OKANAGAN INDIAN BAND12420 Westside Road

Vernon BC V1H 2A4 December 2020SENK’LIP NEWSSENK’LIP NEWS

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Chief & Council encourage you to continue to social distance, wash your hands, and wear a mask in public to

protect one another as we move through the second wave.

Continued on page 2

OKIB Health is pleased to announce the opening of the new OKIB Primary Care Clinic, established in partnership with Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice and Interior Health.

“The Medical Clinic is now open to members and their familes both on and off reserve,” said Chief Byron Louis. “It represents a new approach to providing health care services and access to doctors on OKIB reserve land. Now, OKIB members can receive care at all stages of life, right here in community. It is a major benefit for OKIB members and it is sure to be well used.”

The Clinic will provide easy access to culturally-safe care on reserve for all OKIB members. The Clinic is open by appointment Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a doctor will be on site.

The partnership among OKIB, the Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice, Interior Health, and the location of the clinic on reserve land make this a unique program.

Team-based care approachThe Clinic uses a team-based care approach to health

care. Team-based health care happens when different health care providers work together with you to meet your health care needs. The providers you see will depend on the nature of your condition.

Through this unique partnership we aim to become your “medical home” where the majority of your health care can be provided in a culturally safe and welcoming space.

Want to see a doctor? The new OKIB Medical Clinic is accepting patients

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YOUR health care teamYOU are at the centre of your care team which may include several health care providers:

• Your family physician• Primary care nurse• Mental health and addictions support• Public health• Home and community care

Primary care services offered through the OKIB Medical Clinic include:

• Medical assessments, diagnosis and treatment plans

• Physical exams for newborns including baby growth and development checks

• Frail seniors and elderly care• Chronic disease screening and

management (including diabetes, hypertension, and COPD and lung disease

• Sexual health counselling and management including birth control options, check-ups and screening, and

OKIB Primary Care Clinic (continued from page 1)teen health

• Specialist referrals• Mental health care focusing on patient

choice• Support and treatment for alcohol and

drug addictions• Medication management and renewals• Vaccinations

If you want to talk with a doctor or nurse please call 250-503-0877 to make an appointment.

Clinic HoursTuesdays and Thursdays8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Phone: 250-503-0877Fax: 250-503-0876

Clinic Location OKIB Health Centre Head of the Lake Road Vernon BC V1H 2A4

Christmas Cheque

$402020 Christmas

Cheque

$140

One-time COVID-19 Support

$100+ =Christmas cheques will contain $100 COVID-19 supplement

Good news this year as Christmas cheques totaling $40 per Band Member will be issued December 11, 2020. Chief and Council have also authorized a one-time $100 per Band Member COVID-19 supports distribution that will be issued December 11, 2020.Please ensure that your mailing addresses and email addresses are up to date. Send any updates

to the membership coordinator to ensure your payment is mailed correctly: Veronica Wilson, Membership Coordinator veronica.wilson@okanagan.org 236-600-0162 Also, if you receive OKIB payments via direct deposit please ensure that you notify the Band Office of any bank account changes or updates. Call 250-542-4328.

December 2020 3

OOkkaannaaggaann IInnddiiaann BBaanndd

SScchhooooll DDeessiiggnn CCoommmmuunniittyy MMeeeettiinngg

CCoonnttaacctt:: Sandie Derrickson - School Design Coordinator EEmmaaiill:: sdcoordinator@okanagan.org MMoobbiillee:: (250) 306 4404

Introduction to the Project– Envisioning a New School Space

WHEN: December 3, 2020, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Zoom (use link below)

Meeting ID: 878 0374 7797 Passcode: 451431

TOPIC: Introduce OKIB Community to the School Design process and seek input from membership on this important project.

DDuuee ttoo CCOOVVIIDD--1199 ccoommmmuunniittyy mmeeeettiinnggss aarree vviiaa ZZoooomm.. AAllll ccoommmmuunniittyy mmeeeettiinngg wwiillll bbee rreeccoorrddeedd ffoorr ffuuttuurree vviieewwiinngg..

WWee aarree aallll iinn tthhiiss ttooggeetthheerr..

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87803747797?pwd=Wlk0K0xHT05RY2d6NXQyR3N3L0hlQT09

Meeting ID: 878 0374 7797Passcode: 451431

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By order and direction of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), all individuals, places of work and businesses in B.C. must significantly reduce their level of social interactions and travel.

PHO order on province-wide restrictionsThe order is in effect until December 7, 2020 at midnight, at that point a new order will be pending and may or may not change.

Social gatherings and eventsNo social gatherings of any size with anyone other than your household or core bubble. For example:

• Do not invite friends or extended family to your household

• Do not host gathering outdoors• Do not gather in your backyard• Do not have playdates for children• Seasonal activities.

Core bubbleFor most people, their core bubble is their immediate household. For others, their core bubble may contain a partner, relative, friend or co-parent who lives in a different household. This should be a maximum of two people outside of those living in your immediate household.

People who live alonePeople who live alone cannot host gatherings. They can continue to see the same one or two people of their core bubble at each other’s homes.

University studentsWelcoming your child home from university is okay. This is not a social gathering..

Allowed activitiesThese activities are not considered a social gathering:

• Going for a walk. You must make sure a walk does not turn into a group of people meeting outside

• Parents carpooling kids to and from school• Grandparents providing child care.

Business on OKIB LandsBusiness can continue to operate as long as they have a COVID safety plan and employee protocols in place.

You should only visit a business with people in your household or core bubble.

Worship Services

Worship services can continue to operate as long as they have a COVID safety plan in place. These plans include measures like physical distancing, small numbers of seats, cleaning protocols and mask wearing.

Gyms and recreation facilitiesGyms and recreation facilities that offer individual workouts and personal training sessions can remain open as long as they have a COVID-19 Safety Plan that is strictly followed.

Mask requirementsMasks are now required for everyone in all public indoor settings and workplaces. People who cannot put on or remove a mask on their own are exempt.

• Employers are expected to enforce the mandatory mask policy with both employees and customers.

• Schools are not public, open spaces

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— you cannot go walk into a school. However teachers should continue to wear masks and encourage students to do the same.

• A customer can be refused entry or service if they do not wear a mask.

Masks at workplacesMasks are required in all workplaces for shared work areas and areas where physical distancing cannot be maintained. This includes:

• Elevators• Kitchens• Hallways• Customer counters• Break rooms

Travel advisoryAt this time, all non-essential travel should be avoided. This includes travel into and out of B.C. and between regions of the province. For example:

• Do not travel for a vacation• Do not travel to visit friends or family

outside of your household or core bubble.

What is essential travel?

Individual circumstances may affect whether a particular trip is considered essential or non- essential. Essential travel within B.C. includes:

• Regular travel for work within your region• Travel for things like medical appointment

and hospital visits.If you need to travel for essential reasons, take the same health and safety precautions you do at home. Travel only with yourself, household or pandemic bubble.

EnforcementDuring a public health emergency under the Public Health Act, the PHO can make orders as needed. You must follow the orders.Under the Government’s Emergency Program Act, some orders can be enforced by police or other compliance and enforcement officials. People who don’t follow these orders could be fined.Please follow the link below for a more comprehensive list of Province wide restrictions.https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19- provincial-support/restrictions

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The Okanagan Indian Band through OKIB Management Services LP (a divi-sion of Okanagan Indian Band Group of Companies) will be holding a ref-erendum to commercially designate 52 acres on the Duck Lake reserve for new economic leasing purposes. UpdatesEarlier this month, as we started the communication process of the designation, incomplete information packages were sent out by mail to Band members. Indigenous Services Canada acknowledges and apologizes for this error.In communication with Chief and Council we think it is best to push out the designation date to ensure new information packages can be sent out and all members have time to review and ask questions.At the time of publishing this newsletter Council has requested a new vote date for January 28, 2021. ISC has approved this date and is working on implementing, please watch for documenta-tion from us and ISC.Successful first information meetingWe would like to thank all who joined us for the first information meeting held on Wednesday November 18. We appreciated all the great ques-tions, comments and feedback shared. We hope members who could not make the first meeting, can join us for the second information meeting on January 6, 2021 where we will cover:• An overview of the designation• Learn more about OKIB Group of Companies• Share exciting development plans for the

future• And, most importantly, answer your ques-

tions.

Information night #2: January 6, 2021, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/96546703354

Frequently asked questions:Why change the current designation?A designation allows the Band to add another 20 acres for commercial development and attract new businesses to operate on these lands.

Why now?Market conditions have changed since it was originally designated in the 90s and this property is in high commercial demand. The designation would allow OKIB, through its corporate entity the Okanagan Group of Companies (OKIBGC) to cre-ate the solid framework needed for businesses to operate and bring benefits onto OKIB land. Ben-efits include lease revenue, employment, secure financing, space for entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and more.

Duck Lake Land Designation update and Q&A

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What is the term of the designation?The term of the designation is indefinite. How-ever, the individual term of a tenant occupying the land is set out in the lease terms. On average lease terms run between 5 to 7 years. As we were negotiating the terms of the designation, it was recommended it is not necessary to have an end date on the designation.

What will the rent be and to what entity will the rent be paid?Council can decide if the lease revenue is set up with a Band owned business entity or with ISC di-rectly to an account controlled by Canada.

If OKIBGC holds the head lease, the rent will be collected by them. At the end of the year the OKIB Chief & Council on behalf of membership decides where the available money will be spent. The money can be reinvested into future business opportunities or directed to OKIB programs, infra-structure, or even a dividend to members.

Join the OKIB Group of Companies e-mailing listFor updates on the designation and to receive a reminder about the upcoming information meet-ing, please send an email to communications@okibgc.ca, and we will add you to our deployment list. For more details visit: okib.ca/landvote

Christmas looks a lot different, this year as we are currently experiencing the second wave and as numbers increase Dr. Bonnie Henry has BC in a two week semi-lock down. For everyone's health, the Health & Social Development department will not be offering hampers this year. Instead, Social Development will issue gift cards to clients. The cards will be distributed during the weeks of Dec. 14 to 23.

Income AssistanceIncome assistance eligibility is on a month to month basis, employable singles and employable couples must make contact via email, phone and or coming by the (Social Development) office when able to, to fill out the monthly declaration slip. If the Social development worker does not hear from you, your IA maybe affected. Social Development will be asking for a current updated resume. If you do not have an updated resume then a workshop and support will be given to create one. People that are exempt from seeking employment and or completing work search forms are: • PWD (persons with a disability)• Single parent with a child under the age of

three

Social Development Update• PPMB (Persons with persistent and multiple

barriers)PPMB forms can be picked up at the Social Development office. Jennifer Jack Jennifer.jack@okanagan.org Call or text 236-599-0023.All employable people are to be actively seeking employment and/or taking training and upskilling to become employable. If you are unable to seek employment for any reasons not listed please let the worker know so we are better able to support you.

Employment Resources are availableResources are available to assist with employ-ment. OKIB is a part of the Preemployment supports program. For more information contact Randi Robins (caseworker) PESP Vernon pespvernon@okanagan.org cell: 250 241- 2874.Debra Bob (OTDC) - ET Coordinator etcoordinator@okanagan.org cell: 250 540-6366. https://www.otdc.org/

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Council's CornerWay’ Community,

This is the second edition of the OKIB Chief and Council Corner, which was started as a request from members to get monthly updates from the Chief and Council.

The Komasket Arbor is looking very good now, it will be complete soon. I urge anyone who can to take a drive down and take a look. I would like to thank all of those involved in making this happen for our community.

The Range Bylaw is being enforced and the unbranded and branded animals will be removed in the very near future for the overall greater health and safety of our community. Although we are enforcing the law, the Open Range will continue every year and there are absolutely no plans to change that designation.

I am optimistic that we will be receiving more housing for the Members in the very near future, so stay tuned!

As many of you are aware, the Duck Lake designation vote was postponed due to an error from INAC which had pages missing. A new package is coming out and will be available for Membership to read. The vote will be taking place early in the New Year.

Chief and Council will be taking Conflict of Interest training to enhance our understanding of the dynamics of conflict. This training will benefit the Council and ensure we work together in a positive way moving forward.

Okanagan Indian Band has four doctors that are available at the Health Building for all off and on reserve members! The Clinic will provide easy access to culturally-safe care on reserve for all OKIB members. The clinic is open by appointment Tuesday’s and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 4:30pm and a doctor will be on site. Phone: 250-503-0877

The OKIB Fire Department has started the process of where a second Fire Hall should be located in the north end of the Reserve (Round Lake/Head of the Lake areas) Professionals have been called in to assist in moving us towards Full Certification, which will drastically lower house insurance and greatly improve our response to a variety of emergencies.

As many of you are aware we have struck a deal with Silver Star, allowing us free passes and discounts at the hill. Please contact Dwayne Lawrence by email at youthrecreation@okanagan.org for more information regarding the unique opportunities that our deal offers!

The Wood program is still in full swing, please contact the Health and Social Development office for more information.

The Group of Companies and Civil X have been removing existing materials at the pit, and has already brought revenue into the Company and the Band. I look forward to having the pit in full operation in the future.

Garett J. Lawrence, Councillor, Okanagan Indian Band and Echo, aka Magoo.

December 2020 9

There will be 2 cheques coming out in the Christmas, the regular Christmas cheque of $40 and another $100 one-time disbursement to all Members from the COVID-19 dollars.

Overall, I believe we have been steadily moving forward, with a few bumps along the way. We are improving our Governance, protecting our Title and Rights, bringing in wealth for OKIB, and continuing to keep our Members safe and healthy.

I just want to say that I appreciate all of the staff during COVID-19 times, it has been hard on all of

December 2020

Monday, December 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, December 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, December 21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

January 2021

Monday, January 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, January 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, January 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Upcoming Band Council meetingsBand Council meetings are held online by Zoom meeting and you are welcome to participate. Go to OKIB.ca and click on the Zoom logo or go to

Zoom.com and type in Meeting ID 921 6303 5859 and Passcode 294894.

us and I commend each and every one of you.

For all of the Members, please stay safe, happy, and healthy! Let’s collectively work together to continue moving forward.

Enjoy the Holiday season, and have a great Christmas and New Year!

Lemlimt

Garett J. Lawrence Councillor, Okanagan Indian Band

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Children learn to focus on things to be grateful for and they share the list with usDaycare/Head Start and Preschool/Kindergarten/Grade 1 by Lorraine Laden, Manager

Visit from SantaSanta will be making an appearance at snc’c’amala?tn the morning of Friday, December 18. This year I hear that he will be doing a drive by Snc’c’amala?tn rather than coming indoors to visit…maybe on his sleigh with his reindeer?! We’ll see!

Christmas HampersWe will be collecting non-perishable food items in the lobby to contribute to the OKIB food hampers. We are grateful for any donations.Welcome to our new Kindergarten TeacherWe are very pleased to welcome Roseanna Goodman as the new Kindergarten Teacher.

Roseanna is from the Yukon and she is a Liard First Nations member. She brings a wealth of experience in early learning and teaching, administration and working with First Nations. She has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina; an Early Childhood Education Certificate; and Diploma in Legal Administration. She is enthusiastic and passionate about young children and indeed seems very happy to be here. Please join me in welcoming Roseanna to our school.

Cultural StaffRamona Wilson has returned to the centre as Cultural Worker. It’s great that Ramona knows so many of the children already, as well as most of the staff. Ramona has many talents and much knowledge to share with the children. We are very happy to have her back. Will Cohen has recently

December 2020 11

joined us and he and Ramona are working together as a team. Will is a gifted language learner and instructor. The children enjoy him and it is apparent that he enjoys the children. Welcome, Will.

Special Needs WorkerJoe Tronson has started working in the Preschool with children who need extra support. He is eager to learn from the NONA Supported Child Development Consultant, Trina Devine, who comes in weekly. Joe, we are enjoying your friendly disposition. Congratulations on joining our team!

Season’s GreetingsLet’s focus on the things we have learnt to be even more grateful for during this year of the pandemic. Here are a few things you may love or miss:

• Our children.• Our Elders.• Our home.• Our health care workers.• A sunrise and sunset.• A walk in the woods.• A swim in the lake.• The chance to slow down.• The internet.• New pastimes, interests and hobbies.• Friends and family and restored

connections with others.• Our pets.• The freedoms we enjoy.• Baking bread.• Books.• The simple everyday things we often take

for granted.• Good health.• A warm bath.• Our local businesses.

• Our own inner strength.• Art.• Our employers and co-workers.• HUGS and touch.• Netflix.• A clear night sky and stargazing.• The essential workers in stores,

pharmacies, transportation, police officers, delivery people, first responders and so many more.

• Music.• Time to reflect.• The country we live in.• And don’t forget our schools and child

care centres; teachers and early childhood educators and all the wonderful support staff.

From all of the staff at snc’c’amala?tn, warm wishes to everyone. Let your heart be light and your days be merry and bright this holiday season.

Infant/Toddler DaycareHappy November Birthday wishes to Roberta, Lennox and Carter!! We have been really enjoying our outside time. The children enjoy playing in the early snow, and they have mini snow shovels and are very helpful with clearing snow from their bike path and playground areas. Friendly reminder to send children with winter gear, and a change of clothes for these extra wet and colder days. We have been doing lots of free colouring, and some gluing and painting activities. We look forward to doing some beading with Ramona in the coming weeks. We have set up the art area a little differently as each child has their own supplies and art is done one on one to ensure clean and sanitized areas for the children.

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We have adjusted to our new normal within the center and work hard at keeping things safe but still fun for the children. Reminder that when dropping children off, that one family in the cubby area at a time and please reframe from entering the program area. One of the teachers will bring your children to meet you in the cubby area.Thank you from Mary, Kelsey, Theresa, and Nancy

Head Start / 3 to 5-Year-Old DaycareHappy Birthday Caelum, Happy Birthday to Nicole Wilson!We are doing a lot of winter art in Head Start right now; the children are excited to show it off and bring it home. We hope you are enjoying their hard work as we get ready for the holidays.Head Start programs encourage children to enjoy life-long learning by us providing great opportunities for them to use their creativity, social skills and much more. If parents have any questions or input as to what they would like to see, please don’t hesitate to call me, Denise, at 250-545-3800.

We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday season! See you all in 2021Xast aks sputa from Denise, Autumn, Jessica and our Cultural Workers: Ramona and Willy

Preschool / spepalina roomHappy Birthday Kiro on December 26.Our preschool class celebrated National Child Day

by having a Teddy Bear Picnic and Pajama day.In December our class will be learning Christmas songs in Okanagan. We continue teaching numbers, calendar, weather, colours and animals in our language.Happy Holidays from Karla, Miranda, and Joe

Kindergarten / Pqel’qin room The K5/Grade 1 class has been very busy since Hallowe’en! We made a beautiful Remembrance Day display of poppy wreaths we had made. We respectfully watched a video made by Fulton high school students on the Okanagan people’s contributions to the two world wars,

followed by two minutes of silence. We have all been working hard on our regular school work, as well as enjoying learning our language and culture from our excellent teachers Ramona, Willy, Ashley and Mari. Recently, in honour of International Children’s Day on November 20, we have started learning the United Nations International Rights of the Child. We will celebrate on Friday by coming to school in our pajamas. We are pleased to have our new classroom teacher, Ms. Goodman on board! Mrs. Maher-Schley and Ms. Goodman, Jennifer Kuric, Kristen Tardiff.

Continued from page 9

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DECEMBER HOLIDAYS 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

13

14

15

16

17

18 Santa parade

19

22

21 School closed

for Christmas

Break. No Preschool or Kindergarten or

Grade 1

22 School closed

for Christmas

Break. No Preschool or Kindergarten or

Grade 1

23 School closed

for Christmas

Break. No Preschool or Kindergarten or

Grade 1

24 All programs

closed

25 All programs closed

CHRISTMAS

26

BOXING DAY

27

28

All programs closed

29

All programs closed

30

All programs closed

31

All programs closed

JANUARY HOLIDAYS 2021 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 All programs closed

2

3 4 Snc’c’amala?tn

and school reopen

5

6 7 8 9

Senk’lip 14

limləmt to TSD and the rest of the hunting camp crew for providing the Language Nest with deer and moose meat to fill our freezer, it is greatly appreciated. Shout out to Mona and Vern Tronson. limləmt for sharing your knowledge of tanning hides with our L&C team. We are well on our way for the fall session and it has been amazing getting to know our new little ones. We have a fairly young morning session as they are all 2 and under so we do have our hands full -– in a good way, we have our youngest member joining us on December 1 after his 1st birthday. Our afternoon session (4-5 year olds) the boys have picked up where they left off last spring and it’s so good to see how much language they have retained over the long break.September was a short month but a busy one, the Language Nest team had the opportunity to learn to tan hides with Mona and Vern Tronson – again limləmt for sharing your knowledge with our team. Our LN team participated in harvesting huckleberries and Orange Shirt Day, limləmt to Peggy Joe for the delicious cookies (orange shirt). Highlight: one of our younger children is starting to try the words (he’s under 2 so not talking yet)

Language and Culture Departmentckʷu kʷ ƛl̓ap il skʷkʷƛi̓lt naɬ ƛ̓x̌əxƛ̌x̓ǎp Language Nest October and November Update

and understanding a lot of what’s being spoken to him and responds accordingly. As we are not able to have our elders physically in the Nest so they have started visiting virtually on Zoom until it is safe for all to be together – the Elders are dearly missed and the Elders have let us know that they missing being in the Nest with the children as well.

COVID-19: During this time the staff are extra precautions by sanitizing / washing all toys prior to next child(ren)’s use. As of November 23 all staff are wearing masks and ensuring that anyone

enters the building also wears a mask and sanitize at the entrance. We take all the children’s temperature upon arrival as all our children’s health and safety is our priority. There are two available spot available for the afternoon session so if you or anyone you know may be interested in registering your child please contact our office 250-503-5593 or email: LNCoordinator@okanagan.org Language Nest Winter Break Closure: at this time we are

schedule to close after our last session on December 18th, 2020 and re-open on January 5, 2021- but with the uncertainty of COVID-19 this

December 2020 15

may change at any time, we will do our best to give the parents as much notice as possible. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Language Technicians

“The Language Technicians hosted a virtual CAN-8 Session we had nine individuals log in for the

information session. At this point we have eleven new regis-trations. It is never too late to sign up for the session as it’s a go at your own pace pro-gram. There will be more sessions so watch out for the upcoming dates they

will be advertised via OKIB Communications.

CAN-8 VirtuaLab: is a cloud-based language learn-ing solution specializing in oral production for any world language via the delivery of dynamic teacher-led curric-ulum.

The Language Technicians team will also be hosting a First Voices session in the near fu-ture. First Voices is a suite of web-based tools and services designed to support Indigenous people engaged in language ar-chiving, language teaching and culture revitalization. Please visit the First Voices website www.firstvoices.com for more information.

The team visited Beairsto Ele-mentary (Vernon SD#22), re-

garding Traditional games to advise the teaching staff how various traditional games can be taught and played so they can share with others in the future.

Lastly, we just had our final session of the year of recording the Elders of our community through the En’owkin Centre.”

OKIB Community Language Classes

Captikwl 1 class is coming to an end with the final class on December 9th. The captikwl-1 is an intense 16 story text book – great job to all the participants.

As of January 2021 we will be starting registration for nsyilxcn 2 – the OKIB Communications will be circulating postings regarding registration in December 2020. If you are interested in registering now please email: languageinstructor@okangan.org

Additional language resources and nsyilxcn curriculum and audio, you can be found at http://interiorsalish.com/nselxcincurriculum.html

Language Nest Winter Break Closure

At this time we are schedule to close after our last session on December 18, 2020 and re-open on January 5, 2021 but with the uncertainty of COVID-19 this may change at any time. We will do our best to give the parents as much notice as possible. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

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December 2020 17

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December 2020 19

A Captikwl

Mouse and Her Sistersas told by Selina Timoyakin

Once upon a time, mouse and her sisters had a house near a river, mouse was the oldest of the family, there were humans across the river who had plenty of food, but mouse and her sisters were practically starving.

Things got worse and worse for the mice, it was difficult for them to get across the river to get some food, so mouse told her sisters “We must do something or we’ll starve to death. One of us must get across the river to get some of this food.” One of the sisters said, “Mouse you must go as you are the strongest.”

Mouse decided to go across the river to get food. When night came mouse went down to the water and swam across, she reached the other side and got to the spot where the people were camped, there was all sorts of food stored here.

All the people were away, mouse got a lot of different kinds of food; she packed all she could and started swimming across the river with her load. As she swam she didn’t realize that the camas would soak up water and get heavy.

The camas soaked up water; mouse could no longer swim, she was swept downstream until she got caught up by a stump and drowned. On the other side of the river, mouse’s sisters were waiting. They waited and waited until morning of the next day, and when they went looking for mouse they found her drowned. One of the sisters cried and sang a sad song, “My sister went to get

me food, and now she’s dead. Now I will probably starve to death.”

As she sang and cried, she was walking along the river shore. She cried and sang, and cried and

sang.

Suddenly she heard laughter it sounded like someone but when she looked around she couldn’t see anyone, she kept on singing and crying again she heard the laugh; this time it sounded close by, like the laugh of a woman, it was the laugh of ts’ska’kna7 (chickadee) a little bird.

ts’ska’kna7 said to mouse’s sister, “Why are you crying? I’ll get someone to go after your sister and bring her back to life again. There is more food near her. I’ll go and get you some.” Mouse’s sister stopped crying. “I’ll be alright” she said, “thank you for helping me.”

ts’ska’kna7 went after dead mouse; she grabbed hold of mouse with a hook and dragged her and her loot out of the river, then stepped over her, thus bringing her back to life.

So mouse began drying the food that mouse had taken. Now they would be alright, as they had lots of food. And that’s the end of the story.

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I would like to start by acknowledging that I have been working on the traditional territory of the Okanagan Peoples. In our short time working together, I am respectfully sending an update reflecting on some of our accomplishments so far.

It has been a pleasure meeting several community members and I am very much looking forward to introductions in the safest way possible, as we progress into 2021. Over the past two months, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with the Health Department, Public Safety Office, Social Development, Cultural Safety, Education, Public Works, Bylaw and Band Administration and the Natural Resource Department, just to name a few. It’s clear that all of the hard work and dedication from the various departments and members is part of what contributes to the strong sense of community that resonates within the OKIB.

With the understanding that Health & Safety is the number one priority, I’ve also been able to meet with the children while in the community and had the opportunity to attend an assembly at nkm̓aplqs iʔ snm̓am̓ay̓aʔtn iʔ kl̓ sqilxʷtət last week. I look forward to continually learning the Okanagan language and culture. Later this month, I will be joining in on the new Youth Council and look forward to further building relationships.

Together, we have started to explore innovative ways to further ensure the safety on roadways and have updated RCMP GPS systems for efficient response. Currently, we’re looking into additional signage for Westside Road that reflects the speed limit and will ultimately contribute to the safety of all community members. The Armstrong Detachment has observed an increase in calls for service from school bus drivers that have reported vehicles driving dangerously around children. Increased patrols and collaborative efforts in

conjunction with North Okanagan Traffic Services will continue into the New Year, ensuring safer roadways for the community and children going to and from school.

In working with the Public Safety Office and alongside the OKIB Communications Specialist, a space has been created on the OKIB website for the sharing of information. Most recently, information on frauds & scams was included along with a note regarding traffic safety. These communiques will continue into the New Year.

If there is a topic or question that you would like to learn more about, please reach out to myself or to your Community Consultative Group (CCG) and we will work to find you the answer.

Be well.

Lim lǝmt, Kyle

Happy Holiday wishes from OKIB's RCMP Liaison Officer Cst. Kyle Camalush

December 2020 21

Welcome to the new staff at OKIB

My name is Chelan Oyarzun. I am proud to be a new Community Health Licensed Practical Nurse for OKIB. Some of you may already know me, as I have been working with OKIB for the last seven months as a contract Licensed Practical Nurse within the Community. Some Community members have remembered my name, Chelan, as “Casino”, jokingly referring to the Chelan Washington Casino in the Wenatchee region of that name. Prior to joining OKIB, I worked at Round Lake Treatment Centre. That experience added to my passion for work in Trauma Informed Practice, Harm Reduction and Health Promotion.I was born and raised in the Shuswap and Salmon River area. I am a single mother of two young boys so my time away from work consists of caring for them and their individual needs. We all love camping, football, soccer and hiking but most of all, fishing. My own personal hobbies consist of cooking, gardening and working in my shop. I look forward to, and am excited to be working with Community Members and their individual goals and Health needs and I feel honoured to be able to work in this Community along side a great team of nurses. Nurse “Casino” Chelan

My name is Roseanna Goodman. I was born and raised in the Yukon Territory. I moved to the beautiful Okanagan approximately 2 1/2 years ago. I have been working in Education and Early Childhood for approximately 20 years. I have a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina; an Early Childhood Education Certificate; and a Diploma in Legal Administration. I have always wanted to be a teacher, even when I was young. I enjoy helping others to learn and grow. When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my children. I appreciate being active and outdoors. I enjoy going to the gym, running, hiking, biking, swimming, cooking, baking, reading and gardening. I am excited to be teaching Kindergarten and I look forward to an amazing year!

Chelan Oyarzun Roseanna Goodman

Kimberley HurtubiseI am the new junior housing officer. I was born and raised in a small Alberta town. My family moved to Vernon 12 years ago, when I was pregnant with my third son. I feel blessed to be raising my sons in the beautiful Okanagan.My work experience has been in the hospitality sector, and have a passion for human service work.In my personal time I enjoy the spiritual worlds and the paranormal. As a family of boys we enjoy a variety of outdoor activities.

Roseanna Goodman

Senk’lip 22

Tenancy in Common – A form of lawful possession Tenancy in Common is a form of lawful possession of reserve land in which two or more Band members, or one or more Band members and the Band itself, hold reserve land in equal or unequal undivided shares. Unlike Joint Tenancy, Tenancy in Common has no right of survivorship. Therefore, upon the death of one of the tenants in common, the deceased's interest in the land passes to the deceased's estate or heirs.

Review the Matrimonial Real Property (MRP) forms, especially the helpful hints, to determine if any of the MRP forms are required. See the chapter on Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act. Links to the appropriate forms are included in the chapter. Creation of a Tenancy in Common The manner in which two or more Band members hold lawful possession of reserve land must be decided at the time they acquire the interest in the land. The manner of possession should be shown on the instrument, and/or the Band members should execute an agreement specifying the form of tenancy. Note: If Tenancy is not specified, the default is Tenancy in Common Lawful Possession Default If the Band members do not indicate on a Transfer and there is no agreement signed as to the manner in which they want to hold the property at the time the lawful possession of reserve land is acquired (e.g., silent on the instrument), the interest will be recorded as being held as Tenants in Common. The Land Registrar encourages the practice of executing the form "Tenancy in Common Agreement", and attaching it to each Transfer instru-ment (except Quebec Transfer instruments, but within Quebec excluding Akwesasne Transfer instruments). Important: When transferring an undivided interest, the undivided interest (the fractional amount, expressed in its lowest common denominator) must be indicated on the Transfer instrument Page 1—See next page

December 2020 23

Tenancy in Common – A form of lawful possession—Page 2  Issuance of Certificate of Possession or Occupation  When Tenancy in Common exists, a separate CP number, CO number, will be issued for each lawful posses-sor outlining his/her respective undivided fractional interest. There are as many certificate numbers as there are lawful possessors. Subdivision of a Parcel Held as Tenants in Common Severance, which is applicable to a Joint Tenancy situation, is not applicable to a Tenancy in Common situa-tion. Tenants in Common may enter into a written agreement to partition their interest (divide the parcel of land into smaller parcels of land and each take possession one or more of the smaller parcels) and dissolve the Tenancy in Common.  Death of a Tenant in Common—CP Land Note: An interest held in Tenancy in Common may pass by devise or intestacy

If an interest is held as Tenants in Common, the recording of the death certificate does not change the previ-ously registered interest. If the deceased is in possession of more than one lot, one Transfer by Personal Rep-resentative can be submitted by the Administrator or Executor of the Estate with a listing of the legal descrip-tion of each of the individual's lots that are to be transferred.

If the deceased was living on reserve, the deceased's estate must be dealt with by the Regional Office, Estates Unit. An Administrative Transfer is required that includes an Appointment of Administrator or an Approval of Will.

If the deceased was living off reserve, then a Court approves an Administrator or Executor, and the Executor or Administrator must submit a Transfer by Personal Representative along with a court certified copy of the Probate documents. Any questions, contact the Okanagan Indian Band Lands Department—250-542-3444

Senk’lip 24

UBCO study indicates it’s not social media, but how we use it, impacting outlookby Rob Gibson

A new study from UBC Okanagan finds that it ’s not social media itself, but how we use it, that could impact our overall happiness.

Associate professor Derrick Wirtz studied how people use three major social media platforms — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — and how that use can impact a person›s overall well-being. “Social network sites are an integral part of ev-eryday life for many people around the world,” says Wirtz. “Every day, billions of people interact with social media. Yet the wide-spread use of social network sites stands in sharp contrast to a com-paratively small body of research on how this use impacts a person’s happiness.”COVID-19 has changed the way we interact, but according to Wirtz, social media has transformed how we interact with others. Face-to-Face, in-per-son contact is now matched or exceeded by online social interactions as the primary way people con-nect.While the majority of people gain happiness from interacting with others face-to-face, Wirtz notes that some come away from using social media with a feeling of negativity—for a variety of differ-ent reasons.

The study indicated that one of the main reasons for this negative feeling is linked to social compar-ison. Participants in Wirtz’s study said the more they compared themselves to others while using social media, the less happy they felt.“Viewing images and updates that selectively portray others positively may lead social media users to underestimate how much others actually experience negative emotions and lead people to conclude that their own life—with its mix of posi-tive and negative feelings—is, by comparison, not

as good,” he says.Wirtz notes that viewing other peo-ple’s posts and images while not interacting with them lends itself to compar-ison with-out the

mood-boosting benefits that ordinarily follow social contact, undermining well-being and reduc-ing self-esteem. “Passive use, scrolling through others’ posts and updates, involves little per-son-to-person reciprocal interaction while provid-ing ample opportunity for upward comparison.”The research studied the way participants used social media and specifically four functions of Facebook—checking a news feed, messaging, catching up on world news and posting status or picture updates. The most frequently used func-tion was passively checking one’s news feed with-

Social media a downer?

December 2020 25

out directly connecting with other users.During COVID-19, Wirtz notes that people used social media more when they were lonely, and time spent on social media only increased feelings of loneliness for participants in the study. “Today, the necessity of seeing and hearing friends and family only through social media due to COVID-19 might serve as a reminder of missed opportunities to spend time together.”The study also indicated that the more people used any of these three social media sites, the more negative they reported feeling afterwards.“The three social network sites examined—Face-book, Twitter and Instagram—yielded remarkably convergent findings,” he says. “The more respon-dents had recently used these sites, either in ag-gregate or individually, the more negative effect they reported when they responded to our ran-domly-timed surveys over a 10-day period.”This study also included offline interactions with others, either face-to-face or a phone call. Com-

paring both offline communication with online, he was able to demonstrate that offline social interaction had precisely the opposite effect of using social media, strongly enhancing emotional well-being.The study also indicated that it is possible to use social media positively. Wirtz suggests people avoid passively scrolling and resist comparing themselves to other social media users. He also says people should use social media sites to enable direct interactions and social connected-ness—for example, talking online synchronously or arranging time spent with others in-person, when possible and with proper precautions.“If we all remember to do that, the negative im-pact of social media use could be reduced—and social networks sites could even have the poten-tial to improve our well-being and happiness,” he adds. “In other words, we need to remember how we use social media has the potential to shape the effects on our day-to-day happiness.”

Catherine is granddaughter to Doris Parker, daughter to Jody Currie nee Parker and a member of the OKIB.

Catherine graduates from Georgia State University with an Honors Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems with a double minor in Arabic and Mathematics, (all at 20 years old). Her favorite singer is Amy Winehouse, and she enjoys listening to Jazz music. Catherine is looking forward to the start of an amazing journey and will continue her career as a software engineer and researching natural language technologies (e.g. Alexa, Siri) for the underfunded languages such as Arabic. Her family is extremely proud of her!

Congratulations Catherine "Kai" Currie

Senk’lip 26

Application Deadline: December 11, 2020Start Date: January 11, 2021

About the programFoundations in Innovation and Technology is a 12-week exploratory program that introduces students to the basics of six different digital skills. The program courses include the following:• Computer Basics & Professional Practice• Communications & Digital Marketing• Web Development & Coding• Software Testing• Network Setup & Support• GIS/ GPS Mapping

Why apply to Foundations program?We provide the following to help you succeed:Indigenized tech curriculum Support with program application• Fully-funded tuition and

registration fees for training programs

• Student funding support for living allowances and/or daycare

• A laptop with the required software• Additional student materials• Subject matter experts as your instructors

Availability of transfer credits Opportunity for career networking

• Digital Elder support• A full cohort of enthusiastic Indigenous

students• Holistic student care

Are you eligible to apply?For the Foundations program, you need to be:Indigenous, Living in BC,Have basic computer skills, and Interested in exploring technology as a

possible career path.Need more information?Call us at 604-921-9939 or email us at Skills@technologycouncil.ca Learnfromhome.technologycouncil.caorDirectly Contact: Tirzah Swampy at 604-404-0028 Tirzah@technologycouncil.ca

Learn from Home with the Foundations Program

December 2020 27

The Public Safety team invites you to check their web page for information on community safety, youth recreation and programs, and youth justice information and initiatives. The Public Safety team offers advocacy services and creates partnerships with external agencies including the RCMP Indigenous Policing unit.The Public Safety team will be launching a Comprehensive Safety Strategy survey in August to gather members’ input on issues around safety in the community. All members are invited to participate. Check our website and social media channels for the link to the survey.

Community Safety Strategy survey is openYou can watch a video about the Comprehensive Safety Strategy on the website: https://okib.ca/departments/community-services-development/public-safety For further information please contact: Jami Tonasket, Community Safety Coordinator Phone: 236-599-3019 Cell: 250-540-9037 Email: publicsafety@okanagan.orgMike Ochoa, Youth Justice WorkerPhone: 236-599-0025 Cell: 250-309-0353Email: youthjustice@okanagan.org

The fuel supplement is a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic to help members age 65+ in need of financial assistance with their winter heating fuel.

The supplement will end after this winter.

The supplement is available to members age 65+ who are in need of financial assistance with their winter heating fuel: wood, pellets, oil and gas. One supplement claim per household please. The supplement is available to members on and off reserve.

To register contact the FSI team at FSI@okanagan.org or call 250-241-9790.

Questions? Contact the FSI team above. Details about how you can claim the supplement will be explained.

Temporary COVID-19 Winter Heating Supplement is available for Members 65+

Community Health & Wellness Survey seeks your inputThe Community Health and Wellness Survey will help shape the future of health care and public safety in community, so it is important to ensure your voice is heard. Members, please take the survey today.

The Okanagan Indian Band Community Health & Wellness Survey is being run by the Okanagan Health & Social Development Department to ask community members about your health and well-being, the factors that affect your health and the use and needs of health care services. Thissurvey can be completed online or filled out and provided to one of the Community Engagement Team members: https://okib.ca/uploads/files/OKIB-Health-Questionnaire_8pp-version.pdf

Senk’lip 28

Agreement # 40015968

OKIB Department Phone NumbersYou can contact OKIB departments at these numbers:• Band Administration - 250-542-4328• Health & Social Development

250-542-5094• Education - 250-542-5094• Lands - 250-542-3444• Public Works & Housing - 250-542-3444• Territorial Stewardship Department

250-542-7132

If you have any questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 and you would like to speak to an OKIB nurse please call 250-241-7595. A nurse is available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Income Assistance Issue DatesDecember 16 (for January 2021)January 25 (for February)February 22 (for March)March 25 (for April)April 26 (for May)May 25 (for June)June 24 (for July)July 26 (for August)August 25 (for September)September 24 (for October)October 25 (for November)November 24 (for December)December 16 (for January 2021)

Questions? Contact Jennifer Jack, OKIB Social Development Worker at 236-599-0023 or email jennifer.jack@okanagan.org. Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Be sure to submit all documentation with your declaration including work search, paystubs, and current bills.