Nisga’a Village Government

Laxgalts’ap Village Government

Gingolx Village Government

New Aiyansh Village Government

Gitwinksihlkw Village Government

Nisga’a Ts’amiks Vancouver Society

Terrace Nisga’a Society

Gitmaxmak’ay Prince Rupert Nisga’a Society

To:  Chiefs and Council                                                                            Programs and Services & Legal Counsel                                          Board of Directors                                                             Nisga’a Lisims Government Executive

 Re:  Justice Delayed-Justice Denied-Elder Abuse

We generally assume that elected representatives have this task to be trustees of the public interest; that they are not in this game for themselves, but for you and me.  They are to watch out for our best interests…to enhance our best interests, and so on….       

Political corruption has two distinct phases.  First, there is the substantive part, that is, the actual act of political corruption.  Then, there is the procedural part of those duplicitous to conceal that act (as in a cover-up) along with the gradual pulling back of the curtains for all to learn what transpired.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:  When a public official uses their position to gain personal benefits for a family or their party or government that would not otherwise be available to the general public.

I will list the political parties who are funded by both Provincial and Federal Government each year.  What really bothers me is that I have written to your organizations for many years and not once have you acknowledged receipt of my letters.  What is your mandate?  How do you actually help the average Aboriginal citizen in Canada?  I hear bellyaches from such leaders as Mr. Phil Fontaine complaining about poverty-stricken reserves.  Where and how does the monies given to these organizations flow and what are your success stories?  I can see that you schedule annual conferences at the richest hotels in large cities and what is wrong with meeting in our own territories?  Are you too afraid to relate to the average down and out First Nations person?  It is high time that we see monies and I am talking about the millions that you receive go to a worthy cause and acknowledge that we call have internal problems that your should discuss and try to solve on a national level.  You are always saying, take it to your local government; but that is a polite way of saying, “Don’t bother me”.

• First Nations Summit
• Aboriginal Financial Officers Association
• New Relationship Trust
• BC Treaty Commission
• Indian and Northern Affairs
• Assembly of First Nations
• Edward Daniels-National Achievement Foundation

 My records show that I have faxed and emailed letters of concern to the above organizations. To date, I have not received one response over the years.  I also view your agendas and it is like a repetition of the last year’s conference and all you seem to do is re-appoint yourselves again.  As Aboriginal funded groups, is it not time for you to step up to the plate and give help where it is needed.  No one can afford lawyers and the only privileged government officials have no problem hiring one when they see fit, on our public expense.

Now, I will disclose to you all what I have witnessed in my community of Laxgalts’ap over the past couple of days.  On Thursday March 8, 2007, I read a google alert under the word, “Nisga’a” and it was from the stock exchange dealing with Nass Valley Gateway Ltd.  If I did not accidentally run into this article, the whole business operation would not have unfolded to the public.  Mel Stevens, Matthew Moore and D. Peter are the main players in this business.  D. Peter is from Mineral Hill Trust, Vancouver and Mel Stevens joined partnership with him last year and Mel applied for a portion of land and as far as I know, their business dealings have gone completely out of control and I will list the conversations I had with Matt Moore.  I talked with Mel about a month ago and I asked him what was happening to his application and he brushed me off stating that nothing was going on.  I called Mel that morning and I asked him if he knew about Nass Valley Gateway and his response was hesitant but he said, Yeah..Nothing else and I guess that I was not supposed to know anything.  The Internet and computers are powerful tools with loads of knowledge and information. From the hour that I called him, he networked with both Matt Moore and D. Peter to inform that that it was leaked.  I know that it was leaked;  as the official documents are all dated March 1, 2007 (Elder’s Certificate),  and the shares were being sold on March 9, 2007.  A friend of mine from Terrace started the ball rolling be writing letters of request to all different bodies involved and how they could issue a Certificate of Clearance. 

Over the weekend after I disclosed my dissatisfaction to all parties in writing, suddenly a News Release from Mineral Hill Industry Ltd. surfaced on the Internet as all of our friends share information and forward to each others.  Jack Cecil, Manager of Prince Rupert Nisga’a Society, wrote an alert to all elders to attend these meetings in Rupert.  It was not until Monday March 19, 2007, when I called Matthew Moore, CEO, Gitxatin Development Corporation and asked him to give me some explanations on what is going on.  He told me that Nisga’a Business Alliance agreed to give 1,500 shares to 30 elders from each community and at the time, each share was worth 38 cents /share,  He said that they can hold them for 3-4 months.  I asked, who are the elders and he did not know.  I asked, who picked the elders and he responded the local Elders Society.  He may be lying here, as we would have known as my mother’s name cropped up on the list.  Genevieve McKay somehow was hired as an Administrative Assistant (Mel’s niece and Matt’s first cousin) and her job location is in Vancouver office.  He told me that she will walk door to door to get the signatures from elders and I told him that if they enter my mother’s property, they would be sued for harassment and trespass. I don’t want my mother to have any ties to a crooked company.  I want to take her Certificate and tear it into many pieces in from of all of them.  Tell them to shove it and leave the poor elders alone as they don’t understand at all what they are doing.  My mom does not know what a share is and she could not be blamed for lacking the knowledge as all they knew when they were younger was how to live in harmony and in honesty.  They were the ones that built this community and ones the corrupt individuals surfaced, they are all like snakes in the grass, out for a fast buck.  This is insanely illegal.  These are disputed lands the and next BC Supreme Court date is May 30, 2007 in Vancouver, BC. 

All afternoon on Monday, I made public announcements on the VHF marine radio for elders not to sign anything if they don’t know what’s in front of them.  Marina Mercer pleaded to the elders again to come out to sign and she also told the families of the deceased to sign on their behalf.  That takes the cake! That is illegal, they are using the deceased persons names for their own benefit.  This definitely has to be brought to the court of law as that is fraud and false representation. 

The meeting was held at the church basement (Sacred surroundings) and that is where the elders were sucked right into D. Peter’s white hands and he intimidated them telling them lies and more lies. Someone from their company told the elders also that no one owns angooskws (Traditional lands owned by elders/families).  History will you that not one family of these angooskws gave consent to surrender these lands and only Joe Gosnell, who calls himself a King, rightfully gave away 90 percent of our lands.  I hear that he received a multi-million dollar settlement when the Treaty was passed.  I do not think that Honor should come to any individuals who can become so obsessed with money and taking from the unfortunate. 

I borrowed xxxxxxxxxxx’s documents that the individuals gave to them at last night’s meeting.  I was unable to sleep all night as I worried about the price that our elders may pay for being swindled by the crooks.  They should be all ashamed and they have to be given the biggest award in Canada for being the most unprofessional and the classiest crooks of all time.  You will note that Winnie’s certificate reads March 1, 2007 and they signed on March 19, 2007 and I asked Matt Moore if the dates were amended and they were not so everything should be trashed and I am willing to burn them all in my smokehouse as fire starter. 

The drama unfolds!  Before Matt’s office closed yesterday, I told him that they could be all sued for “Intellectual Abuse” against our elders who do not understand what they are being forced to sign.  He replied, “Go right ahead.”  I even left two messages on Sharon Stevens voice mail to try to contact all the elders on the list and intervene.  She is the In-Hone Care Supervisor and she recently went through a difficult time with family so I could not pressure her too much.  I talked with her today and he understanding was that all the meeting would be about was the parties to explain what it was all about.  She believed them and she did not know that their signatures would be needed also. 

Barb Zvatora called me to view the documents that she sent out the previous night and one document from their company lists 297 members of Nass Valley Gateway Ltd.  Our poor elders were already been falsely represented and if I did not accidentally find out, the parties would have been relieved of any questions and signatures.  After the meeting on Monday evening, I called xxxxxxxxx and I was dismayed that they all signed as the forms were being distributed.  It takes a handful of persons to help these elders and I could not say that I did not try.  I was desperate to prevent them from being involved. I will document a letter to Mineral Hill Industries to see the list of names under their total of 297.  An elder phoned me today and told me that she could not sleep and she said that she cried as she was sorry for signing those forms.  That is the main purpose of this letter, to disclose the intentions of the parties, to exploit our elders who are innocent.

When are our elders going to be represented in a dignified manner?  Why do they continue to be stepped on and it is not their fault for not knowing.  It is time for the political parties to start dealing with these concerns and they won’t go away.  I consider myself a mini elder at 58 years of age and I will be damned if anyone tells me to do something that is against my good judgment. 

I have four University courses this winter semester and I will receive a minor degree in Political Science and a BA in First Nations studies next year.  To date, I have received 4 certificates, namely:  Business Technology-Accounting, Business Technology-Office Assistant, Nisga’a Studies Certificate and First Nations Certificate from UNBC.  I dream of becoming an Aboriginal lawyer so that I can be of help to the Aboriginal society and what I am doing for now, I am gaining tons of knowledge and experience and I will continue to stay persistent in my endeavors.  I gain my inner strength by prayer and I know that someday, we will all live in harmony and respect for each other.  God Bless!    I thank you for your understanding in this important matter. 

Sincerely,

Sylvia Stephens

 Sylvia J. Stephens