Chief Peter Johnston (left) - Teslin Tlingit Council
Chief Peter Johnston (left) - Teslin Tlingit Council
Chief Peter Johnston (left) - Teslin Tlingit Council
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<strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Peter</strong> <strong>Johnston</strong> (<strong>left</strong>) and<br />
Deputy <strong>Chief</strong> John <strong>Peter</strong>s Jr.<br />
join the two newest members<br />
of Executive <strong>Council</strong> Sandy<br />
Smarch and Isabelle Dewhurst<br />
on March 5th at General<br />
<strong>Council</strong>. Sandy Smarch (Kukhhittan)<br />
and Isabelle Dewhurst<br />
(Dakhl’awedi) were sworn in as<br />
members of Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
on December 6, 2009.<br />
Janet Smellie/TTC Staff photo<br />
Issue 8 Volume 1 - March 2010<br />
Voice of the<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong><br />
Leadership selection<br />
TTC Administration investigating bypassing costly referendum<br />
At the December 4-6, 2009 General <strong>Council</strong>, TTC<br />
Administration was given the mandate to conduct a referendum<br />
to determine if Citizens want to select or elect<br />
their <strong>Chief</strong> and Deputy <strong>Chief</strong>.<br />
At the March 3-5, 2010 General <strong>Council</strong> members<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> was provided with a 2010-11 budget<br />
request of $360,000 to conduct the referendum in the<br />
next year. It was also brought to their attention that if<br />
Citizens wanted a vote for <strong>Chief</strong> and Deputy <strong>Chief</strong>,<br />
there would be another similar cost for the election process.<br />
Based on this information the TTC Administration was<br />
asked to explore the possibility of bypassing a referendum<br />
by preparing a workplan and budget for an election<br />
of the <strong>Chief</strong> and Deputy <strong>Chief</strong>. General <strong>Council</strong><br />
will determine on March 23 or 24th whether to proceed<br />
with the referendum or go straight to an election.<br />
While the next Leadership review scheduled for July<br />
2012 seems far away, the referendum has a tight timeline.<br />
Given all the tasks associated with a referendum<br />
which need to be carefully thought out and delivered,<br />
the timeline is very aggressive. The results of a referendum<br />
have to be known with enough time to possibly<br />
make changes to the leadership process, if required.<br />
TTC had made it a goal to have the referendum results<br />
presented to General <strong>Council</strong> by March 2011. Going<br />
straight an election would not only reduce costs but provide<br />
more time to prepare for an election.<br />
Regardless of whether it is an election or referendum,<br />
TTC would create the role of a <strong>Chief</strong> Electoral Officer<br />
to oversee the voting process which involves ensuring<br />
Continued on Page 3
Deslin Neek, 2<br />
Upcoming Meetings<br />
March<br />
March 30 - Executive <strong>Council</strong> (1 p.m.)<br />
- Executive <strong>Council</strong>/All Citizens Meeting<br />
(7 p.m., Longhouse)<br />
April<br />
April 5 - Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
April 7 - Elders <strong>Council</strong><br />
April 12 - Management Board<br />
April 19 - Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
May<br />
May 3 - Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
May 10 - Management Board<br />
May 17 - Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
May 31 - Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
Voice of the <strong>Teslin</strong><br />
<strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Issue 8, Volume1<br />
March 2010<br />
Deslin Neek welcomes<br />
comments, letters, photographs<br />
and written<br />
submissions from our<br />
readers. We also promote<br />
community events<br />
through free advertising.<br />
We reserve the right<br />
to edit submissions for<br />
timeliness, accuracy and<br />
length.<br />
Editor:<br />
Janet Smellie<br />
Communications<br />
Coordinator<br />
(867) 390-2532 ext. 225<br />
Janet@ttc-teslin.com<br />
Deslin Neek is published<br />
bimonthly in house by the<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
No part of this publication<br />
may be reproduced in<br />
whole or in part without<br />
the written permission of<br />
the <strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
Publisher:<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Box 133<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong>, Yukon<br />
Y0A 1B0
Cont’d from Page 1<br />
Election or Referendum?<br />
that all Citizens are located and registered, hiring poll<br />
workers, establishing voting procedures, communicating<br />
with TTC governance bodies (General <strong>Council</strong>,<br />
Executive <strong>Council</strong>, and Elders <strong>Council</strong> and Citizens),<br />
and conducting the referendum or vote. The process<br />
will require legal assistance at every step to ensure that<br />
all decisions are constitutional.<br />
This first step in the process is to ensure that all Citizens<br />
are located and registered. This will involve advertising<br />
across the country to have current Citizens<br />
contact TTC to make sure that the correct contact information<br />
is on file. People of <strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> ancestry<br />
who are not currently registered with TTC will be encouraged<br />
to register.<br />
If the election route is decided, an Elections Act<br />
would be created following the normal consultation<br />
process for any TTC Act. This act would outline all the<br />
procedures for an election including voting procedures<br />
for Election Day, advance polls, proxy votes, mail in<br />
votes, and rules for poll stations. It will also include<br />
procedures for announcing an election and who is eligible<br />
to vote among other important details.<br />
Some of the key questions that will be answered before<br />
a referendum or an election takes place are; who<br />
is eligible to vote, what constitutes a binding majority,<br />
March 2010<br />
and how to proceed in a fair and transparent manner.<br />
Should the referendum option be chosen, it is expected<br />
that it would take place in January 2011with results<br />
will being officially presented to General <strong>Council</strong><br />
in March 2011 for ratification. Should the referendum<br />
results indicate that the <strong>Chief</strong> and Deputy <strong>Chief</strong> be<br />
elected by a Citizen election, then planning and budgeting<br />
for the election will be begin immediately followed<br />
by the creation of an Elections Act. Any constitutional<br />
changes will have to ratified before the July 2012 Leadership<br />
Review.<br />
Should the election option be chosen on March 24th,<br />
TTC Administration will begin immediately to plan for<br />
an Elections Act with the goal of having all consultations<br />
and decisions made in time for the Act to be accepted<br />
at the 2011 Annual General Assembly.<br />
For either the referendum or election, the <strong>Chief</strong> Electoral<br />
Officer will be responsible for updating Executive<br />
<strong>Council</strong>, Elders <strong>Council</strong>, and General <strong>Council</strong> regularly.<br />
Citizens will be updated on a regular basis through<br />
a special newsletter, the TTC website, various public<br />
consultations, and mailings when necessary. Like the<br />
Leadership selection leading up to the February 2009<br />
review, the Speaker will play a key role in ensuring the<br />
clarity and transparency of the process.<br />
Gord Curran/TTC Staff Photos<br />
On March 5, General <strong>Council</strong> members broke into small groups to prioritize budget items. This included rating the<br />
importance of the Leadership Referendum Process.<br />
Deslin Neek, 3
Deslin Neek, 4<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> - March 2010<br />
Members of General <strong>Council</strong> gathered in <strong>Teslin</strong> on March 3-5 at the Heritage<br />
Centre. Members were presented with a draft 2010-11 budget which will be presented<br />
for approval at a meeting of General <strong>Council</strong> set for March 23.<br />
Weekday meetings<br />
Members passed a resolution restricting all General<br />
<strong>Council</strong> meetings to be held on weekdays after they<br />
learned how expensive holding weekend meetings<br />
were for the government.<br />
On November 25, 2008 a resolution was passed by<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> which directed the government to hold<br />
the meetings on weekends in order to allow more Citizens<br />
to attend.<br />
Since that time, meetings were held on weekends,<br />
however, there was no increase in Citizens and staff<br />
turnout. The meetings also cost the government substantially<br />
more.<br />
TTC Traditional Territory -<br />
Gas Pipeline Developments<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> passed a resolution in support of Executive<br />
<strong>Council</strong>’s decision to not participate as a member<br />
of the Alaska Highway Aboriginal Pipeline Coalition<br />
(AHAPC).<br />
Members were explained how TTC will be better able<br />
to represent its own positions and interests with the pro-<br />
Photos by Gord<br />
Curran<br />
posed gas pipeline set to run the TTC Traditional Territory.<br />
After much discussion it was agreed that TTC<br />
would be better served acting on its own during the<br />
regulatory reviews, permitting and negotiations process.<br />
Executive <strong>Council</strong> was also given the mandate<br />
to notify the governments of Canada and Yukon that<br />
TTC will represent its own interests in relationship to<br />
the Gas Pipeline Project.<br />
Executive Honoraria changes<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> members agreed that because of the<br />
varying hours of work members of Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
have been putting in attending to Executive <strong>Council</strong><br />
business it would be fairer to change the way they are<br />
paid to an hourly rate system, rather than the per diem<br />
they were receiving.<br />
Often Executive <strong>Council</strong> members attend short, unplanned<br />
meetings, consult with their Clans and prepare<br />
for meetings which may last for less than half a<br />
day or longer than the 7.5 hours in a typical day.<br />
These changes will take effect April 1,2010.
Traditional Knowledge Policy<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> members were given a briefing related<br />
to the <strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong> Traditional Knowledge<br />
Policy.<br />
The main focus of the policy is to ensure <strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong><br />
are protected when it comes to sharing traditional<br />
knowledge, particularly with outside parties (researchers<br />
and government officials.<br />
Although Chapter 13 of the TTC Final Agreement<br />
provides TTC with both rights and responsibilities related<br />
to heritage resources, it doesn’t clearly outline or<br />
define how traditional knowledge is to be managed and<br />
protected.<br />
This policy is also intended to help educate staff and<br />
Citizens on how traditional knowledge can be accessed,<br />
used and protected.<br />
It is anticipated the Traditional Knowledge Policy<br />
will be officially approved at the Annual General Assembly<br />
in June 2010.<br />
Personnel Policy Changes<br />
General <strong>Council</strong> passed a resolution that approved<br />
three significant amendments to the Personnel Policy.<br />
Workforce Development originally presented the proposed<br />
changes at the December 2009 General <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
These include streamlining the processes surrounding<br />
special leave, the Cost of Living Allowance and Recruitment.<br />
The new policy is available from the Workforce Development<br />
Department.<br />
Chyanna Sheldon, Deshitan General <strong>Council</strong> member, and<br />
her daughter Brooklyn-Lee Sheldon Huebschwerlen.<br />
March 2010<br />
<strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Peter</strong> <strong>Johnston</strong> presented <strong>Teslin</strong> School Prinicipal<br />
Dennis Darling with a cash collection from<br />
members of General <strong>Council</strong> to go towards the school’s<br />
fundraiser for Haiti. Within five minutes almost $200<br />
was raised.<br />
Upcoming<br />
General <strong>Council</strong><br />
Meetings<br />
June 23-25, 2010<br />
Annual General Assembly<br />
(TTC Traditional Territory)<br />
July 13-15, 2010<br />
CYFN Annual General Assembly<br />
Brooks, Brook<br />
November 16-18, 2010<br />
General <strong>Council</strong><br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> Heritage Centre<br />
Deslin Neek, 5
Deslin Neek, 6<br />
TTC’s campaign to“catch up”<br />
on rental arrears is paying off<br />
The Finance & Administration Department has taken<br />
over the collection of rent for TTC Housing.<br />
In a bid to improve financial efficiency and streamline<br />
collections the department is also offering financial<br />
planning to all TTC Citizens.<br />
As of December approximately $175,000 was owing<br />
for back rent alone.<br />
Matthias Liniger, TTC’s Accounts Receivable and<br />
Collections Officer reports that since the department<br />
sent out letters last fall, several people have come forward<br />
to make payments or work out repayment plans.<br />
The finance department sent out a letter and a pamphlet<br />
outlining his services to all tenants. He also went<br />
to visit people in their homes to explain the Housing<br />
Policy.<br />
“I had a very good response in January. Everybody paid<br />
rent. There was zero outstanding rent. People have been<br />
coming to visit me which is what we want,” he said.<br />
According to the policy if people aren’t making an effort<br />
to pay back arrears the department can garnish the<br />
person’s wages.<br />
“We’re following policy but at the same time we’re<br />
trying to build relationships with people,” says the<br />
department’s director Pat Wiens, who adds, “The last<br />
thing we want to do is garnishee someone, but we may<br />
have to under the policy.”<br />
ASSISTANCE<br />
IS AVAILABLE<br />
Matthias Liniger TTC’s Accounts<br />
Receivable & Collections<br />
Officer says several TTC<br />
tenants are taking advantage<br />
of the Department of Finance’s<br />
service to help TTC Citizens<br />
with their personal finances.<br />
Janet Smellie/TTC Staff Photo<br />
TTC Finance is offering personal<br />
one-to-one sessions for Citizens in<br />
both <strong>Teslin</strong> and Whitehorse who<br />
are interested in having their personal<br />
finances under control. Call<br />
Matthias to make an appointment.<br />
He will assist you in creating your<br />
Personal Budget and in keeping<br />
track of your earnings and expenses.<br />
You can reach Matthias<br />
by phone at 390-2532 ext.496 or via<br />
e-mail at:<br />
Matthias.liniger@ttc-teslin.com
April 20 workshop on Relationships<br />
Lorraine and Shawn Jenson to visit <strong>Teslin</strong> for special<br />
workshop at Heritage Centre<br />
This week is our anniversary; a time to celebrate<br />
our love and commitment. I know he loves me, and<br />
it would be easy to tell myself that I’m too busy to do<br />
anything special, that we are saving for our holiday<br />
or some other good reason, but I believe that my relationship<br />
is the most important part of my life.<br />
Why do so many of us take our relationships for<br />
granted? I think it’s because we have never been<br />
taught how to be in a relationship, so we go out and<br />
open ourselves up long enough to find someone to<br />
love us, and when we find that perfect someone, and<br />
things are great, we are all open and ready for love.<br />
Then something happens. And slowly, over time, we<br />
shut back down again and expect that now we’ve attracted<br />
that perfect partner, everything will be the<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Lands and Resources<br />
We need your input:<br />
Managing TTC Citizen<br />
moose harvest in the<br />
Traditional Territory<br />
All Citizens meeting in May, details<br />
to be determined<br />
Contact Tracy or Kim at 390‐2532 for more<br />
information<br />
way it’s supposed to be, which is what? Like we saw at<br />
home? What did our parents know about being in love?<br />
Just like anything else relationships take work.<br />
Join Lorraine and Shawn Jensen on April 20th at<br />
the Heritage Centre from 9:00 – 5:00 as they explain<br />
the differences between men and women and give you<br />
some strategies to keep your hearts open and focused<br />
on living in love.<br />
As for our anniversary, come to the workshop on the<br />
20th and we will share with you some of the results.<br />
Open to all TTC Staff and Citizens and $20 for non-<br />
Citizens.<br />
Please contact Darlene Skookum to register<br />
Darlene.Skookum@ttc-teslin.com (ext 242)<br />
www.OliveJuiceForever.com<br />
Economic Development<br />
Plan<br />
The Village of <strong>Teslin</strong> and the <strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
are jointly sponsoring an economic development plan<br />
for <strong>Teslin</strong>. Part of the public consultation for the plan<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
includes public opinion surveys of residents and businesses<br />
Lands operating and in Resources<br />
the <strong>Teslin</strong> area. Completing the<br />
following surveys will help <strong>Teslin</strong> identify strengths<br />
and weaknesses in the local economy as well as iden-<br />
Harvest tify opportunities Reports to encourage due by local April economic development.<br />
Broad 15, 2010! public participation is essential<br />
We to need creating this a information realistic and for effective a May All plan. Citi‐ The results<br />
zens of meeting the survey on will moose be harvest, used to and develop the June specific action<br />
plans that build on<br />
AGA.<br />
the existing community strengths<br />
and to help determine the weaknesses that must be addressed.<br />
How to report:<br />
�� Call Tracy or Kim at 390‐2532<br />
�� The Fill out web a link harvest for the form, RESIDENT available at survey the is<br />
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/<strong>Teslin</strong>_Residents<br />
Lands and Resource office, the main<br />
The Admin web building, link for and the BUSINESS on the web at survey is<br />
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/<strong>Teslin</strong>_Business<br />
www.ttc‐teslin.com<br />
Kim will be visiting Citizens we haven’t heard<br />
from over the next few weeks.<br />
Kristyne Geddes<br />
A/CAO<br />
Village of <strong>Teslin</strong><br />
Deslin Neek, 7
The joint land development project between TTC<br />
and YTG to make a total of 19 recreational cottage lots<br />
available to the public for lease was concluded in December<br />
when the lots were allocated through a lottery<br />
process. Sixteen of the 19 lots have now been leased.<br />
The leases are for 30 years.<br />
TTC chose to make seven lots available to the public<br />
on Settlement Land, and four of these have now been<br />
successfully leased by individuals from around the territory.<br />
TTC businesses and Citizens were involved with<br />
the construction of the access roads and the surveying<br />
work.<br />
This project represents a successful partnership with<br />
Deslin Neek, 8<br />
Land<br />
Development Update<br />
Karl Blattmann<br />
Lands and Environmental Officer.<br />
Little <strong>Teslin</strong> Lake Cottage Lots<br />
lottery a huge success<br />
YTG, and has gained the Department of Lands and Resources<br />
valuable experience in land development. This<br />
knowledge will now be applied to the development of<br />
country residential lots on TTC Settlement lands on the<br />
east side of Sawmill Road.<br />
This joint development, involving both Settlement<br />
Lands and crown lands, has been presented to the Village<br />
of <strong>Teslin</strong> and the public through public meetings.<br />
This new development is currently being integrated in<br />
the Village of <strong>Teslin</strong> Official Community Plan. It is anticipated<br />
that some field work will occur in 2010, with<br />
house construction in 2011.<br />
A perspective of the TTC Little <strong>Teslin</strong><br />
Lake cottage lot road, looking east<br />
towards the Alaska Highway.<br />
Karl Blattmann/TTC Staff Photo
Wildlife Watch<br />
with Kim Melton<br />
Where’s the moose?<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Photo courtesy of Rick Warner<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> School students Lands got a and taste Resources<br />
of telemetry before<br />
heading off to Spring Break in March, practicing using<br />
radio signals to locate collared animals.<br />
Three students made up an airplane: two students were<br />
wings carrying aerials We and need one was your the pilot input: with a receiver<br />
and a switch Managing to choose which TTC aerial Citizen to listen to.<br />
The rest of the group got to be moose, one of them<br />
wearing a collar. moose The kids did harvest a fantastic job in of the locating<br />
their moose, even on snowshoes! Thanks to Nicole<br />
Smith and Rick Warner Traditional for supervising. Territory This activity<br />
was great for gearing up to our late winter calving flights<br />
over the North and Northwest of the Traditional Territory,<br />
which will be starting mid-March.<br />
Any adults interested to in be telemetry? determined I will be running<br />
a short workshop to get people familiar with the equipment,<br />
with the<br />
Contact<br />
hope of<br />
Tracy<br />
getting<br />
or Kim<br />
a pool<br />
at 390‐2532<br />
of people<br />
for<br />
trained<br />
more<br />
up who can come up to help on<br />
information<br />
future flights. Please call<br />
me at 390-2532 ext 429 if you are interested!<br />
All Citizens meeting in May, details<br />
All Citizens meeting on horizon<br />
A final note on moose: the Department of Lands and<br />
March 2010<br />
Resources will be hosting an All Citizens meeting to<br />
discuss how to manage Citizen moose harvest within<br />
the Traditional Territory in May. To ensure a productive<br />
meeting, we need your help! Please report your<br />
harvest for the last year (since April 1, 2009) to myself<br />
or Tracy if you have not already done so, by April 15.<br />
It is important that we know if you and your family<br />
got a moose or caribou, or if you did not. Forms are<br />
available on-line at www.ttc-teslin.com, at the Department<br />
of Lands and Resources, and the main Admin<br />
building.<br />
I will be coming around to speak with Citizens we<br />
haven’t heard from in the coming weeks.<br />
Hope everyone’s enjoying their early spring!<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Lands and Resources<br />
Harvest Reports due by April<br />
15, 2010!<br />
We need this information for a May All Citi‐<br />
zens meeting on moose harvest, and the June<br />
AGA.<br />
How to report:<br />
�� Call Tracy or Kim at 390‐2532<br />
�� Fill out a harvest form, available at the<br />
Lands and Resource office, the main<br />
Admin building, and on the web at<br />
www.ttc‐teslin.com<br />
Kim will be visiting Citizens we haven’t heard<br />
from over the next few weeks.<br />
Deslin Neek, 9
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong> (TTC) was pleased to announce<br />
the release of its Community Pandemic Preparedness<br />
Plan on February 4, 2010. The plan provides<br />
the TTC government with a comprehensive framework<br />
of the roles and responsibilities all departments would<br />
have in the event of a pandemic.<br />
Funding for First Nations Pandemic Planning was<br />
made available by Health Canada under the Yukon First<br />
Nation Aboriginal Health Transition Fund (AHTF).<br />
Management and support for this project in <strong>Teslin</strong> and<br />
nine other First Nation Communities in the Yukon is<br />
being provided through the <strong>Council</strong> of Yukon First Nations.<br />
(CYFN)<br />
After extensive lobbying efforts by TTC’s Director<br />
of Health and Social Department, Kelly Morris, <strong>Teslin</strong><br />
was chosen to serve as the first pilot community to<br />
receive funding from AHTF and develop a plan. Work<br />
got under way in early 2008, long before the World<br />
Health Organization announced the H1N1 pandemic<br />
had arrived in North America in April 2009.<br />
“On behalf of the Executive <strong>Council</strong> I am pleased to<br />
present this plan,” said TTC <strong>Chief</strong> Executive Officer<br />
<strong>Peter</strong> <strong>Johnston</strong>, following the plan’s official launch on<br />
February 4.<br />
“It not only gives us direction when we’re faced<br />
with a pandemic but is proving to be an essential tool<br />
to bring to the table as we work with other inter-governmental<br />
agencies to develop an emergency plan for<br />
Deslin Neek, 10<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong> (TTC)<br />
launched its Community Pandemic<br />
Preparedness Plan on February<br />
4, 2010 during a meeting of TTC’s<br />
Elders <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
From Left: Kelly Morris (TTC’s<br />
Director of Health and Social Department),<br />
Sam <strong>Johnston</strong> (Ishkitan<br />
Clan Leader), Wilma Magill, Jimmy<br />
<strong>Johnston</strong> (Kukhhittan Clan Leader),<br />
Aggie <strong>Johnston</strong>, Joe Jackson, Mary<br />
<strong>Johnston</strong>, John <strong>Peter</strong>s (Executive<br />
Elder) Madeleine Jackson, Jen Jones<br />
(CYFN’s Health Transition Fund<br />
Manager). <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Peter</strong> <strong>Johnston</strong><br />
signed the plan on behalf of TTC’s<br />
Executive <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
Gord Curran/TTC Staff Photo<br />
TTC’s own “made in <strong>Teslin</strong>”<br />
Pandemic plan launched<br />
all of <strong>Teslin</strong>.”<br />
“I appreciate the hard work our Health and Social Department,<br />
in particular, Kelly Morris, has undertaken to<br />
get this plan off the ground.”<br />
The 30-page plan maps out key contingency measures<br />
to ensure programs and services will not be interrupted<br />
should key staff members and service providers become<br />
ill during a pandemic. It also provides actions individual<br />
departments will have to take during a health<br />
emergency to provide extra resources and support.<br />
Each department now has a Business Contingency<br />
Plan (BCP) which identifies the roles and responsibilities<br />
within the department to ensure services will be<br />
maintained.<br />
One of the departments that would be affected most<br />
in an emergency would be Health and Social. Programs<br />
include Elders care, operation of the community’s day<br />
care, home and community medical support programs<br />
as well as administering social assistance – all important<br />
programs that will now have backup or auxiliary<br />
workers ready to step in if the need arises.<br />
“We have a small community and it’s very important<br />
we have a contingency plan in place should any health<br />
crisis affect our workforce and our citizens,” Kelly<br />
Morris says, adding, “This plan is a living document<br />
that we can improve on as we go along.”<br />
By April 2010, five other First Nations will have similar<br />
community plans.
James Smarch,<br />
Director,<br />
Capacity Development<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong> intends to examine and analyze<br />
programs and services that are currently being<br />
provided to citizens and residents of <strong>Teslin</strong> by the<br />
various departments.<br />
Currently a review of the programs delivered by<br />
the Health and Social Department is underway.<br />
Managers and staff of the department, their clients<br />
and others who come into contact with them have<br />
been interviewed and a report is being developed.<br />
The purpose of the process is to determine how<br />
effective the current model of program delivery is;<br />
what do people expect of the department; what is<br />
being done well and what could improve.<br />
With an independent audit of these issues, TTC<br />
will take a critical look at the findings and use them<br />
to ensure that programming either continues as it is<br />
because the report finds a high level of satisfaction<br />
or TTC will work with the staff to make the changes<br />
Health and Social<br />
Department Review<br />
March 2010<br />
that emerge as necessary.<br />
The expectation is that a report will be issued for<br />
general review in March.<br />
This review was undertaken at this time because<br />
Kelly Morris, long time Director of H&S, is resigning<br />
in April. Her departure signalled that a window<br />
of opportunity was opened for TTC to initiate the review<br />
in order to determine if the department should<br />
stay the same or if the department should undergo<br />
some changes, questions that will influence the recruitment<br />
for Kelly’s replacement.<br />
Recruitment for the position of Director will not<br />
proceed until it is clear what, if any, different skills<br />
or qualities the new person may need.<br />
If the position is not filled prior to Kelly’s departure,<br />
Doug Hogan, Executive Director, will assume<br />
the direction of the department on an interim basis<br />
until the recruitment process is completed.<br />
RequiRement to Comply with the land management poliCy<br />
The Executive <strong>Council</strong> passed a motion in February that requires that all Citizens with allocations<br />
of land comply with TTC’s Land Management Policy. In particular, it was concluded that<br />
the clause requiring $5000 in improvements to parcels of land located within 30km of <strong>Teslin</strong> and<br />
road accessible within three years of the issuing of an allocation remains in force, and that all allocations<br />
are subject to this requirement. A grace period is being given for those who have failed<br />
to complete their improvements.<br />
Lands and Environmental Officer Karl Blattmann will be contacting Citizens who have yet to<br />
comply with this requirement. Instructions on how to comply will be included in this letter. All<br />
allocations that have not undergone the required improvements by September 30, 2010 will be<br />
returned to TTC for distribution to Citizens with concrete plans to develop lots for residential<br />
purposes. Karl can be contacted at 390-2532 ext. 430.<br />
Deslin Neek, 11
Deslin Neek, 12<br />
University Update<br />
with Blair Travis Hogan<br />
Blair is attending the University of British Columbia.<br />
He is studying towards a Bachelor of Education<br />
(BA) in Commerce with a major in marketing and<br />
finance.<br />
UNBC takes top spot<br />
JDC West is western Canada’s largest Business competition<br />
which was held right here in Prince George.<br />
This competition is extremely competitive, with 10 of<br />
western Canada’s most esteemed Universities going<br />
head to head for the coveted awards from each of the<br />
competitions business categorizes<br />
(MIS, Tax, NFP, Debate,<br />
Accounting, Finance, Marketing...<br />
etc). UNBC is by far the<br />
smallest contending school in<br />
the competition, which makes<br />
any and all successes against<br />
our larger rivals even more<br />
sensational.<br />
The contest was held January<br />
15-17 and was hosted by<br />
UNBC and the City of Prince<br />
George. It involved nearly 550<br />
students from top universities across western Canada.<br />
The three-day event included academic competitions,<br />
athletic challenges, a social competition, and a charity<br />
initiative.<br />
The “case-study” stylized academic competition consists<br />
of a team of three individuals, who have to read<br />
through and analyze a 20 page case-study, outlining<br />
in detail some type of organization and some form of<br />
business problem.<br />
The team has to work together productively to then<br />
attempt to solve the problems of the case and develop<br />
a PowerPoint presentation. The team has no access to<br />
any outside sources of information, including no internet<br />
and only allowed in “Resolution” for three hours.<br />
Once the three hours are up, the team has to head<br />
directly to the auditorium with a full crowd of people,<br />
and a front panel of judges and industry experts. You<br />
then have to present to this panel of judges for 20 min-<br />
utes, outlining your understanding of their issues, your<br />
recommendations, your plan of action, and some recommendations<br />
for avoiding risk.<br />
Once the presentation is over, the judges have 5 minutes<br />
to grill you and poke holes in your presentation. If<br />
this wasn’t hard enough, your presentation<br />
and your answers to questions<br />
are being critiqued and compared<br />
to every other schools team<br />
who also presents on this exact<br />
same case-study to the same panel.<br />
The judges score your team on a<br />
scorecard which determines what<br />
school wins First, Second, Third...<br />
and on.<br />
With all that said, I am pleased to<br />
announce that this year was by far,<br />
Blair Hogan and team.<br />
UNBC’s greatest performance ever<br />
at the JDC West Business Competition!!! The smallest<br />
university in the competition beat out Simon Fraser<br />
University, the University of Manitoba, the University<br />
of Saskatchewan and others placing Fourth overall. We<br />
had a Third place finish from our ‘Human Resource<br />
Management’ team, Second place finish from our ‘Entrepreneurship’<br />
team, First place finish from our ‘Business<br />
Strategy’ team, First place finish from our ‘Not-<br />
For-Profit Business Strategy’ team (which included<br />
Blair Hogan), and a near podium placing from all our<br />
other excellent teams.<br />
It was a truly exciting and memorable weekend, leaving<br />
53 of UNBC’s business students with an immense<br />
sense of pride. Leaving an entire school with an incredible<br />
sense of school spirit, and leaving some of Canada’s<br />
largest Universities completely humbled.<br />
TTC welcomes updates from any post secondary<br />
students. Please contact Janet.Smellie@ttc-teslin.
NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES<br />
December 2009<br />
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong> commits to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees. To<br />
this end TTC will be enforcing the provisions of Policy 7.3 Substance Use. Please review this<br />
policy to reacquaint yourself with the provisions.<br />
Please take particular note that:<br />
1. Effective immediately there will be renewed commitment to enforcement and no<br />
tolerance for any substance use at work in any of TTC offices or on any work site in<br />
accordance with Personnel Policy 7.3 attached.<br />
2. When a Director, Manager or Supervisor suspects or has a report that an employee is<br />
under the influence at work or is using drugs or alcohol at work, it will be the<br />
responsibility of that management employee to remove the employee from active duty<br />
immediately. It will be the responsibility of that management employee to ensure that<br />
the employee is taken home safely or that s/he is delivered to the facility that<br />
administers drug/alcohol testing.<br />
3. The discipline process will be initiated and may result in dismissal.<br />
We cannot stress strongly enough that there is no place for substance use at work. Employees<br />
under the influence pose a safety risk to themselves and co‐workers and should their behaviour<br />
result in an accident or injury, significant liability lies with management and those who could<br />
reasonably be expected to report the risk to their supervisor.<br />
Let’s all lead by example<br />
ISSUED BY MANAGEMENT BOARD<br />
March 2010<br />
Deslin Neek, 13
Counselling<br />
Barb Nimco offers counselling service<br />
to TTC Staff. For an appointment<br />
please call 668-4048.<br />
The Elders <strong>Council</strong> meets the first<br />
week of every second month. The<br />
next meeting has been scheduled for<br />
April 7, 2009 at 10 a.m. For more information<br />
please call John <strong>Peter</strong>s Sr.<br />
at 390-2532 ext. 490.<br />
TlingiT DanCe<br />
<strong>Tlingit</strong> Dance lessons are offered every<br />
Wednesday afternoon from 3:30<br />
to 4:30 at the <strong>Teslin</strong> School Gym.<br />
Deslin Neek, 14<br />
CoMMuniTY ClipBoaRD<br />
elDeRs MeeTing<br />
gifT shop<br />
The <strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> Heritage Centre<br />
gift shop is open and continues to<br />
update its stock. Open during regular<br />
TTC office hours, call Lisa Dewhurst<br />
at 390-2532 ext. 382 for more information.<br />
The Centre will be open to<br />
the public for the summer season on<br />
June 1, 2010.<br />
leTTeRs<br />
January 20, 2010<br />
My Dear People<br />
I’m sending this card to say Gunalcheesh to you<br />
all for sending the newspaper of Deslin Neek.<br />
I enjoy it so much I have the Deslin Neek from<br />
September 2005 it really keeps me up on what’s<br />
going on. I see pictures of people I’ve never seen<br />
since they were little. I saw a picture of Margaret<br />
Douville hanging moose meat to dry. I wish I<br />
could just come to her -- I bet you I would have a<br />
great supper. One time I was working with Koser<br />
outfitter at the head of the Hass River and we got<br />
two moose it was around the 3rd week of August<br />
so I used to send our meat and Warner Koser<br />
would freeze it for me and I would take it home in<br />
the fall to PEI. Anyways, the hunter says to me,<br />
“What are you going to do with the two moose<br />
tongues?” I had them hanging with the other<br />
meat smoking them a little, so I said I’m going<br />
to eat them, so he said I don’t eat anything that<br />
comes out of an animal’s mouth so I said, “But<br />
you eat eggs.”<br />
Ha Ha! Well, I will close for now. Once again,<br />
I say may God bless you all and Gunalcheesh<br />
again.<br />
Pat Casey Smith,<br />
St. <strong>Peter</strong>s Bay, PEI
Bringing home<br />
the silver...<br />
Adrianne Dewhurst a member<br />
of Team Yukon’s female hockey<br />
team is the proud recipient of a<br />
Arctic Winter Games Silver Ulu.<br />
Adrianne’s team beat out Team<br />
Alaska winning a chance for the<br />
Gold Medal Round March 12,<br />
2010 against Alberta North. It was<br />
a very close and fast game. Unfortunately,<br />
Team Yukon lost 2-0.<br />
However, the girls were very happy<br />
to bring home the silver medal.<br />
Congratulations,<br />
Adrianne!!!!!<br />
Photo courtesy of Lisa Dewhurst<br />
All TTC Citizens<br />
are invited to a<br />
Public<br />
Executive <strong>Council</strong>/All Citizens<br />
MEETING<br />
Tuesday March 30th<br />
7 p.m.<br />
Longhouse<br />
Deslin Neek, 15
<strong>Teslin</strong> <strong>Tlingit</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
salutes our <strong>Teslin</strong> artists<br />
who embarked on a journey<br />
of a lifetime to the<br />
Vancouver<br />
2010 Olympics<br />
It is with great pride<br />
we recognize:<br />
Visual Artists:<br />
Ken Anderson,<br />
Bev Morris, Jean Taylor<br />
and<br />
Performing Artists:<br />
Duane Gastant Aucoin,<br />
Sharon Shorty, Heather Callaghan<br />
and William Callaghan.<br />
We wish you all the best with<br />
your future artistic endeavors!<br />
March 2010