Chris Derickson is ready to tackle the issues and priorities important to Westbank First Nation as their newly elected chief.
Derickson was recently elected with 376 votes being cast during the WFNsa国际传媒檚 general election on Sept. 19. Four new band councillors were also elected.
Christopher Raymond Derickson elected new chief of Westbank First Nation
Derickson said hesa国际传媒檚 still full of emotion after his election victory.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 still sinking in,sa国际传媒� said Derickson.
sa国际传媒淧eople call me chief and I forget to respond. Wesa国际传媒檙e all overwhelmed by it, but wesa国际传媒檙e all very supported by our members.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 looking forward to a great three years.sa国际传媒�
Making sure the bandsa国际传媒檚 economy remains sustainable is just one item Derickson wants to address during his first term as chief.
sa国际传媒淢y priority is ensuring all of our members are looked after.
sa国际传媒淎side from that, we also have 10,000 non-member residents and 500 businesses on our reserve.
sa国际传媒淲e want to make sure the economy wesa国际传媒檝e built here continues to flourish.sa国际传媒�
Westbank First Nation generated $1 billion in gross domestic product last year, according to their website, contributing $117 million in direct revenue to the reserve from operating businesses.
Derickson said revitalizing their language is also on the top of his agenda.
sa国际传媒淚 think all of council is behind revitalizing our language and putting more of a focus on our culture.
sa国际传媒淲e want to get more fluent speakers in our membership. Thatsa国际传媒檒l be a very high priority for us.sa国际传媒�
At the opening of the newly-renovated s蓹nsisyust蓹n House of Learning Elementary School last Thursday, Derickson said hesa国际传媒檇 like to turn the facility on Quail Road into a full-immersion nsyilxc蓹n language school one day.
The Westbank First Nation unveiled their new House of Learning school today.
sa国际传媒� Connor Trembley (@ConnorTrembley)
The house will provide five new classrooms at the existing facility and will help ease enrollment pressures over the coming years.
Westbank First Nation is one of seven Indigenous communities that make up the Okanagan Nation where the nsyilxc蓹n language is spoken.
The new chief and councillors were officially sworn into their new positions at an oath of office ceremony Sept. 24.
connor.trembley@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
