[0:00] Morning.
[0:04] Uh good morning everyone. Um and
[0:06] welcome. Um and uh welcome back. I know
[0:11] we uh we had planned to do this a week
[0:13] ago, but I'm really glad that we could
[0:15] reschedu and um thank you for joining us
[0:18] this morning. Uh as chair of the Central
[0:21] Coast Regional District, I call this
[0:23] public hearing to order at 9:04 on
[0:26] Thursday, August 13th. Um, this public
[0:29] hearing concerns Bellakula Valley
[0:31] official community plan bylaw number 565
[0:37] 2026.
[0:39] This the proposed bylaw would adopt a
[0:41] new official community plan for elected
[0:44] electoral areas C, D, and E, including
[0:47] the accompanying map schedules, and
[0:50] would repeal the existing official
[0:53] community plan, Bella Valley official
[0:56] community plan designation bylaw number
[0:58] 302 from 1998.
[1:02] Um, the purpose of this hearing is to
[1:04] provide every person who believes that
[1:06] their interest in property is affected
[1:08] by the proposed bylaw a reasonable
[1:11] opportunity to be heard or to present a
[1:14] written submission on matters contained
[1:16] in the proposed bylaw. This is a
[1:18] statutory statutory hearing. It's not a
[1:21] debate, an open house or a meeting at
[1:23] which the board will make a decision.
[1:25] The role of the board here is to listen
[1:28] with an open mind and where necessary
[1:31] ask neutral questions for clarification.
[1:34] The merits of the bylaw will be debated
[1:36] and decided on later at an open board
[1:38] meeting.
[1:40] Um, notice of this hearing has been
[1:42] provided to the public and copies of the
[1:44] proposed bylaw and related background
[1:46] material have been made available for
[1:48] inspection. Written submissions received
[1:50] by the stated deadline form part of the
[1:53] public record and will be identified by
[1:55] the corporate officer. Everything said
[1:57] or submitted at this hearing may become
[1:59] part of the public record. Participants
[2:02] should therefore avoid including any
[2:04] personal information that is not
[2:06] necessary to their comments. Once the
[2:08] hearing is formally closed, the board
[2:11] cannot receive or consider any further
[2:13] public submissions regarding this bylaw.
[2:16] This hearing is being held in person at
[2:19] the CCRD office and electronically
[2:21] through Microsoft Teams. Participants
[2:24] attending through Teams should remain
[2:26] muted until they are called upon and
[2:28] should use the raise hand function when
[2:30] they wish to speak. Staff will monitor
[2:32] both the room and the online meeting so
[2:35] that participants in either format have
[2:37] a fair opportunity to be heard. To
[2:40] ensure an orderly and fair hearing, I
[2:42] ask everyone to follow these procedures.
[2:45] Please direct all remarks through the
[2:47] chair and limit your comments to matters
[2:50] contain contained in bylaw number 565.
[2:55] When called upon upon, please state your
[2:57] name and indicate whether you are
[2:59] speaking on your own uh behalf or on the
[3:02] behalf of an organization. Please keep
[3:04] your remarks focused and reasonably
[3:06] concise. To ensure that everyone has a
[3:09] reasonable opportunity to be heard, each
[3:11] speaker will initially be provided up to
[3:13] five minutes. Speakers will be given an
[3:16] initial opportunity to speak before
[3:17] anyone is invited to speak a second
[3:20] time.
[3:22] I may ask a speaker to conclude if
[3:24] comments become repetitive, unrelated to
[3:26] the bylaw, disrespectful, or disruptive,
[3:29] personal attacks, interruptions, and
[3:31] applause are not appropriate.
[3:34] Uh board members may ask questions to
[3:36] clarify a speaker's comments or the cont
[3:40] content of the proposed bylaw. Questions
[3:43] will be directed through the chair.
[3:45] There will be no cross-examination,
[3:47] rebuttal, or debate between speakers,
[3:50] board members, staff, or other
[3:51] participants. Anyone wishing to provide
[3:54] a written document during the hearing
[3:56] should give it to our corporate officer
[3:58] or send it through the method identified
[4:00] by staff before the hearing is closed.
[4:05] Um, so Mr. Prime. Uh, please confirm for
[4:09] the record that the notice of this
[4:11] public hearing was given in accordance
[4:12] with the applicable requirements and
[4:15] advise whether any written submissions
[4:16] were received by the stated deadline.
[4:20] » Thank you, Madam Chair. I can confirm
[4:21] that uh we did post notice accordingly
[4:23] through uh the procedure bylaw. We
[4:25] posted on our Facebook website as well
[4:28] as on the public notice boards at the uh
[4:30] CCRD office. We've received two uh
[4:33] written correspondents. uh both are
[4:36] within the agenda package that you have
[4:38] received. Um I will note here that while
[4:42] um you know there certainly everyone is
[4:44] aware of the new health letter that was
[4:46] posted on Facebook that was never to the
[4:49] best of my knowledge sent to the CCRD
[4:51] directly to staff or board.
[4:56] » Thank you very much.
[4:59] Um I will now um ask our our planner to
[5:03] provide a brief overview of the
[5:06] Bellacula Valley Community Plan official
[5:09] community plan bylaw number 565 2026.
[5:13] Following that overview, I will invite
[5:15] represent um representations from the
[5:18] public beginning with participants in
[5:20] the room and then participants attending
[5:22] through Microsoft Teams.
[5:27] is our
[5:29] » And uh Chair Kennedy. Yeah, I believe
[5:31] that was for the previous one. Chris
[5:33] Rele is not here today. Yeah, sorry.
[5:35] » Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I uh Yeah, I didn't
[5:38] » That was on me.
[5:40] » No, no, I'm sure I Yeah, I should have
[5:42] reprinted. I was saving paper.
[5:45] [laughter]
[5:46] Um Okay, no problem. Um is there a uh do
[5:51] we have a chance to do a brief overview?
[5:53] Um perhaps Mr. Prime or Mr. Slingerland,
[5:56] I don't know um if we can do just a
[5:58] quick overview of
[6:02] um either like the the purpose of the
[6:04] plan or kind of what uh you know where
[6:08] how we got here today basically.
[6:11] » Okay. I uh through the chair I can take
[6:14] a bit of a stab at that. So the official
[6:15] community plan is the highest level uh
[6:17] planning document that uh local
[6:19] government does. It sets out a bit of a
[6:21] kind of a vision over a loadar in
[6:23] regards to where community wants to go
[6:25] and the CCRD has started this process in
[6:27] 2022 and uh had urban systems undertake
[6:31] that work which involved uh community
[6:33] meetings in 2022 2023 and has advanced
[6:37] to uh to the point now. It is not a
[6:40] zoning bylaw but it will but it does uh
[6:43] affect a future iteration or updates of
[6:45] zone of the zoning bylaw. So, um that is
[6:49] a general overview of it. It has been
[6:51] available for uh public comment and
[6:54] review for a bit of time and uh we're
[6:57] here today for the public hearing.
[6:59] » Great. Thank you very much. Yes, the I
[7:02] um yeah, three three four years um in
[7:06] the making. So, thank you very much.
[7:08] That's great. Um so I will now um I will
[7:13] now uh call on our speakers who are in
[7:17] the the boardroom. Um
[7:20] and I I don't have a great view. I did
[7:23] see Mr. Nestagard there or I don't know
[7:25] if there if there's if anyone is
[7:28] speaking before him. Oh yes.
[7:30] » Yes.
[7:30] » We have Katherine Best will be first and
[7:32] if you want to go to the podium you can
[7:34] speak from there.
[7:35] » Okay.
[7:35] » Great. Okay. Good morning, Miss Best.
[7:38] » Good morning. Um, oh, sorry, I prepared
[7:41] a question. Um, so I'm just sort of
[7:43] frantically writing it as a comment, I
[7:45] suppose. Maybe I'll just read the
[7:46] question and whether or not it can be
[7:48] answered, it might give some
[7:49] understanding of where I'm coming from.
[7:50] Um, so this is in regard to 4.2.3.8,
[7:55] which uh is a line saying discouraging
[7:57] recreational trails that bisect or
[7:59] border farmland. Um, and that raised a
[8:02] bit of a red flag for me just because,
[8:04] uh, recreational trails provide access
[8:07] beyond just hiking in the valley. Um,
[8:10] they're for harvesting, for exploration,
[8:11] for cultural practices. Um, and for a
[8:14] whole host of reasons that are really
[8:16] important to a lot of people. Um, and I
[8:18] think the restriction of where they may
[8:20] be built uh, should the the cost of that
[8:23] should be recognized. Um, and I
[8:24] understand that uh, agriculture uh, is
[8:27] an important part of this plan and I
[8:29] think that's wonderful. I'm really in
[8:30] favor of that. I'm looking at getting
[8:32] farm status myself. Uh but I do think we
[8:35] need to be very very careful about the
[8:38] restriction of general public access,
[8:40] especially because of how the valley
[8:41] runs. Um a lot of the valley could be
[8:45] either currently is or could easily
[8:47] become farmland. Um, we know a lot of it
[8:50] is in the ALR and by restricting where
[8:53] the trails can be built, it restricts
[8:55] really like everything goes beside land
[8:58] that could be farmland or that is
[9:00] farmland currently. Um, and I think we
[9:02] want to be really careful about
[9:04] restricting general public access to the
[9:06] land. I think um, this may speak more
[9:08] towards um, sort of a private property
[9:12] ownership uh, like way of viewing the
[9:16] our land use in the valley. Um, and
[9:19] obviously interrupting agricultural land
[9:21] use would be a problem, but I don't see
[9:23] how recreational trails um are currently
[9:26] doing that. I don't really see a
[9:27] justification for that in uh in what
[9:29] we've seen. Um, and I I would like to
[9:32] see I know some of this goes beyond the
[9:34] purview of the CCRD, but I would prefer
[9:36] as a society that we be moving more
[9:38] towards a freedom like a right to Rome
[9:41] um way of looking at the land rather
[9:43] than a like parceling off. And I think
[9:46] um especially the way that the valley
[9:48] has been parcled and the way that it's
[9:49] set up um this could potentially really
[9:52] restrict where we have access to um in
[9:56] the in the public lands that go beyond
[9:59] the private lands. Um so that that line
[10:01] concerned me. Sorry I didn't end up
[10:03] asking my question, but that's fine. Um
[10:06] and I would like that to be considered.
[10:08] Thank you.
[10:09] » Thank you very much. Can you give me
[10:11] that line one more time so I can just
[10:13] make a note of it? Yeah. 4.2.3.8.
[10:20] » Thank you very much. And thank you.
[10:22] Yeah. Thank you for um addressing the
[10:23] board today and uh for your comments.
[10:26] » Thank you.
[10:29] » Um so I believe
[10:32] » There we go. Mr. Nestagard, welcome.
[10:34] Good to see you. Thank you.
[10:37] » Hey, good morning everybody. Um
[10:41] I see a few problems looking through
[10:43] this plan.
[10:46] The one just mentioned is it was one of
[10:49] them. Uh one of the other big problems I
[10:52] think is the and I don't have the number
[10:55] so if you want to look it up you're
[10:57] going to have to look it up yourself. Uh
[11:00] there's a line in there about unrip and
[11:03] drip.
[11:07] So basically I think it says that the
[11:11] CCRD is going to move to implement unrip
[11:14] and drip.
[11:18] I don't know if you guys are aware of
[11:21] what's going on with our provincial
[11:22] government right now, but
[11:26] you know, a bunch of UNRIP when when the
[11:29] provincial government passed UNRIP, a
[11:31] lot of people said, "Oh no, this is
[11:33] terrible. Um, we shouldn't be doing this
[11:36] and here's why." And and then, you know,
[11:40] the government said, "Oh, no. This is
[11:42] this is good. This is great. This is
[11:44] progress." And then a few things started
[11:47] to happen and the provincial government
[11:50] said, "Well, I think um we're going to
[11:53] have to uh repeal DRIPA."
[11:58] And then they said, "Oh, well, maybe
[12:01] we'll just amend it a little." Um
[12:04] [clears throat]
[12:04] and then they said, "Oh, we're not
[12:07] changing it at all. We're we're sticking
[12:09] with it." Um that that was about a month
[12:12] ago. I don't know where they are on it
[12:14] now and I don't think the board knows.
[12:19] So, I think it would be a huge mistake
[12:22] to um put it into our policy into our
[12:25] official plan that we're going to follow
[12:28] a legislation that
[12:31] you know who knows who knows what's
[12:34] going to happen with [clears throat] it.
[12:35] The provincial government doesn't know
[12:37] right now.
[12:39] So, for that reason, and
[12:43] um
[12:46] I don't know. I think you're going to
[12:47] hear a few other people today.
[12:49] Hopefully. I don't know where they are.
[12:51] I thought they would be here in person.
[12:53] Maybe they'll be online, but uh
[12:57] I've heard a lot of people um I've heard
[13:02] from the chief counselor. I've heard
[13:06] from other counselors of the New Hawk
[13:08] Nation that they're not very happy about
[13:10] this plan.
[13:13] Um,
[13:16] it mentions reconciliation I don't know
[13:19] how many times.
[13:21] Um,
[13:26] it doesn't really mention truth and
[13:28] recon. It mentions, I think, the truth
[13:30] and reconciliation
[13:32] uh commission,
[13:35] but it doesn't mention the word truth.
[13:37] Maybe I think that's the only time the
[13:40] word truth is in there. So,
[13:43] um yeah, I I think this board has done
[13:46] enough over the last bunch of years
[13:51] and this board is on its way out in like
[13:56] eight weeks or something.
[13:58] So, I think this board should just back
[14:01] off of this official community plan and
[14:04] leave it to the next board.
[14:07] Thank you.
[14:10] » Thank you, Mr. Nestagard for your
[14:11] comments.
[14:13] Um, I see a hand up in the um
[14:20] in the teams
[14:22] uh here and I believe it's Mr. Weber, I
[14:27] think. And uh I'm not sure yeah how we
[14:30] are doing the the list of of speakers
[14:32] but perhaps
[14:35] miss Oh I see. Okay we've got the
[14:38] council perhaps.
[14:48] » Uh thank you chair Kennedy. Um
[14:53] I I just want to mention a few things.
[14:57] You know all the although we're here and
[14:59] participating
[15:00] this is not being sent to move forward
[15:03] [clears throat]
[15:05] and there has been letters
[15:08] there has been letters sent to
[15:10] yourselves
[15:12] including yourself chair Kennedy
[15:15] including federal representation
[15:18] including provincial representation
[15:21] regarding this process.
[15:24] There has been opposition from Stalin.
[15:28] There has been opposition from elected
[15:30] leadership.
[15:34] And
[15:35] for this work to start in 2022,
[15:40] New was not present at that time.
[15:44] There was no collaboration on this
[15:46] process.
[15:49] This process really is
[15:52] challenging our title and right.
[15:56] This process is not inclusive of our our
[16:00] way.
[16:04] So there has been opposition to this
[16:06] process
[16:09] despite us hearing out what this process
[16:12] is.
[16:14] We we we are not aware of this process.
[16:17] We're learning about this process. This
[16:19] is not our way.
[16:22] That's a fair misrepresentation of us
[16:25] new people.
[16:29] We are OCP is not our way.
[16:34] So it's it's a misrepresentation to say
[16:37] we've been involved.
[16:40] We've been involved to hear about it,
[16:42] but you've also heard our official
[16:45] opposition against it.
[16:48] So although we're here participating, we
[16:50] are here saying we oppose this process.
[16:56] You know, we we rely on
[17:00] the medicines of this land.
[17:02] We have no access
[17:05] to many many places in this valley.
[17:09] No access.
[17:13] That's harvesting
[17:15] medicines, hunting, mushroom picking.
[17:20] Our way of life has been challenged.
[17:24] So it's a misrepresentation to say we've
[17:26] been engaged
[17:31] and there's a lot of words around
[17:34] reconciliation
[17:36] and working with new nation
[17:40] but that work has been unfair.
[17:45] We're brought to the table at the 11th
[17:46] hour
[17:49] and we don't know a darn thing about
[17:51] this process.
[17:56] So I just want to open up with those
[17:58] comments because I have my staff here. I
[18:00] have elected leadership here.
[18:04] So I'm stalled here.
[18:07] This is a misrepresentation of new
[18:09] nation
[18:11] inclusive of new leadership and new cult
[18:14] people has to start from the beginning.
[18:17] We don't know about this process. This
[18:19] is foreign to us.
[18:22] This is not our traditional way.
[18:32] Uh thank you Mr. Weber uh for your
[18:35] comments. Um, is
[18:39] there anyone
[18:42] else there that would like to speak or
[18:45] should I go through speakers
[18:48] um on the teams?
[19:00] Okay, I'm going to maybe
[19:04] Yeah, I'll watch for hands and then I
[19:07] will Oh, I see a hand, but I see the
[19:11] microphone is muted. I don't know if um
[19:14] I can't hear anything.
[19:19] » Archer Kennedy, I'm not seeing who has
[19:21] their hand up.
[19:22] » Oh, uh it was uh Mr. Weber put his h
[19:25] like his hand up. Um, but I
[19:28] » But then the microphone was muted so I
[19:30] wasn't sure. Um, but Mr. Weber, is there
[19:34] someone else there that would like to
[19:36] speak as well?
[19:37] » Yes, Chief Spooner.
[19:40] » Okay. Yeah,
[19:42] I'm a little uh I'm a little curious to,
[19:46] [clears throat]
[19:47] you know, uh
[19:49] to figure out what what um
[19:54] what would be considered consultation
[19:56] from the CCRD
[20:00] uh board of directors. Um I think a
[20:04] meeting, a quick meeting is is really
[20:06] not that. And once uh you know the
[20:08] statement that uh Huda had made
[20:12] um about uh
[20:16] you know proper consultation you know
[20:19] proper um you know working with the
[20:21] nation you know and and
[20:24] you know and that that that starts right
[20:27] from the beginning you know I think at
[20:30] uh
[20:31] um having a like picking members off the
[20:35] street or whatever for Abby. There's got
[20:38] to be a, you know, a
[20:43] and I don't really care for the word
[20:45] consultation, you know. I don't I don't
[20:48] honestly think it really works for, you
[20:50] know, what we have. Like, it's got to be
[20:53] there's got to be a word in our in our
[20:55] language that that says that we are
[20:58] actually working together, that we see
[20:59] eye to eye on this, and that this is
[21:01] moving forward in a good way.
[21:05] you know that's that that's the work
[21:08] that has to be the work you know so I'm
[21:12] I guess the question would be is like
[21:18] you know my expectation is is that you
[21:21] know that that we are and should be
[21:24] working together
[21:27] and I and I think [clears throat] that
[21:28] got lost along the way. I know that um
[21:31] the intention is good relationships,
[21:34] you know, and I think that that's
[21:36] something that we can work on, but I
[21:38] would also ask that that you know, maybe
[21:40] this work has to continue when the new
[21:42] board of uh directors is elected
[21:46] because it's I I don't believe and I'd
[21:49] be curious as to what uh director Hall
[21:52] has, you know, some some comments that
[21:55] he might have that he might add. I'm not
[21:58] sure where Heltech is on this. I'm not
[22:00] sure where we can is on this because
[22:03] we're we're all in the same area.
[22:09] But that's all I have to say for now.
[22:12] [clears throat]
[22:12] » Okay. Thank you. Um thank you um Chief
[22:16] Skooner. Um so at this this time like it
[22:20] isn't we're not exactly directing
[22:22] questions at the board. We're here just
[22:24] to to listen right now. Um, I I don't
[22:28] know if there's anything that director
[22:30] Hall does want to say, but um, but yeah,
[22:33] right now our role is as uh open-minded
[22:37] listeners in this forum, but I do see
[22:40] Director Hall's hand up.
[22:42] » Yeah, I just wanted to brief
[22:43] acknowledgement of uh um Chief Scooters
[22:47] and u their admin staff as well as their
[22:50] um elected leadership um with regards to
[22:53] this this concern. Um I know I worked
[22:57] with Chief Scooner in the past regarding
[23:00] uh relationship development. We worked
[23:02] on emergency planning and management and
[23:05] stuff like this where um things had gone
[23:08] very well for a while. Uh things drop
[23:10] off the board and we've stated it uh
[23:13] verbally in the past when
[23:16] your agreements and your discussions are
[23:18] only as good as this the people that are
[23:20] are are representing you and and
[23:22] ensuring these things move forward. Um I
[23:26] do understand the concerns being placed
[23:28] forward and I do recommend you know us
[23:30] working together um going forward. Um
[23:33] the nation has issues of course with
[23:36] regional district decisions and whatnot
[23:39] considering of course one of the major
[23:42] issues is the uh my area for area B is
[23:46] just my reserve proper. So it doesn't
[23:48] really um make for a wholesome
[23:52] relationship as well with the regional
[23:54] district. Although my my stance and I
[23:56] know that um uh Chief Skooner and I had
[23:59] worked on many um documents that were um
[24:06] uh documents to try and state a better
[24:09] relationship and work toward a better
[24:11] relationship. Um comments were made
[24:14] about um Andrip and DRIPA and uh local
[24:18] government, the provincial government
[24:20] signed an agreement certainly and it it
[24:22] it made the regional districts and and
[24:25] municipalities have um
[24:29] it it asked them to push forward with no
[24:31] key elements in place or no guidance uh
[24:35] to put those elements into place. So uh
[24:38] in in conversation with Chief Scooner I
[24:41] think yeah we need to have a more
[24:42] wholesome understanding and discussion
[24:45] regarding this. I know that we also
[24:47] wanted to implement and and put um some
[24:51] weight behind um legislative reform and
[24:55] that's another huge discussion that
[24:57] needs to happen as well. I appreciate
[24:59] your comments and concerns New Hawk
[25:01] Nation uh staff as well as elected
[25:03] leadership. Um I do want to work toward
[25:06] continuing um improving relationships
[25:08] with nations and that's key and and
[25:11] partial um to some very significant
[25:14] events that have happened in the
[25:16] regional district. Um
[25:19] and again it it we need to make sure
[25:21] that the um the staff that we hand these
[25:24] tasks to are are you know fully
[25:27] acknowledged um and educated to move
[25:30] things forward. Um I hope this um
[25:33] discussion will continue um Chief um
[25:37] Skooner and also the regional district
[25:38] current regional district board. Thank
[25:40] you guys.
[25:42] » Thank you Director Hall. Um I'm looking
[25:45] for the next um person who would like to
[25:48] speak.
[25:51] I see a hand up there. The initials JN
[26:00] Hello. Thank you for giving time for
[26:02] responses. I understand that this is uh
[26:04] not something that you can comment on
[26:06] right now, but it's just a hearing. Um
[26:08] so, uh yeah, just like you to listen to
[26:10] this. So, I believe there's been some
[26:11] communication failures to the community.
[26:14] I have um about seven issues here. I'm
[26:16] going to quickly go through um survey
[26:19] participation 112 responses from the
[26:22] community between February March 2023
[26:25] had a very low response rate from the
[26:28] population. So I'm unclear how this
[26:29] represents uh the valley. Curtis
[26:32] mentioned to the start of this that this
[26:34] OCP represents the vision of the
[26:36] community. That can't be true if that's
[26:38] the facts. Business engagement 35
[26:40] businesses were contacted. 12 responded.
[26:43] This is a 34% response rate uh which
[26:46] were mostly um which is unrepresent
[26:50] under representation of the community.
[26:52] Um the OCP visibility there was an
[26:55] engagement week held on uh in May
[26:57] between the 1st and the 4th in 2023. One
[27:00] single week of engagement window does
[27:02] not reach all residents and there's no
[27:04] indication of any follow-up. The
[27:06] document access the OCP is 90 pages and
[27:08] is a dense technical document and
[27:11] there's no evidence of a plan um or to
[27:13] to put plain language or summaries for
[27:15] accessible formats for public friendly
[27:17] versions. Um ongoing updates section six
[27:20] implementation strategy outlines actions
[27:22] but there's no public timeline or
[27:24] progress tracking mechanism described
[27:26] for these residents to monitor OCP
[27:28] implementation. The meeting
[27:30] accessibility multiple drop-in sessions
[27:32] were mentioned at co-op at the Legion
[27:33] Hall. These were incredibly minable and
[27:36] um they have geographic constraints
[27:37] noted in engagement. There's youth
[27:39] throughout the valley that struggled to
[27:40] get access to transportation. Um, and
[27:43] having uh someone posted at the co-op
[27:45] for a few weeks um does not count as um
[27:48] accessibility. You need to do better
[27:50] than that. Um feedback transparency. The
[27:53] key engagement themes lifted in section
[27:55] 1.5. There's no indication how specific
[27:57] resident comments shaped final policies.
[28:00] Um so the feedback loop is not visible.
[28:02] Yeah. Thank you.
[28:06] » Thank you Mr. Nash for your comments.
[28:11] I am looking for our next speaker.
[28:28] If there's yeah any member of the
[28:30] gallery online that would like to speak
[28:33] um please uh raise your hand and I will
[28:36] be sure to call on you.
[28:54] Um, oh, I see uh Oh, I see um Mr. uh or
[29:00] I see the hand up for uh Mr. Weber again
[29:04] um in the New Hope Chambers.
[29:17] » There we go. Go ahead. Go ahead.
[29:19] » Thanks again, Chair Kennedy. Um,
[29:22] you know, this this
[29:25] I I'm all for working together,
[29:29] but that that collaboration needs to be
[29:32] often and very very early.
[29:35] Curtis and I meet quarterly
[29:39] and there's
[29:41] there's support from from leadership to
[29:44] to meet with yourselves.
[29:47] But we we need to do better
[29:50] strongly.
[29:53] We need to pick up
[29:55] our our
[29:57] motivation. We we need to do better.
[30:01] This is not working for us.
[30:05] If we're working together, we're working
[30:07] together early.
[30:10] We were not aware of this process even
[30:12] beginning
[30:14] and it came to our table I want to say a
[30:16] year and a little bit ago
[30:19] presentation was made as I shared we we
[30:23] that we're not aware of this process.
[30:26] There's no orientation on this process.
[30:31] We we don't know
[30:36] And we there's a lot of this I'm looking
[30:40] through the schedules.
[30:43] There's there's a lot of,
[30:46] you know, pen houses, burial grounds,
[30:49] CMTs
[30:52] ancestral villages
[30:54] that you're talking about here
[30:57] within the this the maps here, the
[30:59] schedules.
[31:01] That's what we're talking about.
[31:06] Medicines, harvesting.
[31:11] We need to do better
[31:14] obviously.
[31:18] So I I I fully support you know this
[31:21] process being paused.
[31:23] This is not proper [clears throat]
[31:26] engagement with new leadership.
[31:31] In order for this process to move
[31:33] forward, you need consent.
[31:36] That's reconciliation.
[31:39] You can't take our opposition and move
[31:41] forward with it. That's not working
[31:44] together. That's not reconciliation.
[31:48] If we move this forward, this is not
[31:51] working together.
[31:55] We're we're we're here to help you
[31:57] define what that looks like.
[32:00] » [clears throat]
[32:02] » We are available and committed to that.
[32:07] But this is not proper process.
[32:12] We can't move forward without engaging
[32:15] with new leadership, new people and
[32:18] ultimately having consent.
[32:23] Then we move forward.
[32:26] We're willing to reshare those letters,
[32:30] but that's official opposition that
[32:32] there shouldn't be a restriction on
[32:35] sending it on based on dates, deadlines.
[32:42] Those responses should be heard often
[32:45] and available through any platform.
[32:50] That's that's fair process.
[33:01] Thank you again, Mr. Weber. Um, other
[33:04] speakers.
[33:15] Yeah, I'm going to um
[33:18] to call for other speakers. Um,
[33:23] I'm not seeing any other hands up at
[33:26] this time. Oh,
[33:28] » Mr. Weber got to speak. Could I bring up
[33:31] another point, Chair Kennedy?
[33:33] » Uh, yes. So, yeah, now that we've called
[33:35] for other speakers, I haven't heard any.
[33:37] Yes, you may speak a second time, Mr.
[33:39] Nestagard. Go ahead.
[33:46] » I don't know who uh who was the speaker
[33:48] online. Is it Mr. Nash.
[33:53] » Mr. Nash brought up uh a point that the
[33:56] the page is 90 pa the the plan is 90
[33:59] pages long.
[34:03] Well, it's actually
[34:06] 140 pages long, 150 pages long. Maybe
[34:10] Mr. Prime could tell us
[34:13] uh the link
[34:16] on for this meeting for the agenda
[34:19] package where you can go and look at the
[34:22] plan so that you can provide meaningful
[34:25] input.
[34:27] It's 90 pages.
[34:30] There's no schedule B, C, D, E, or F.
[34:35] Um the the the full plan, the full 140
[34:39] something page plan is available.
[34:43] You just have to
[34:45] go through the gears with Mr. Prime to
[34:48] get it.
[34:52] So I I I wonder how many people have
[34:54] seen the full plan
[34:57] and how many people think that the
[34:58] 90page plan is the plan.
[35:03] So h how do we provide meaningful input
[35:06] without the plant? How do we do that?
[35:11] » Well, we don't.
[35:17] » Thank you.
[35:18] » Thank you, Mr. Nesterard. Um
[35:22] okay, so I am
[35:25] calling for
[35:27] additional speakers. If there's anyone
[35:29] in the room or participating through
[35:32] teams who wishes to speak regarding um
[35:36] Bella Kula Valley official community
[35:38] plan bylaw number 565 2026
[35:46] for a second time. Is there anyone who
[35:49] wishes to speak regarding the proposed
[35:52] bylaw
[35:54] for a third and final time? Is there
[35:57] anyone who wishes to speak regarding the
[35:59] proposed bylaw?
[36:03] I see a hand up. Mr. Weber there. If we
[36:07] can enable his microphone
[36:10] and camera.
[36:14] » Are we on?
[36:16] » Go ahead.
[36:17] » Yeah, it's um Chief Stew again. Um
[36:21] [clears throat]
[36:22] I just uh you know I think there's there
[36:24] was a lot of gaps that are that um you
[36:28] know it goes back to even when I was on
[36:30] the board um you know and the and the
[36:34] lack of communications the lack of
[36:36] resources um you know uh financial
[36:40] um
[36:43] even even going back as far as uh
[36:45] financing reconciliation that we brought
[36:48] to
[36:50] uh UBIC.
[36:51] Um
[36:53] but I you know it it really identifies a
[36:56] lot of gaps and that includes the nation
[37:00] as well you know where where
[37:02] communications and lack of resources is
[37:05] is uh you know for CCRD as well is that
[37:10] that
[37:12] we don't
[37:14] necessarily have the expertise or the
[37:16] resources uh meaning uh that finances to
[37:21] have um communications,
[37:24] you know, or maybe that that that
[37:28] is is a real gap between us right now,
[37:32] you know, and I and I I think that
[37:34] identifying that that, you know,
[37:36] something that, you know, potentially
[37:38] that we can work together on
[37:41] or maybe it's something that you guys
[37:43] can work on on your end and we can work
[37:47] on on our end. But I I do believe that
[37:50] that you know the intention is there
[37:54] [clears throat]
[37:55] but right now that we we just don't have
[37:59] the resources. Maybe that's what it is.
[38:02] But I I do know that the process has
[38:05] hasn't
[38:11] you know for us that that we can't agree
[38:14] to this OCP.
[38:16] We we can't right now. I think it it's
[38:19] it's it's needs more work. it needs more
[38:21] work from us, especially if it's a uh
[38:26] designated a Bella Valley OCP,
[38:30] you know, and and um and just one of the
[38:34] words that that I see in here um
[38:40] and of course it says draft, but uh
[38:43] before
[38:46] figure one, Bella Valley OCP planning,
[38:49] it should be noted that since The CCB
[38:51] has no jurisdiction on New Coke reser
[38:54] reserve lands,
[38:57] you know, which is uh, you know, for me,
[39:03] you know, that that that is a very uh
[39:07] colonial term,
[39:10] you know, that word
[39:13] we only have say on reserve lands,
[39:20] you You know that that brings us back to
[39:22] uh
[39:25] the Indian
[39:29] brings brings us back to a time where uh
[39:35] you know our our our hunting grounds
[39:37] were taken, our fishing grounds were
[39:39] taken. You know that we weren't allowed
[39:42] off reserve.
[39:47] You know that that we are no better than
[39:49] caged animals.
[39:59] You know that that's what it was like
[40:00] for my people,
[40:03] our people.
[40:06] You know that we weren't allowed
[40:07] anywhere else on the land that we used
[40:10] to be free on. that we used to go
[40:13] everywhere and harvest our medicines,
[40:16] hunt, fish,
[40:20] that we weren't allowed to
[40:23] walk off four square kilometers when we
[40:26] used to run three in the whole entire
[40:28] area,
[40:31] you know. So, I I really have a lot of
[40:33] issues, you know, with some of the
[40:35] language in here, you I think it's very
[40:38] uh it it really needs a lot of work. You
[40:41] know, they talk about partnerships,
[40:46] you know, and I I
[40:49] I would love to see it get to be a
[40:51] partnership at some point, but right now
[40:54] it's not there. It's just not like in
[40:57] the language in this uh document is uh
[41:01] you know, it needs to be changed.
[41:04] It needs to be changed.
[41:07] What?
[41:18] Um, [clears throat]
[41:20] thank you, M. Uh, thank you, Chair,
[41:22] pardon me, thank you, Chief Skooner, um,
[41:24] for your for your comments. Um
[41:28] it's so it is very hard to to you know
[41:32] not um yeah
[41:35] to to
[41:37] not that I want to argue with anyone but
[41:40] we are just here to listen and um I yeah
[41:44] it is hard to not um engage that way and
[41:48] so um there was a a comment of like what
[41:51] what will happen next and so um after
[41:54] all of the speakers have uh have been
[41:56] heard. Um then we will close the the
[42:00] public hearing. Um most likely there
[42:03] will be a special meeting called um when
[42:06] when the board decides what to do next
[42:09] after this hearing. Uh we are no longer
[42:12] able to receive comments. And so, you
[42:15] know, it is um yeah, the board has to
[42:19] have have heard everything that they
[42:22] um that they can at this hearing and
[42:26] then um decide at the special meeting
[42:29] what happens uh next with this process.
[42:32] Um so yes once again we are just here to
[42:35] listen and I know that it's hard and it
[42:38] doesn't mean that we aren't listening
[42:41] and engaged um with this with the
[42:43] speakers but um unfortunately we can't
[42:46] yeah answer questions at this time. Um I
[42:49] see uh oh I see uh director Hall I see
[42:53] your hand up. Um is there something that
[42:55] you wanted to site? Yeah, just to um um
[42:59] bring up some other issues too with
[43:01] regards to communications and whatnot.
[43:03] Um there were there had been issues even
[43:05] with the previous board and in
[43:08] communications with all of the nations
[43:09] within the regional district. Um it's
[43:12] it's not um something we had a lot of
[43:15] control over like like um Chief Skooner
[43:17] had stated there was there are issues
[43:20] with funding financial rec financing
[43:22] reconciliation document was one that was
[43:25] trying to address that especially for a
[43:27] regional district that's not coupled
[43:28] with a municipality. It doesn't have
[43:30] that additional um tax requisition info
[43:33] or I'm sorry input.
[43:36] um the engagement dollars that are set
[43:38] up by the federal government for local
[43:40] governments to um engage with nations is
[43:43] is minuscule. It works for a lot of
[43:47] municipalities or regional districts
[43:48] again that are coupled with regional
[43:50] districts or sorry municipalities next
[43:53] to them. Um they have more funds like uh
[43:56] Sno was doing very success successful
[43:58] for a long time and they actually had
[43:59] employed an individual to have that
[44:02] engagement uh piece. um other other um
[44:06] regional districts and and whatnot like
[44:09] um Alurnie Clayquat I believe that's
[44:12] what it's called. Sorry if I'm if I'm
[44:13] incorrect on that but um they have a
[44:17] very engaged good engagement piece where
[44:19] even their their chief is also on the
[44:22] board for the regional district. So um
[44:24] stuff like that. Um the limitations of
[44:27] the local government act and the Indian
[44:29] act really really in the past had um
[44:32] made a clear separation between the two.
[44:35] Um things like that needed needed to be
[44:37] engaged. Some of that was also um looked
[44:40] at and addressed through the um local
[44:46] local election reform. I I can't
[44:48] remember the title. Sorry. I apologize.
[44:50] Um I did um want to share another
[44:53] conversation maybe with director or
[44:55] sorry chief scooter. I keep he was
[44:58] worked with him for several years so I
[44:59] keep on thinking he's a director still
[45:02] but um yeah I hope I hope we have some
[45:04] conversation seriously moving forward.
[45:07] Um I'm I'm in support of the nations. Um
[45:09] we've tried to initiate and and
[45:11] incorporate the fact that um any
[45:14] agreements that come around such as um
[45:16] the one with the the um um internet and
[45:22] they needed to engage and have approvals
[45:24] by each of the nations that they're
[45:26] working with too. And we try to make
[45:27] sure that they promote that um within
[45:29] the regional district as well as ours to
[45:32] make sure engagement is uh wholesome and
[45:35] informed and um cooperative. But um
[45:39] yeah, I I'm strongly working and we need
[45:43] to work together. I appreciate
[45:45] everybody's words here and everybody's
[45:47] comments and concerns, their fair
[45:49] concerns and um across the board. Let's
[45:52] work together. There's so many things
[45:53] that can happen if we work together and
[45:57] there's more success when nations work
[45:59] together with local governments and
[46:02] provincial governments, federal
[46:03] governments. Thank you.
[46:05] » Thank you, Director Hall. Um I have a
[46:08] speaker on the uh teams here. Uh
[46:11] initials KG.
[46:14] Um we will enable your microphone and
[46:19] when you're ready you can go ahead.
[46:29] » Can you hear me?
[46:30] » Yes.
[46:31] » Uh good morning. Thank you uh Chair
[46:34] Chair Kennedy. Uh this is Kim. I work
[46:36] for the New Hawk Nation. I just wanted
[46:38] to reiterate and check in regarding the
[46:41] next steps. Thank you for uh clarifying
[46:44] that. Uh thank you for clarifying that
[46:47] um
[46:49] the [clears throat] next steps on behalf
[46:51] of of your board is to have a special um
[46:54] meeting.
[46:56] What steps are going to be ensured to
[46:59] ensure that
[47:01] the official opposition from the New
[47:04] Hawk Nation is brought up at that
[47:07] meeting?
[47:09] Is it up to the chair and the CEO to
[47:12] craft that special meeting agenda and
[47:15] how much notice is given for that
[47:17] special meeting
[47:20] in your process?
[47:22] Um so I think that special meetings
[47:25] require 48 hours public notice. Um I
[47:28] could be wrong.
[47:30] Um uh yeah once again it is this is we
[47:34] are just here to to listen just to be
[47:37] clear but I I feel like um that is yeah
[47:40] a procedural piece. Um so there will be
[47:43] public notice and um and yeah from there
[47:48] the board you know takes into account
[47:50] all the feedback that we have received
[47:52] from you know all the other parties um
[47:55] and uh then decides what to do from
[47:58] there so that it is up to the board.
[48:01] » It is up to the up to the board to craft
[48:03] the special meeting agenda.
[48:07] » No that isn't what I stated. Um,
[48:10] » Okay.
[48:11] » That it is up to the board what we do
[48:13] next. But the agenda of course is
[48:16] is made by staff. That's but the you
[48:21] know that will be the item on the agenda
[48:23] is to decide what to do next. Yeah.
[48:26] » And will the item from the New Hawk
[48:30] Nation
[48:32] be on that agenda considering all of the
[48:34] concerns that were brought forward here?
[48:37] » I I can't speak to the agenda. We are
[48:39] here to listen and we have you know been
[48:42] listening with open minds to the
[48:44] comments that have been made here and
[48:46] all comments will be taken into
[48:48] consideration including written comments
[48:50] that have been submitted um that are in
[48:52] the agenda as well and uh the board will
[48:55] be taking all of those comments um into
[48:58] consideration.
[49:00] » Thank you.
[49:01] » Thank you.
[49:02] » Yes.
[49:04] Um, so I am looking for anyone else who
[49:08] would like to speak.
[49:13] I'm calling a second time for Oh, I
[49:17] maybe see a hand in the boardroom.
[49:19] Perhaps
[49:23] if I Yeah, if there's a hand in the
[49:24] boardroom, I just see it out the side of
[49:26] my screen. Everybody
[49:29] in the board can speak. Katherine, if
[49:32] you would like to speak again, you can
[49:33] step right up to the podium there and we
[49:35] will hear you.
[49:38] » Thank you um for hearing me one more
[49:40] time. I neglected in the first time to I
[49:43] shared a concern with the plan and um I
[49:46] understand that this is an ongoing
[49:47] process. It sounds like it's not a done
[49:49] deal. There's a lot more that needs to
[49:50] happen here um from listening to many of
[49:52] the speakers in the room and online. Um
[49:54] but I do want to highlight as we go
[49:56] forward with the plan some of the things
[49:57] that really stood out to me as really
[49:59] good in the plan. um just so that as
[50:01] this process continues those things can
[50:04] be held on to. Um so the um advocacy for
[50:09] more housing availability um really are
[50:11] really important especially focusing on
[50:13] those key areas where development makes
[50:15] sense and is uh accessible. Um a lot of
[50:17] the aspects of the agricultural
[50:20] um aspect of the plan including
[50:22] supporting uh like processing uh in the
[50:26] valley and things like that for people
[50:27] with livestock. I thought that was
[50:28] really important. Um, I recognize the
[50:30] acknowledgement of the many, many
[50:32] organizations that provide volunteer um,
[50:35] services in the valley because I think
[50:37] that's a lot of how this valley runs is
[50:40] with people just volunteering time and a
[50:42] recognition of that from the CCRD uh, I
[50:45] think is really meaningful for those
[50:46] groups. Uh I appreciated the uh aspect
[50:50] of support for existing emergency
[50:53] services including um the possibility of
[50:56] providing like access to CCRD land to
[51:00] support again volunteer services that
[51:01] may be providing some of those emergency
[51:03] services that we all rely on in the
[51:04] valley. Um, and I understand that in
[51:07] putting these things into the plan, it
[51:09] opens us up for access to grants, which
[51:12] is from my understanding a lot of how
[51:14] the CCRD is able to make anything happen
[51:16] in the valley. Um, and so as we go
[51:19] forward and as you work with the nation
[51:21] and um, with all the stakeholders on
[51:22] this plan, I just want to uh, say that
[51:24] those really stood out to me as really
[51:26] important parts of the plan. Um, I heard
[51:28] some of the things that were talked
[51:29] about in the consultation program or uh,
[51:32] process come into the plan there. Um,
[51:34] and I hope that as this goes forward,
[51:36] those things get held on to because
[51:38] that's really, really important to me
[51:40] and I think many people in the
[51:41] community. Thank you.
[51:43] » Thank you very much, Miss Best. Um,
[51:47] thank you for your comments.
[51:51] Um, I speak see Mr. Nash's hand there.
[51:55] We will enable your microphone.
[51:59] » Thank you. Um yeah, just uh just wanted
[52:02] to kind of speak back what I what I
[52:04] think I've heard and just want to make
[52:06] sure I have the right understanding. So
[52:07] the next steps as I understand it is
[52:10] that um you're going to have a special
[52:11] meeting and the uh CCD board will decide
[52:14] what they want to do regarding the OCP.
[52:16] Um you cannot take any more input after
[52:19] this hearing. Um so it does seem like
[52:23] this is happening with or without us and
[52:25] and us being the collective us of the
[52:27] whole valley. um and which is
[52:29] concerning. So that's why I just say
[52:31] that.
[52:36] » Thank you, Mr. Nash, for your comments.
[52:38] Um
[52:41] all right, any other speakers?
[52:49] Um I'm asking for a second time. Any
[52:52] other speakers?
[52:56] For a third and final time, anyone who
[52:59] would like to speak regarding this
[53:00] bylaw?
[53:08] Hearing no further speakers, I declare
[53:10] the public hearing for Bellakulla Valley
[53:13] Official Community Plan bylaw number
[53:15] 565206
[53:18] closed at 9:56 a.m. The public hearing
[53:22] record is now closed. Thank you so much
[53:24] for everyone who participated. Um, and
[53:26] yes, the board is listening to your
[53:28] comments. It's very hard to not um, you
[53:32] know, to to not speak, but we are
[53:35] listening. And that is a really
[53:36] important part is that this is yeah your
[53:39] this was uh yeah your turn to um to
[53:42] speak to us. So I I really thank you for
[53:44] everyone who participated
[53:47] um in this hearing and um the p the
[53:50] notice for the special meeting will be
[53:52] posted and um and yeah and then the
[53:56] board will um will consider everything
[53:59] that has been discussed today. So, thank
[54:02] you for joining us whether it's online
[54:04] or in person. Um, all comments will be
[54:07] considered. Thank you.