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ǂkamnintik q̓api hak̓amxuni·qaʔni Every child matters.

Ktunaxa Literacy Day 2025 Celebrate 30 years with us!

Ktunaxa Literacy Day — 30th Anniversary!

Open to all Ktunaxanin̓tik.

October 23 to 25, 2024
Kwataqnuk Casino and Resort, Polson, Montana.

The way to register:
Visit the EventBrite page and register there –>
https://www.eventbrite.ca/…/ktunaxa-literacy-day-event…

To guarantee hotel and meals, you MUST
register by October 4, 2024.

Please join us for 3-days of celebrating Ktunaxa literacy through storytelling, workshops, and interactive activities in K̓upaquⱡaqpiʔk 2024!

Additional questions about event details?
brett.capilo@ktunaxa.org

 

Groundbreaking of Seven Nations Soaring Eagle Treatment Centre

Groundbreaking of Seven Nations Soaring Eagle Treatment Centre: Toward Healing and Wellness

September 18, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

yaqan nuʔkiy (Creston, B.C.):
A significant milestone was reached this week with the groundbreaking ceremony of the Seven Nations Soaring Eagle Treatment Centre, a culturally rooted facility designed to help Indigenous communities, and the broader region, heal from the impacts of addiction and trauma.

The treatment centre, located in a peaceful spot in the Creston Valley owned by Lower Kootenay Band, is the result of collaboration between the Ktunaxa Nation, yaqan nuʔkiy (Lower Kootenay Band), the First Nations Health Authority, and Indigenous Services Canada, among other partners.

The project has faced numerous challenges, including delays caused by COVID-19 and rising material costs, but is now on track for opening in 2026. It will offer trauma-informed programs and services that integrate Ktunaxa culture, traditions, and land-based teachings to support holistic healing.

“This project has been years in the making, and we couldn’t be more relieved to have finally broken ground,” said Debbie Whitehead, Special Advisor, Ktunaxa Nation Council. “The design of this centre is rooted in healing, not just through the programs and curriculum, but also in the building itself. We’re not only creating a treatment facility, we’re creating a space where people can heal from the deep wounds of colonization and trauma. This is about supporting families and future generations.”

Jason Louie, nasuʔkin (Chief) of the Lower Kootenay Band, emphasized the personal and community impact of the centre. “This was a team effort—almost a decade to get here. Most people would have given up, but we are not most people. We believed in this dream. It’s bittersweet because, over these nine years, we have lost many young people to alcohol and overdose. We honour their memory today as we move forward with this project.”

As British Columbia continues to grapple with the toxic drug crisis, Indigenous communities have been disproportionately affected. Since the Province declared a public health emergency in 2016, over 12,000 people have died from drug overdoses, with First Nations individuals dying at a rate nearly six times higher than other residents. The crisis has placed a spotlight on the urgent need for culturally appropriate treatment options.

Mary McCullough, Executive Director for the Interior Region of the First Nations Health Authority, shared her reflections on the importance of culturally rooted care. “This treatment centre promotes healing through traditional approaches that reconnect individuals to their culture, which is vital for addressing the complex trauma driving substance use. The legacy of the late Mary Basil, who inspired this project, reminds us that healing is a journey, and this centre is a step in the right direction.”

Jared Basil, a member of the Lower Kootenay Band and grandson of the late Mary Basil, highlighted the generational impact of the project. “This is a momentous day for our people. My grandmother was the first in our community to achieve sobriety, and her vision for strong, healthy Ktunaxa citizens is what drives us today. Projects like this give us the opportunity to unify, define, and articulate what health and wellness means to us as Indigenous people.”

The centre’s construction will continue over the next few years, with a focus on preparing the operational framework to ensure a smooth opening once the facility is complete. As the toxic drug crisis persists, the Seven Nations Soaring Eagle Treatment Centre represents hope for a brighter future and a culturally grounded path to recovery for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike.

Read the First Nations Health Authority story HERE

AGA 2024: 7 Nations Soaring Eagle Treatment Centre Society

7 Nations Soaring Eagle Treatment Centre Society

2024 Annual General Meeting

• October 9, 2024 (Wednesday)
• 11 am to 12:30 pm (Creston Time)
• yaqan nuʔkiy Wilfred Jacobs Admin Building

Attend in person or join online via Teams.

Map to location -> https://www.google.com/maps/search/49.066131,+-116.512433?shorturl=1

Link to online meeting -> Join conversation (microsoft.com)

Agenda:

• Update on Groundbreaking Ceremony
• Funding and Construction Update
• Head Lease
• Operational Negotiations with FNHA
• Administration Update
• Society Monthly Board Meetings

Door prizes!

Questions?

Debbie Whitehead: 250-417-7405

dwhitehead@ktunaxa.org

Columbia River Treaty: Agreement in Principle, more information available

 

CRT-AIP-Canada-public-description-Final_2024Aug30.pdf (gov.bc.ca)

CRT Agreement-in-Principle, more information available

Ktunaxa Nation Advocates for Ecosystem Health and Indigenous Values in Columbia River Treaty Negotiations

The Ktunaxa Nation, alongside the Syilx Okanagan and Secwépemc Nations, has played a key role in shaping the recently announced Agreement in Principle (AIP) for the modernized Columbia River Treaty (CRT).

Read the full story HERE.

AIP: Video and Documentation

Representatives of these nations, along with the Province of B.C. and Government of Canada, released an explainer video about the work so far on modernizing the CRT, and outlined some key points about the agreement in principle.

In the video, Jaime Vienneau and Troy Hunter outline some of the issues the Ktunaxa Nation brought to the table.

What is new about the AIP?

The AIP introduces new ecological provisions that, for the first time, incorporate Indigenous cultural values and ecosystem health as core components of the treaty. These provisions are essential to supporting the health of the Columbia River system, from its headwaters to the Pacific Ocean.

Water Resources

Central to the AIP is the flexibility to manage water resources, with up to 5 million acre-feet allocated annually to support ecosystem and cultural needs. This water will help restore wetlands, improve river flow for salmon migration, and address the impacts of climate change. The reintroduction of salmon to the Upper Columbia River is a critical priority for the Ktunaxa Nation, as salmon have been absent from the region for over 80 years.

Indigenous-led Governance Body

The AIP also establishes a new Indigenous-led governance body, which will oversee research and make recommendations on treaty operations. This body will ensure that Indigenous cultural values and traditional knowledge are integrated with modern science to support the river’s long-term health.

Kootenay Transboundary Working Group

Additionally, the Kootenay Transboundary Working Group will address the impacts of the Libby Dam on Ktunaxa communities and the broader ecosystem. The group will provide the Ktunaxa Nation with a meaningful voice in decisions regarding dam operations and flood management.

The Ktunaxa Nation continues to work toward securing a modernized Columbia River Treaty that reflects our rights, respects our cultural values, and ensures benefit-sharing.

Ongoing negotiations with Canada, British Columbia, and the United States will be critical to finalizing the treaty.