OIB Chief Position Candidacy Announcement

Announcement of Candidacy for Chief

December 2, 2008

After discussions were held with my family, I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the position of Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band.

As many of you know, I have was born and raised on our reserve and believe that our reserve is my true home. Even though I have been living off-reserve over these many years, with the sole purpose of gaining an education, it has always been my intention to return home, when that time had come. Through these many years I have committed to; an alcohol and drug free life, learning to drum and actively learning our language, culture, teachings and attending ceremonies. All the while I received a degree, held many rewarding employment positions, volunteered my time whenever I could and raised a family. Now, I really believe that time is here: Time for me to come home.

I believe that a Chief should be bound by the traditional principles and guidelines that have been taught to us through our stories and language. Because, through leadership can come the revitalization of our people, as Syilx, all the while remembering how our elders have instructed us to live by “protect the land, protect the people”.  That is why I believe we need to move forward as a people, because it is the collective nature of how we approach leadership that will produce the most crucial decisions that must be made over the next two years; how do we as a community:

·      Ensure that everyone has a voice, especially our youth and elders

·      Put power back into the hands of the people

·      Regenerate our language, culture and traditions, for the long term

·      Ensure that we are getting the most value for our precious land

·      Ensure that development benefits everyone, the whole community

·      Make our own health a priority and create a healthy community

·      Ensure that everyone is treated equally and fairly

·      Make education a real priority

·      Ensure there is accountability and transparency throughout the Band, in all operations and departments.

Overall, we can take comfort that we can and are meant to move forward and act together, as a people. Since, as our elders have taught us; the more people that are included into the decision making process the more likely it will benefit everyone because then we will confidently know all the issues, positives and negatives, will have been addressed and discussed before a decision has been made. 

Over the past 10 years I received a Bachelors of Business Administration Degree and during that degree my major was Finance and Financial Management. During my Masters studies I focused my research on our traditional governance, how we, as Syilx, have governed ourselves throughout history, the changes that occurred and how we can revitalize our traditional governance structures and principles. Currently, as a Doctorate student I have focused my studies on Economics; economics from a Syilx, as well as other Indigenous Peoples, perspectives. I believe that we can find a way to balance our traditional values and principles with economic development and do not have to simply adopt and copy what is done off reserve. There are real and viable alternatives, but it is up to us to choose them.  This is where our elders come in, and there needs to be real inclusion for our elders within decisions made, inclusion that goes beyond giving the opening prayer. Because, it is our elders that hold the teachings that will enable us to bridge the gap between our own path and the non-native path.

I believe that our governance is key to moving our people forward, and I am not new to politics, as I have experience at the Band, Nation, Provincial, National, and even the International level. Previously, I have held the ONA Natural Resource Committee Co-chair for two years, which was a body that represented all Bands of the Okanagan Nation, where I was called upon to participate in upper level government-to-government discussions on developments within our traditional territory.

Also, I was recently hired as a Professor at the Okanagan College in Kelowna. This school year I will teach First Nations Studies 12 and Aboriginal Studies 100. The main message in both classes: We, as Indigenous People, have our own Indigenous knowledge, teachings and education, which are just as valid as non-native education systems. Teaching has been very rewarding, as I often learned along with the students who brought a fresh new perspective to the issues discussed, and for that reason, I truly believe our youth should be directly included in the decisions made within our Band.

These are some of the reasons why I am in this race and why I believe it is time to come home. I consider the Chief’s position in our Band carries a huge responsibility, mainly because that person is accountable every day and accountable for every action, and that is how I will approach the position and humbly ask for your support.

I welcome your questions, comments, suggestions and wisdom. Please feel free to contact me by email at ebaptiste12@hotmail.com or call my cell 250.486.4919.

Lim’limpt

Ethan Baptiste