The status of controversial Squamish Nation councillors Krisandra Jacobs and Glen Newman is still up in the air and the lack of communication is symptomatic of the problems facing the people, says a pair of Nation residents.
An independent investigation completed earlier this year for band council by lawyer Nazeer Mitha revealed that $1.5 million managed by the duo from the band’s emergency fund was not properly accounted for over the past two years.
Squamish Nation members then passed two motions at two separate meetings in North Vancouver and Squamish earlier this fall to remove the pair, but they still have refused to step down, the residents said.
“We haven’t heard anything, and nothing has happened since [Nov. 16],” said Carol Joseph.
“They’re still not returning emails or phone calls and as far as we know they haven’t stepped down,” said Jo-Ann Nahanee.
It’s Squamish Nation custom for the people to give instruction to the council to be followed, but the pair said it hasn’t been the case in this situation. They said Jacobs, Newman and the rest of council have been mostly silent since the last meeting back in November.
“There’s been no meetings and everyone has been asking for general meeting, but they’re not giving us an answer at all,” Joseph said.
“It appears we have to do things publicly through the media in order to get any business pushed further,” Nahanee said. “Krissy has defied and still hasn’t stepped down and Glen has been very quiet. He hasn’t been in attendance at the office or any other gatherings.”
Squamish Nation has public council meetings usually every three months but no notice has been posted for the next meeting, which should take place sometime in February.
“We’re hearing that they’re not wanting to hold the one they’re supposed to hold next month,” Nahanee said. “They want to let this all blow over, but we’re not going to let that happen.”
Nahanee said she and many others think the two councillors are still operating as business as usual despite the fact that they should have both stepped down.
“We believe they’re still being paid and showing up at the office,” she said. “We want to question why they’re not following our tradition because the people have spoken and they’re not complying. An elder told us on Saturday (Jan. 24) that this is the first time that a chief and council have not listened to the people in Squamish.”
Squamish Nation members went to the RCMP in Squamish and North Vancouver following the last meeting, along with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC).
“We want them charged and would like them to check finances back to the year 2000,” Joseph said.
The pair staged a sit-in protest at Totem Hall on Saturday to voice their displeasure and they heard at the protest that AANDC is investigating the Nation’s initial investigation into Jacobs and Newman’s dealings.
The communication issues with council have extended to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) issue. Nahanee and Joseph are both worried that council hasn’t done enough to inform the people.
“Some of the chief and council are for LNG, and we have told them the people have their own voice,” Nahanee said. “The chief and council don’t speak for the people. They have to come to the people to go through our territory, and most of the people are against it.”
“If it goes through, we need to see at least half of the 4,000 signatures of our Nation,” said Joseph. “Any land issues need to be done through a vote of the people.”
Nahanee said council makes it difficult for people to speak up.
“It’s a real problem in our community,” she said. “Only a select few get up and speak – our community is so oppressed and afraid. Everyone’s livelihood stems from the band.”
Newman, Jacobs and the other current councillors were voted in this past September and have terms of four years.
Squamish Nation council did not respond by press time to The Squamish Chief’s requests for comment.
