The Sunshine Coast’s new member of Parliament, Pam Goldsmith-Jones, sat down with Sechelt Indian Band (SIB) Chief Calvin Craigan this week during a taping of Voices of Shíshálh, the chief’s political talk show, to outline ways she could help the band.
She was warmly welcomed by Craigan and councillors Randy Joe and Garry Feschuk before being gifted with a special red cedar hat that’s traditionally given only to matriarchs.
“Because Pam is such a great communicator,” Craigan said, “we’re hoping that she’s going to be able to help our council with the reconciliation that’s happening with the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] and we need her to communicate to the ministers that we need to meet with the ministers who are in charge of the environment, the land and all the resources. Those are our mainstay because we were here and were put here to protect the land and the resources, and we’re doing that for the entire community.
“So we’re asking Pam to make those events happen. We’re asking Pam to be our communicator, we’re asking Pam to fulfill those obligations. We would like to celebrate with her one day, and we’re hoping that day will come soon.”
Goldsmith-Jones said she would do what she could to help.
On the issue of residential schools and compensating day scholars for the abuses suffered, Goldsmith-Jones said she would commit to arranging a meeting between the SIB and the federal government to try to resolve the issue through negotiation.
“It’s not just the saddest chapter in the history of your people, it’s the saddest chapter in the history of all Canadians, in my view, and certainly from the leadership of our prime minister and throughout this government. Truth and Reconciliation and the things that can flow from that, if we do it properly, are hopeful and are our priorities,” Goldsmith-Jones said.
“I know that Minister [of Indigenous and Northern Affairs] Carolyn Bennett will meet with you, and I will help facilitate that, of course.”
She noted that a recent mandate letter penned by Bennett talks about working things out in a way that doesn’t require litigation.
“That is draining everybody’s resources in more ways than one. So, I’m not the minister, but absolutely I can get you that meeting with the minister and I wouldn’t mind coming with you for the beginning of it as your representative as well as a representative of everyone in our community,” Goldsmith-Jones said.
On the topic of housing, Goldsmith-Jones was asked if she could set up a meeting with the appropriate minister so the SIB could seek infrastructure money to build 120 new homes on band land.
“We have a very big shortage of homes and we haven’t received any dollars in the last few years,” noted Joe.
“We need infrastructure money to get that started.”
Goldsmith-Jones said the infrastructure investment program handed down from the last government would stay in place for 2016, but added the issue was worth raising with Bennett when the band sits down with her. “Because there’s a special aspect of housing that pertains to First Nations communities,” she said.
At the end of the talk show, Craigan gifted Goldsmith-Jones with a woven red cedar hat to show the band’s appreciation of the MP.
“Very seldom do we honour a member of Parliament with the honour that we’re about to have,” Craigan said.
“It’s traditional in our people that because our people were generally a matriarch people, whereby the primary leaders were actually female in the past, and because of that, we are going to honour Pam with a gift that’s traditionally given only to matriarchs.”
Goldsmith-Jones said it was “truly an honour” before asking when and where she could wear the special headdress.
“It is so special, so you will have to pick and choose when the event is, when you feel it in your heart,” Craigan said.
Goldsmith-Jones then gifted Craigan with a candle in a glass vase that he “can use anytime.”
“I’d like you when you light it to think about the hope, the light that we all carry and that the globe is all of us protecting that light together,” Goldsmith-Jones said.
“It’s going to sometimes feel like the light’s going out, but maybe we can just remember this day and our commitment to one another.”
The MP’s appearance on Voices of Shishalh is planned to air on Coast Cable this weekend. It will also be available online at www.shishalh.com
