Health care, Nationhood and Treaty Rights are some of the issues Batchewana First Nation’s Chief Dean Sayers is planning to focus on over the next couple of years. Batchewana held its elections on Wednesday, February 4 and the Councillors who were elected for a two-year term are Peter Sewell, Harvey Bell, Shaun Boyer, Gary Roach, Greg Agawa, Vernon Syrette, Trudy Boyer and Robert Gary Gingras.

   “I want to say a big thank you to all the community members who came out to vote,” said Chief Sayers. “First of all, the people are the winners in this election. A lot of their aspiration and visions will be the focus of our work in the next couple of years on their behalf. I would like to commend the previous Council for all their hard work and dedication.”

   The people have voted in a good cross-section of community members, including some new Councillors along with a seasoned few, he added.

   “It’s really through the eyes of optimism that I am looking forward to the next couple of years,” said Chief Sayers. “It’s good that we move forward with that focus at the Council table.”

   Through discussions with Elders and community members over the past couple of months, key areas were identified within the communities.

   “The common thread through the discussions have primarily been focused on our needs as a people to again embrace our Nationhood in its entirety. That can be done through our diligent efforts around the creation of our own economic stimulus package,” said Chief Sayers. “However, that’s not the entire answer. We have to see the Crown’s government make a concerted effort to improve its relationship with us. We have to be in a non-dependent relationship with the Crown and that’s where we are going to be moving.

   “The Crown governments should be aware Batchewana First Nation is planning to relentlessly pursue the proper interpretation of our treaty relationship. Our people expect proper interpretation and we plan to deliver.

   “When I spoke to the Elders in the past couple of months, they also reiterated to me the needs of our people have to be met on so many fronts, especially our ability to meet their health care needs. Our people require our assistance, regardless of where they live be it Rankin, Obadjiwan, Goulais, The City of Sault Ste Marie or other places in Ontario, Canada and North America .”

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For more information contact Angela McEwen

Communication Coordinator

Batchewana First Nation

Phone: (705) 759-0914 ext. 207

email: communications@batchewana.ca