Press still barred from Sechelt government meetings

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While the Sechelt treaty process may be an 'open and public' process, the workings of the Sechelt Indian Government District (SIGD) and the Sechelt Band Council are not. The non-Native public and the press are barred from all SIGD and council meetings as a matter of policy and that doesn't sit well with all band members.

Former chief, Stan Dixon, who recently lost another bid for the top band council spot to incumbent Garry Feschuk, said some band members are concerned about the way the council conducts business behind closed doors.

"They have their council meetings at one in the afternoon, twice a month, and if you're working you can't attend. It's difficult for band members to know what's going on," he told Raven's Eye.

During recent elections, Dixon said, some councillors were campaigning for a more open government. He added that when he ran for chief in 1986, just after self government was proclaimed, he advocated for open government meetings but was defeated.

"No one followed up on this issue," he said, "But it's up to the band members to make the council more open."

"This [the barring of the press and the non-Native public] isn't enshrined in our self government constitution, and to my knowledge, there hasn't been a band referendum on this issue. This is the council's policy to keep things behind closed doors," said Dixon.

Under the 1987 Sechelt Indian Government District enabling act, the SIGD operates under some sections of British Columbia's Municipal Act. But it is not required, like other municipalities, to hold open meetings and there are no provisions in the Sechelt Treaty Agreement In Principal that would make the Sechelts hold open government meetings.

The Sechelt band council is the governing body responsible for land, tenant and development and infrastructure issues, and the SIGD is the official governing body. However, the band council meets bi-monthly, and the SIGD meets infrequently, only a few times a year. Only elected band council members sit on the SIGD.

Newly elected councillor Rochelle Baptiste, who was the band manger for seven years prior to winning the only council seat held by a woman, said council bars the public and press because they discuss personnel issues.

"We don't just deal with political issues," she said.

But she couldn't comment on why those issues couldn't be discussed during in camera sessions as they are in other local municipal governments. Chief Garry Feschuk was unavailable for comment.

The province's Aboriginal Affairs ministry spokesman, Peter Smith, said the province has had some concerns about the way decisions have been made by the SIGD during the past 12 years of self government and they're hoping those concerns will be addressed in the treaty process, which he stressed wasn't finalized.

"We have a concern, in a general sense, that the public should have access. In a democracy there should be equal access to a governing body," he said.

Smith admitted that there could be problems in the future for the band, if after the treaty is signed and it attains co-management status for resources, the band maintains a closed door approach to governing.

But he also argued that the SIGD advisory committee - made up primarily of Sechelt leased-land tenants - was a form of public access. But the five member advisory committee, which is elected, meets infrequently and deals only with leaseholder issues.

BC's Municipal Affairs minister Jenny Kwan, who was touring Sunshine Coast communities Tuesday, March 2, was reluctant to comment on the fact that the SIGD is the only municipal government in the province to bar the public and the press.

"I don't know enough about it to make a comment," she said.

While the Sechelts are within the riding of newly-appointed Aboriginal Affairs minister, Gordon Wilson, Wilson didn't respond to queries about the band's exclusionary policy.

Feb. 20, after a low-key campaign, Chief Garry Feschuk was re-elected for a third consecutive term after etting 186 out of 268 votes. Former chief, Stan Dixon, counted 82 votes. Ben Pierre, Jr. was the only incumbent band councillor to return for a second term after winning 144 votes. Former councillors Trent Dixon and Warren Paul returned to council with 172 and 130 votes respectively. New councillor Rochelle Baptiste took office with 110 votes. Baptiste said she hoped to be a voice for women's issues at the council table.

The SIGD is hoping to expand their economic development base by building a sawmill, a shopping mall, and a recreation centre within the next three years.