Editor:

Re: ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake Band

Just because a piece of paper says your status does not mean it's true.

In the early 60s the people who did not sell their lands or their status remained on the reservation, but the ones that did sell their status were given $500, 10 cases of beer, one case of wine, and one case of whisky (my father passed down this information to me before he passed on). It used to be that if a First Nation woman married a non-First Nation man, the First Nation women along with any kids they had together would not be eligible to qualify for First Nation status.

Those people are now, who sold their designation as status First Nations, are now trying to regain their designation which is perfectly fine and I wish them the best of luck in obtaining there lost designation. The issue I do have is that here are non-status people obtaining membership through the ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake Band without prior consent of the community or without following traditional and or modern protocols.

When I and one of our current councilors wanted to join the ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake Band and we had to go house to house to canvas our intentions to become band members.

I feel these protocols are not being followed which creates the impression that they are picking and choosing who they want to become band members without consulting the band membership. In our traditional ways we respect our elders, who are our original leaders and our first teachers and look to them for guidance and wisdom.

It has been brought to my attention that off reserve band members have received their forms for this year's election for chief and council, and to date none of the on reserve members have yet received their nominations forms.

I have had no communication from the current chief, councilors or the electoral officer as to what the status of the election process is currently residing in.

This lack of communication from the current leadership is creating distrust with me. I feel leadership is not conducting them in the transparency that I have become accustomed to with past leadership.

There have not been no community meetings to update membership on issues such as the budget, new membership, where and what funding is allocated to. I feel that our current chief and council do not care about the people that they are representing, and that they give the impression of looking down on their own people and that we are a burden to them.

The chief and council need to remember that they are in their position not to pursue their own beliefs or own personal goals, but are there to be the communities voice and are there to make the communities beliefs and goals a reality.

They must not forget that at the end of the day each band member is their boss and they must respect and address any and all concerns brought to their attention by the membership. As a band member who believes that our chief and councils values have been skewed, and that they have lost sight of the community's interests, and traditional practices, I will be refusing all new membership until the proper protocols have been followed.

Sincerely and  respectfully,

Rose Marie West