Sechelt Indian Band Chief Garry Feschuk has decided not to seek a fifth term in office.
Instead, after 12 years as chief, Feschuk is running for a position on the band council in the Feb. 26 Sechelt Indian Band election.
At a nomination meeting Jan. 31, three band members were nominated for chief: Calvin Craigan, Stan Dixon and Barbara Joe. Craigan and Dixon are both former chiefs. Joe, who worked for the Sechelt Band for more than 10 years, most recently as a finance manager, is the first woman to run for the office of chief.
Nine people were nominated for band council: Feschuk, former chief Tom Paul, Daphne Paul, Keith Julius, Jamie Jeffries, Marita Paul, Howard Joe, Alvina Paul and Carol Louie. Another nominee for band council, Nadine Hoehne, was declared "not eligible per Sechelt Indian Band constitution" by the band's electoral officer, Lenora Dixon.
Stan Dixon was chief when the Sechelt Indian Band achieved self-government in 1986. He has remained in politics, serving several terms as a councillor for the District of Sechelt, and is currently on the band council and is the band's representative on the regional district board.
Craigan served as chief from 1974 to 1983, then worked as a band manager for several other First Nations.
"After that I came back home and finished business school, then served a term as councillor [in the 1990s]," said Craigan. "At that time I didn't like the direction we were taking. I decided to step back and have a long look at where the band was heading."
Craigan now runs a gravel trucking business that has expanded into doing ship assists at the Construction Aggregates Ltd. gravel-loading pier.
"Ninety per cent of my employees are band members we've trained up. I believe in training and capacity building," said Craigan, who plans to make economic development and better jobs a priority if he is elected chief.
"My priority is going to be to bring our people together. I want to build a really good, progressive team. That was lacking in Garry's regime. He didn't have a proper team. I think he's grown very, very tired trying to do it alone."
Ashley Joe, Barbara Joe's daughter, called her mother's nomination "history in the making."
"She's the first woman to be nominated for chief, ever," said the younger Joe.
Barbara Joe said she aims to improve communication, both within the Sechelt Band and with other First Nations.
"We're at a very critical time in terms of decisions being made now," said Joe. "I'm concerned the issues aren't being given enough discussion."
The band's unresolved land claim is a priority for Joe.
"More and more First Nations in B.C. are joining together instead of trying to fight the government individually," she said. "We need to be able to communicate with other First Nations."
Joe said the fact she is new to politics is an advantage.
"I don't have any baggage," she said. "People all over are looking for new candidates with a fresh point of view."
Voting day for band members is Feb. 26. The polling station at the band's new social development building will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. An advance poll will be held at the same location Feb. 20 from 2 to 6 p.m.
