The Squamish Nation is gearing up for a seat shuffle at its head table.
Next month, Nation members will elect 16 councillors and a band manager to lead the community.
Chief Gibby Jacob, who has spent 32 years in the political arena, will be one of 58 names on the ballot. Under his leadership the Nation developed a Community Development Plan an update to the Capilano Master Plan. The community is running out of space on the North Shore, Jacob said. It's time its leadership started looking at the 467 hectares the Nation acquired in Squamish in 2011, he added.
Before I leave, I want to have some of these developments started, he said.
Historically, Squamish Nation's voter turnout sits at roughly 50 per cent, a better average then Canada's provincial and federal elections, Jacob noted. This year's council candidate list carries a similar number of names as the Squamish Nation's last election, but there are more candidates for band manager, he said.
There will be a lot of people going door to door, Jacob said.
Squamish resident Dale Harry's name will be on the ballot. He's served three terms on council.
There is really a lot of interest in our nation, he said of the election.
For the past 10 years, young adults between the ages of 25 to 39 have made up the largest proportion of the population. As a result, employment, training and education top Harry's priority list.
There are more people coming to the nation, he added.
With the nation's traditional territory at 6,732 square kilometres, a membership of 3,600 people and multiple companies under its control, there's a lot at stake, council candidate Joanne Nahanee said. She's put her hat in the ring to add transparency to the nation's processes, she said.
Information needs to get to its membership and they need to have a say in where they want to go, Nahanee said, noting that if elected she intends to donate her council salary to the community.
Advance polling takes place Dec. 2 and 3 at Totem Hall from 9 to 4 p.m. The election is slated for Dec. 8. For more information visit www.squamish.net.
