recommendations made in an independent report released today by the University of Victoria (UVic), but calls on the province to make the necessary safety improvements to the Bamfield Road.

The recently released report is in response to the bus accident on the Bamfield Main logging road September 2019 that claimed the lives of students John Geerdes and Emma Machado. It makes recommendations that will address travel policies for UVic, but it falls short when it comes to demanding upgrades to the dangerous road.

“The report refers to the road as dangerous and makes recommendations on steps they can take to travel it more safely, but what we really need are significant improvements to the road itself,” explains Chief Councillor Robert J. Dennis Sr. “No one else should lose their life on this road. It is time to chipseal it and make it safe for everyone who travels it.”

The 85-kilometre logging road is extremely dangerous. Chief Dennis believes that if the road had been upgraded prior to the UVic trip last fall, the bus would not have rolled down the embankment. He stresses that recommendations like using pilot cars and not travelling at night will not make the road safe for everyone. If the province wants to honour the memory of these young adults, it must move forward on the chipsealing of the Bamfield Road.

Last fall, Premier John Horgan travelled the road to Bamfield and agreed that safety improvements are needed. Huu-ay-aht First Nations has done the planning and engineering and is willing to contribute financially to a project that would see the 85-kilometre logging road chipsealed. Huu-ay-aht believes the time for action is now.

Chief Dennis adds that road improvements could be an economic stimulant for the province, post COVID-19, because it is shovel ready and workers could be on the ground soon if the province chooses to move forward. Investing in these upgrades would create employment and save lives by making the road safer to travel.

Chief Dennis does not want to come across another crash like this one or mourn more lives lost due to dangerous driving conditions.

“This accident was devastating, and as a Nation we felt the loss of these two young students and understand the impact this has had on their families as we have also lost friends and family on the Bamfield Road,” explains Chief Dennis. “UVic has shown respect to the students and their families throughout the process, and we are glad to have this report complete and see the recommendations, many of which echo the requests our Nation has been bringing to the provincial government for decades.”

Tayii Ḥaw̓ił ƛiišin (Head Chief Derek Peters) stresses that by committing to following through on today’s recommendations, UVic is honouring the sacred principles of the Huu-ay-aht people: ʔiisaak (utmost respect), ʔuuʔałuk (taking care of), and Hišuk ma c̕awak (everything is connected). He appreciates the support the University has shown to the Bamfield Road project.

“The Machado and Geerdes families have asked that the road improvements be carried out as a legacy to their children instead of any form of memorial,” explains ƛiišin. “Since the road opened in the 1970s, Huu-ay-aht has also lost eight citizens and witnessed countless accidents on the dangerous road – including my grandfather. I would like this project to be done as a legacy for every life that has been lost on the Bamfield Road.” Huu-ay-aht will continue to work with the province, UVic, the Bamfield Marine Science Centre, and Western Forest Products to ensure the road improvements move forward.

This year COVID-19 has meant we cannot gather as we usually do at the river in Pachena Bay. Instead, please enjoy this video of songs, stories, dancing, and traditional teachings.

Enjoy this video: National Indigenous People’s Day 2020

Huu-ay-aht First Nations received notice from the Federal Government that loan payments related to the treaty negotiation in the amount of $5.4 million will be forgiven effective as of March 31, 2020.  The Federal Government will be returning nearly five million in cash to Huu-ay-aht First Nation over the next five years, and the federal government has also forgiven the half million debt outstanding.

Former B.C. Treaty Commissioner and Huu-ay-aht Ḥaw̓iiḥ Tom Happynook is please that after so many years of British Columbian First Nations, First Nations Summit, and the B.C. Treaty Commission pushing for treaty loan forgiveness, the Federal Government has finally agreed to reimburse treaty loans.

“It is with sincere appreciation that Huu-ay-aht First Nations applaud Canada for correcting a long-time policy of making First Nations pay for their new relationship with British Columbia and Canada. This new federal approach to treaty negotiations in B.C. is a welcome policy change and can in its simplicity create a much better environment to negotiate a Modern-Day Comprehensive Treaty,” Happynook explained. “As a former B.C. Treaty Commissioner, I am pleased that our hard work in Ottawa transformed the face of treaty negotiations in British Columbia. I am hopeful that other B.C. First Nations who are not in the B.C. treaty process will see this as a much better bridge to negotiating a new relationship with B.C. and Canada with no costs incurred.”

Huu-ay-aht, along with the other Maa-nulth First Nations, spent millions of dollars to negotiate their final agreement in the treaty. At that time, the policy was that Indigenous groups would be required to take on a loan to negotiate their treaty. Although the Nation did receive compensation as part of the treaty package, Huu-ay-aht was expected to repay Canada for the cost of negotiations.

“It has taken a lot of years and dedication to get to this day, but I am so glad to hear that the Federal Government is going to do the right thing and repay these funds,” explained Huu-ay-aht’s Chief Councillor Robert J. Dennis Sr. “It is reassuring to see, even during the difficult time COVID-19 has created, that the Government of Canada is still committed to economic reconciliation efforts with First Nations communities.”

In the 2018 budget, Canada announced it would no longer require Indigenous groups to repay these loans to fund comprehensive claims negotiations and moved to a grant-based system that did not require repayment. Following extensive negotiations, the 2019 budget included a promise to forgive all outstanding comprehensive claim negotiation loans and repay the self-governing Indigenous governments that have already repaid the loans.

Huu-ay-aht made regular payments and was almost finished repaying its loan when the negotiations began. At that time, the Nation ceased payments, confident it would qualify for repayment. The Federal Government has now committed to repaying Huu-ah-aht a total of $4,916,016.00. These funds are to be repaid in five equal installments over the next five years, with the first payment coming this fiscal year.

A letter to the Nation from Honourable Carolyn Bennett states, “Canada continues to be committed to advancing reconciliation and recognizing Indigenous rights. I hope that the forgiveness of this debt demonstrates this commitment in a concrete way and will enhance financial stability and enable your community to improve access to funding mechanisms that may not have been otherwise available due to the outstanding liability.”

In the Budget 2018 document it states switching to a grant system is intended to allow Indigenous communities to invest in their priorities like governance, infrastructure, and economic development, that will increase the health and well-being for all community members. The funds should also allow Indigenous communities and governments to use their resources to strengthen their communities and improve the quality of life for its members.

Huu-ay-aht is committed to following these guidelines to ensure the Nation benefits from the funds they will receive over the next five years.

Note: Imagine is from the signing of the Maa-nulth Treaty.

(PORT ALBERNI – June 5, 2020) – A recent serious accident on the Bamfield Main road offers a reminder to drivers that dust on logging roads during summer months create a serious safety concern. Huu-ay-aht First Nations (“Huu-ay-aht”) wants to caution motorists to drive carefully if they head to Bamfield this summer.

“Stan Coleman, a Registered Professional Forester and Huu-ay-aht’s Forest Consultant, is an experienced driver and has travelled the Bamfield road most of his career, and yet last week he hit a logging truck that was invisible to him in the dusty roads. Luckily, he was fine, but he totaled his vehicle,” explains Chief Councillor Robert J. Dennis Sr. “Since the Bamfield road opened in the 70s, Huu-ay-aht has lost eight citizens on this road and witnessed countless accidents, many related to dust obscuring visibility.”

It has been nine months since the tragic University of Victoria bus accident claimed two lives along the 85-kilometre stretch of logging road, and Huu-ay-aht continues to push the B.C. government to get the road upgraded. The Nation is calling for chipsealing to reduce dust and other safety improvements. In April of 2019, Premier John Horgan travelled the road to meet with Huu-ay-aht leadership and committed to safety upgrades.

Last week, in a meeting with Huu-ay-aht, Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA and Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Scott Fraser, promised to continue to push for the necessary approvals to move the Bamfield Road improvement project forward. Until that time, Huu-ay-aht encourages people to drive cautiously and to respect road conditions.

RCMP Constable Peter Batt also urges people to keep their speed down, especially when conditions are dusty.

“You need time to stop at the last second with all this dust on the road,” he said. “If you are doing the trip in less than 90 minutes, you are driving too fast.” 

He also reminds drivers that it is important to make sure your headlights and taillights are turned on so that people coming toward you and up behind you can see you are there.

Huu-ay-aht has committed $5 million to the Bamfield road improvement project and needs an additional $25.7 million to complete it. In addition to making the road safer for residents, workers and visitors, improving the road is an important step for the whole region and can be part of the economic recovery strategy for the Alberni Valley. The City of Port Alberni and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District understand this and have offered their full support, as have other area First Nations communities, the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, the United Steelworkers, Western Forest Products, Mosaic Forest Management, the University of Victoria, Indigenous Tourism BC, Tourism Industry Association of BC, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and other Provincial First Nations organizations.

“Everyone supports and understands the need for this work to be done,” explains Chief Dennis. “We are hopeful that the province will approve this project soon so that we can improve safety and save lives.”

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About Huu-ay-aht First Nations – Huu-ay-aht First Nations is an indigenous community located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is a part of the
Nuu-chah-nulth Nation, formerly called the Nootka. Huu-ay-aht is a party to the Maa-nulth Final Agreement, a modern treaty that grants its five member-nations constitutionally protected self-government as well as ownership, control, and law-making authority over their lands and resources. For more information, visit huuayaht.org.

Huu-ay-aht First Nations is pleased to learn this week that the Nation now  qualifies for the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy that was announced by the Federal Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In April, the federal government introduced the program, offering employers who qualify a subsidy that would cover up to 75 per cent of their employees’ wages for 12 weeks. Businesses must be able to show they have suffered revenue declines of 30 per cent or more as a result of COVID-19. At the time, the Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses did not meet the criteria for this subsidy because the limited partnership structure is not considered an “eligible employer”.

Huu-ay-aht immediately took steps to reverse this decision, including working with the area MP Gord Johns in Ottawa and an aggressive media campaign. The Nations’ efforts paid off, as the Assistant Deputy  Minister of Lands and Economic Development Kelley Blanchette notified Chiefs across Canada, including Huu-ay-aht Chief Councillor Robert J. Dennis Sr. that the Nation now qualified.

“This is very good news for our Nation and our businesses,” explained Chief Dennis. “It just goes to show it’s worth standing up for what you believe in. Because our nation, and others across the country, raised the alarm about unfair criteria, hundreds of jobs will be saved.”

Chief Dennis also pointed out that this highlights the importance of the Nation forming their COVID-19 task force. Because that task force was in place when they learned they were not qualified they were able to come up with a plan and take immediate action.

The Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses was optimistic that the criteria would be changed, therefore, no one has lost their job because of COVID-19. That meant HGB was carrying a significant amount of staffing costs in hopes that the subsidy would become available. That was not sustainable for a long period of time, so this decision to extend the eligibility to include Indigenous government-owned corporations was a critical step. It will be retroactive to March 15, 2020.

HGB will qualify for the subsidy based on its estimates that economic impact will be far greater than the required 30 per cent. In March, the Group of Businesses saw a 34 per cent decrease in forestry revenue, 44 per cent drop in sales at the Market in Bamfield, and a 65 per cent drop in their hospitality revenue. HGB employs 55 full-time equivalent positions during its peak season. The wage subsidy will be applied to these sectors. The Nation is developing an economic recovery plan. The wage subsidy will go a long way to help keep citizens employed and businesses operating during a difficult economic period in Canada.