In 1985, I worked for the late Grand Chief Sam Douglas. He gave me simple but challenging marching orders. My teacher taught me that anything that others do for us – we can do better. He told me that STC needs to take over health, child welfare, and fisheries management. As a young leader, I did that work. Sam trained me and prepared me for the work that I have been doing in health for the past 8 years. Several years ago, in 2006, we began our journey to transform the health system. As Chiefs and Health Directors met, we talked things out. We listened, we learned, and then we acted. This simple process of engagement led to a very powerful consensus. Through listening – we aired out fears, concerns, and doubts. We learned to turn fears, concerns, and doubts into clear direction. To guide our action – Chiefs approved the 7 Directives, Reciprocal Accountability, and an iron-clad separation of business and politics. We did not set out to reach a treaty. Instead, we set out to create tables for shared or joint decision-making. We now have a partnership table with Health Canada. We have a partnership table with the BC Ministry of Health Services. And, our Chiefs in the Regional Caucuses have partnership accords with their Regional Health Authority. When it comes to healthcare, governments no longer take decisions about us – without us. We set out to transform health governance. We reached a huge milestone when the First Nations Health Authority took over the Pacific Region of First Nations Inuit Health Branch on October 1, 2013. Our First Nations Health Authority is delivering the services once delivered by Health Canada. We are working closely with our partners, the BC Ministry of Health Services, the Regional Health Authorities, and Health Canada. The First Nations Health Council and the First Nations Health Directors Association are working together. Our first joint project is to develop advice for the First Nations Health Authority. Our citizens want us to transform those Health Canada programs that are not working for us. We will listen, learn, and then act. Soon, we will transform those programs to increase First Nations decision-making, to improve services, to foster partnership, to develop First Nations capacity, and to function at a high operational standard. In our Tripartite Agreement of October 13, 2011, we agreed to an Annual Meeting of Deputy Ministers. The First Nations Health Council and BC Deputy Ministers are working on a strategy, framework, and plan to improve wellness outcomes. So far, this wellness agenda includes children and families, housing, and environment. Learning from our success in health, we seek to create on-the-ground partnerships between Chiefs and other BC Ministries. Through these partnerships, we will set out tables for shared or joint decision-making. Through these partnerships, Chiefs in the Region will achieve shared decision-making. Working together as healthy partners, we will realize improved outcomes. The BC Government makes a terrible parent. The Federal Government makes a terrible parent. And, it seems that some of our First Nations and Aboriginal Delegated Agencies make terrible parents. The status quo is not acceptable to the governments of BC or Canada. The status quo is not acceptable to our Grandmothers our Aunties. The status quo is not acceptable to our Chiefs and leaders. Yet, we have been mired in the status quo for more than twenty years. Almost a year ago, my friend, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond issued a hard hitting and scathing report. Mary Ellen spared no one when it came to assigning blame. Her report struck hard with Ministers, Deputy Ministers, policy officials, Chiefs, and Caregivers. This report struck hard because it rang true – “When Talk Trumped Service: A Decade of Lost Opportunity for Aboriginal Children and Youth in B.C.” Talking, without purpose, without a vision, does not create transformative change. This kind of talking supports the status quo. In our health work – our dialogue at the local, regional and provincial levels focussed on our vision – “Healthy, self determining and vibrant children, families, and communities.” We listened, learned, and then we acted together. Transformative Change is not achieved by the meek, the weak, or supporters of the status quo. Transformative Change is only achieved by those that are prepared to work with others. The process of transformative change is inclusive – not exclusive. We do not shun others that hold differing views, opinions, or ideas. We work together to air out and understand our fears, concerns, and doubts. Transformative change is only achieved when we listen, learn, and then act together. When the Stó:lō Tribal Council founded our child welfare program in 1992, we enjoyed the support of 23 of 24 Stó:lō communities. Since then political support for our program has steadily diminished. After our political split of 2004, Minister Tom Christensen created the Fraser Valley Aboriginal Children and Family Services Society (FVACFSS) to deliver child welfare services for the Stó:lō and Aboriginal peoples in our homelands. Today, the FVACFSS is holding by a very thin thread the support of 16 Stó:lō communities. Federal and Provincial government officials are well aware of the serious governance and service delivery issues with the Fraser Valley Aboriginal Children and Family Services Society. These officials told me that they are prepared to act. Our agency is in jeopardy because of the directors. The board of directors for the Fraser Valley Aboriginal Children and Family Services Society are failing our children. Rather than working together to resolve agency governance and service delivery issues – the directors are fighting one another. What are they fighting about? They are fighting about who should be the Chair of the Board. The only Director not elected by the FVACFSS members is now the board chair. To me, it looks like Gwen Point removed Gail Starr and Willie Charlie from the board so she could be the Chair. The FVACFSS directors called an Extraordinary Members meeting for tomorrow afternoon to amend the bylaws. The directors want you to ratify their decision to remove Willie and Gail. The FVACFSS members elected Willie and Gail in an open election. Only the FVACFSS members may remove the directors. In 2012, the members removed the directors. At the 2012 AGM – the members held an election and elected Dianne Garner, Teressa James, Brenda Crabtree, Gail Starr, and Tammy Bartz. More than a year ago, the members held an election to fill two vacancies. The members elected Willie Charlie and Wenona Victor. Gwen lost that election bid. I am opposed to the special motion to amend the FVACFSS bylaws. True enough, the bylaws of the FVACFSS are poorly written and need amendment. More than two years ago, the members saw the problems with the FVACFSS bylaws and governance. At the 2012 AGM of the FVACFSS, the members passed a motion calling for a Governance Committee. Last December, the board appointed a Governance Committee. It met twice in December. We talked setting a place for the Chiefs and Councils. We talked about setting a place for our Grandmothers and our Aunties. After the board began to fight amongst themselves, the governance committee never met again. The directors ignored the direction given by FVACFSS members at the 2012 AGM. The directors are fighting amongst themselves. The Stó:lō Tribal Council has been working to resolve the conflicts amongst the FVACFSS directors. We organized two Stó:lō Chiefs’ meetings in February and March. We hired a lawyer in March. Our lawyer wrote to the board. In April, we held a sacred ceremony with the board of directors. We believed that the sacred ceremony created a healthy way to move forward together. Sadly, it did not. So what do we do? Fraser Salish Chiefs approved a Regional Health and Wellness Plan in June this year. This plan gives clear direction to Chief Maureen Chapman, Willie Charlie, and me. We have to work together to resolve the issues with children and family services. Our work is guided by the 7 Directives. We will work to ensure that our child welfare program follows these key directives. We will increase First Nations Decision-making. We will improve services. We will foster meaningful partnership and collaboration. We will develop our human and economic capacity. We will function at a high operational standard. The FVACFSS directors have put the agency in jeopardy. It is up to the members to decide upon a vision. Do we support “Healthy, Self Determining, Vibrant Children, Families, and Communities?” If members support this vision – then our path is clear. We need to support the Fraser Salish Chiefs Regional Health and Wellness Plan. The current board of directors needs to put aside their personal ambitions and work for the children. If the directors refuse then we need to fire this board and elect a new board that will work for our children. Dk:
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 18:20:26 +0000
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