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- The Gitksan Wet’suwet’en Government Commission
was formed in 1986 due to INAC developing the “Devolution
Process”, meaning INAC designed a program to turn
over their advisory services to First Nations Tribal Organizations.
It was given the name due to the fact that there was 6
Gitxsan and 2 Wet’suwet’en communities involved
in the process at that time.
- This separate organization was formed back then due
to the court case requiring the time and dedication of
the Tribal Council of the day as well as distinguishing
the difference between the elected and hereditary systems
of governance.
- The original name of the “committee” was
the Hazelton Capital Management Committee which entailed
the Chief Councilors and their Administrators “rubber
stamping” INAC’s Capital plans for those respective
communities.
- The eight Chief Councilors hired an Executive Director
– Matt Vickers, who’s responsibility it was
to “create” the Commission to meet the needs
and desires of the member communities in the areas of:
- Capital Programs
- Community Planning
- Education
- Social Development
- Finance, and
- Economic Development
- This meant creating a Mission Statement, Goals &
Objectives and formulating a Vision Statement to satisfy
the eight communities. We also had to create job descriptions
and form sub committees to assist the Board in formation
of the “legal entity” known as the Gitksan
Wet’suwet’en Local Services Society, due to
the fact that the Provincial Government would not allow
the wording Government & Commission in the legal name
of the society.
- The Commission then felt it was imperative to form an
Economic Development Corporation and it was created as
the Gitksan Wet’suwet’en Economic Development
Corporation (GWEDC) and a general manager was hired to
put together the five year plan of the corporation. However,
changes where made to accommodate the traditional system
of the Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en and the general
manager moved on to another job.
- The Commission was successful in negotiating extra funding
for the eight communities in excess of $3,000,000 prior
to qualifying for its first multi year (Block funding)
funding agreement in 1990.
- At the present time there are five Gitxsan communities
that are part of the Commission and hence the name change
to the Gitksan Government Commission.
- The Commission is now in the fourth year of their third
five year financial agreement with INAC.
- The GWEDC Board made a decision to close the corporation
as it currently existed in April 2003. There is a strong
need to have a Development Corporation in place in order
to create job opportunities and joint venture opportunities
for our area.
- There is also a strong need to have the many organizations
such as Gitxsan Treaty Office, Gitksan Government Commission,
Gitxsan Children & Family Services, Gitxsan Health,
Gitksan & Wet’suwet’en Education Society
and Gitxsan Culture & Language Commission operating
in one accord. This means that there is a need for unification
of some sort for the Gitxsan organizations in order to
speak with one powerful voice for the benefit of ALL Gitxsan.
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