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W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-08-11T22:35:47+00:00View Job Posting PDF
This Time 55 Years Ago – August 1971
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-08-06T03:47:58+00:00Times Colonist: Aug 6, 1971 A walkathon sponsored by the Tsartlip Indians council in Brentwood on Aug. 21 will give Indians and their “white brothers” a chance to demonstrate active concern for improvement of reserve conditions. Dave Bartleman, new chief of the Tsartlip band, announced walkathon plans at a council meeting Thursday. He said the money collected will probably be spent on a community headquarters, the building of which will provide employment and a place to display Indian handicraft. Young people from other reserves have already shown support for the 20-mile walk which will start from Tsartlip campsite and wind [...]
Invitation: SELE₭TEȽ HIWEST ȽTE TŦE XAXE SĆÁÁNEW̱ Honouring our Sacred Salmon
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-08-06T00:32:20+00:00Invitation: SELE₭TEȽ HIWEST ȽTE TŦE XAXE SĆÁÁNEW̱ Honouring our Sacred Salmon - First Salmon Ceremony and Jam Session 🐟💧🎵 When: Tuesday August 11, 11:00am - 3:30pm Where: Goldstream Park picnic area W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), WSIKEM (Tseycum) and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Nations are invited to join us on August 11th from 11:00am - 3:30pm at the Goldstream Park picnic area for SELE₭TEȽ HIWEST ȽTE TŦE XAXE SĆÁÁNEW̱, a W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council Event that will include songs, a lunch, and a W̱SÁNEĆ First Salmon Ceremony. Bring your drums! For those requiring transportation, a shuttle service will be provided. Community Action [...]
Future in Flight: Honouring Partnership through Design – Call for Artist Portfolios
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-08-06T03:50:05+00:00The Victoria Airport Authority (VAA), in partnership with the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations, is inviting First Nations artists to submit portfolios and expressions of interest for Future in Flight: Honouring Partnership through Design, a new initiative to create a visual identity for the recently signed W̱SÁNEĆ–Victoria Airport Authority Friendship Agreement. Signed in February 2026, the Friendship Agreement reflects a shared commitment to ÁTOL (Respect), ĆȺINEUEL (Co-operation), and HIWESTEL (Partnership) between the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations and the Victoria Airport Authority. The Future in Flight project seeks to create a meaningful and lasting symbol that honours this relationship while celebrating connection, culture, place, and shared future. [...]
DRIPA Amendments Put on Pause, Adam Olsen Explains
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-07-23T18:09:54+00:00After a string of judicial decisions applied the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act (“DRIPA”) to protect Aboriginal rights and Title, B.C. Premier David Eby proposed amending the Act, leading to a whirlwind of conflicting announcements that culminated in the recent decision to leave DRIPA intact – for now. Along the way, Adam Olsen, a former MLA and current Lead Negotiator for Tsartlip First Nation, offered insightful commentary that rejects the Premier’s fear-based framing and keeps the interests of W̱SÁNEĆ front and center. Background B.C. unanimously passed DRIPA in 2019, thereby establishing the United Nations Declaration on [...]
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council Celebrates Another Successful Open House
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-07-23T16:02:39+00:00On the brisk afternoon of March 19th, 2026, W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council (WLC) staff and community members gathered for W̱LC’s annual open house – a celebration of W̱LC’s work uplifting W̱SÁNEĆ in 2025 and kick off for the many projects planned in 2026. Shown Above: W̱LC Team The open house took place at W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Office from 1PM to 6PM. Guests milled about the space with plates full of delicious catered food in hand, enjoying conversations with one another and taking in the brightly coloured displays filling every room. Each display provided an overview of a key component of W̱LC’s [...]
This Time 41 Years Ago – July 1985
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-06-26T22:56:40+00:00Times Colonist: Jul 18, 1985 The Tsawout Indian Band is prepared to go to the Supreme Court of Canada to prevent a 500-boat marina development in Saanichton Bay, says councilor Gus Underwood. “We’re prepared to take whatever measures are necessary,” he said. “We’ll carry our fight to the highest court in the land to get justice.” Central Saanich council con Monday issued a development permit for the marina. The band claims the development on the 6.15-hectare site is contrary to the 1858 James Douglas Treaty, which guaranteed Saanich Indians hunting and fishing rights. Underwood, who was out of town and [...]
Tsartlip and Tseycum sign historic Memorandums of Understanding with both Central Saanich and Sidney
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-08-13T04:28:54+00:00W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation) and W̱SÍḴEM (Tseycum First Nation) have signed historic Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the municipalities of Central Saanich and Sidney. The two Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), signed on July 10, are separate tripartite agreements arranged through the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council (W̱LC), including: An MOU between the District of Central Saanich and the W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation) and W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum First Nation) An MOU between the Town of Sidney and the W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation) and W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum First Nation) The agreements establish formal government-to-government relationships with a shared commitment to reconciliation, collaborative stewardship, and cultural respect, recognizing that [...]
This time of year is known as ĆENŦEḴI
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council2026-06-26T22:09:47+00:00This time of year is traditionally known as ĆENŦEḴI. ĆENŦEḴI EȽTÁLṈEW̱JE LE TŦE SĆÁNEW̱I ENÁN JE LE U TSOS TŦE W̱SÁNEĆ EȽTÁLṈEW̱SU ȾW̱IṈETEṈs E TŦE SĆÁNEW̱NIȽ ȻE ĆÁ ŚW̱ELOXET ȽTE TŦE SĆÁNEW̱. NIȽ S,HI,WEḰ SĆÁNEW̱TŦE ŦEḴI U HÍ TŦE SṮELIṮḴEȽ X̱EN I IȽEN E TŦE ŦEḴI EȻs TUOs TÁĆEL TŦE ŦEḴI. NIȽ SU TÁĆELs ĆÍK I ĆÁȽs IȽENs TŦE W̱SÁNEĆ EȽ TÁLṈEW̱. I HO JE LE EWE ĆḴEĆEs TŦE SWÁLET SU YÁs QENETEṈ E TŦE ŚNÁEM ȻE STÁṈ Es SQÁYs TŦE SWÁLET. ÍY QÁLES TŦE SȻÁĆEL E TŦE ĆENŦEḴI ÁNW̱ȽḴÁLJ. I ȻȽ TÁĆELs TŦE W̱EW̱ELEŚ NIȽ ₭ELLET TŦE [...]