Squamish Nation has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the provision of annual audit and tax services for the Nation and its subsidiaries. The Nation believes it to be prudent, from the perspectives of both governance and transparency, to invite the audit and tax community to respond to the RFP to ensure the Nation is getting the best value and service and to further instil trust and confidence into the annual financial statements and audit results.

Proponents are advised to pay careful attention to the wording used throughout the RFP. Failure to satisfy any term or condition of this RFP may result in a non-compliant Proposal. In particular pay careful attention to 4.2 Submission Requirements

Download the RFP here.

Summary of Key Information

RFP Title: ExternalAudit and Tax Services
RFP #: 2 -0201

Contact Person
Chris Mullen
Director of Finance
604.982.8621
Chris_mullen@squamish.net

Submission Location
Main Desk
Squamish Nation Administration Building
320 Seymour Blvd.
North Vancouver
V7 J 2J3

RFP Issue Date: September 17, 2019
RFP Closing Date and Time: October 4, 2019, 16:00 Hours PST

September 17^th, 2019, North Vancouver, BC — Today, the Squamish Nation is celebrating the BC Court of Appeal’s decision on the Provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate for the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) Project. The Court ruled in favour of the Squamish Nation, given that the BC Environmental Assessment Office relied on the fundamentally flawed National Energy Board Report as its own Environmental Assessment Report in issuing its Certificate.

The Courts have directed the Province to reconsider the Environmental Assessment decision “in light of the changes to the original report of the National Energy Board as set out in its reconsideration report.”

“The Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the original NEB report was so flawed that it doesn’t legally constitute a report, so it only makes sense that a Provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate issued based on that fatally flawed report would have to be revisited. Ideally, the BC Government would have come to that conclusion on its own, but we’re nonetheless pleased that the Court sided with the Squamish Nation in its
decision to send this matter back to Cabinet,” said Khelsilem, Squamish Nation Councillor and Spokesperson.

The Provincial government must now heed the Court’s decision and start the review process over again before a Provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate can be issued. The Province of British Columbia needs to conduct a comprehensive environmental review of the TMX Project
with the revised Environmental Assessment Act.

Squamish expects that the Province will consult extensively and deeply with Squamish Nation in respect of this reconsideration, given the very significant Aboriginal rights and title interests that stand to be impacted.

“Premier Horgan and his government need to set the bar higher and rethink their approach to the TMX Project, and truly respect Indigenous rights by jointly reviewing with the Squamish Nation and other concerned First Nations whose territories would be directly impacted by the pipeline expansion. There’s a lot of talk of reconciliation at the provincial level, and this is a critical opportunity for the province to put its words into action,” said Khelsilem.

The TMX Project poses significant risks to the Nation’s unceded territory, the community’s reliance on healthy marine and aquatic environments, and to the existence of the southern resident killer whale—a species of cultural importance to the Nation that is recognized to be
in a critical state.

The Squamish Nation remains deeply committed to holding the Provincial and Federal governments to respecting and upholding Indigenous rights.

— 30 —

Media contact:
Lauren Hutchison
Communications Officer
Squamish Nation
604-363-4055
lauren_hutchison@squamish.net

As part of the needs assessment and feasibility study conducted for a new headquarters for the Squamish Nation on the North Shore multiple engagement activities took place between March – June 2019 amongst members and staff of Squamish Nation. This report has been created from the reading of the many insights shared across the engagement activities.

Download the full report here.

Chief Joe Mathias Centre will be hosting three international lacrosse teams (Netherlands, Iroquois Nations, and Serbia) for fun interactive sessions with youth elementary and high school aged. Bring your sticks, helmets and gloves.

Team Netherlands – TODAY – Sept. 13, 4:00-5:30 pm
Iroquois Nationals – Monday, Sept. 16, 4:00-5:30 pm
Team Serbia – Monday, Sept. 23, 4:00-5:30 pm

NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, September 11, 2019 — The Squamish Nation is proud to welcome Samaya Jardey as newly-appointed Director of Language & Cultural Affairs for the Nation.

“We are delighted to have Samaya join us to lead our new Language & Cultural Affairs department, which was created to focus on growing the language and culture of the Squamish People. Samaya’s skills, experience, and cultural knowledge give us great hope for the future of our language and culture,” said Orene Askew, Squamish Nation Councillor and Spokesperson.

Jardey is a Snuneymuxw member, but has spent most of her life living with her Sḵwx̱wú7mesh family in North Vancouver, and raised her son here in our community. Her great-great grandmother comes from the Squamish Valley.

Jardey knows firsthand the importance of strong connections to culture and language for our people. Most recently, she spent three years as
program manager for Through an Aboriginal Lens working with Indigenous youth who had concurrent mental health and justice challenges, connecting them with culturally-appropriate resources to support their journeys. Jardey also has two decades of experience working with former students of Indian Residential Schools.

Jardey is now working on her PhD thesis at Simon Fraser University, where she is looking at how learning to speak and understand one’s heritage Indigenous language will improve the holistic health and wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and nations.

“My work, both personal and professional, is founded on the sacred teachings of my grandmothers and grandfathers. I am honoured and excited to have this opportunity to build capacity within the Nation’s new Language & Cultural Affairs department, and will work with the intent to grow the sacred Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim (Squamish language) and Snew̓íyalh (cultural teachings),” said Jardey.

The Language & Cultural Affairs Department is mandated with growing the language and culture of the Squamish People. The Department will work collaboratively to set departmental objectives, and to develop and implement policies and processes to ensure the Squamish People have
access to their culture, heritage, archives, and language.

The Squamish Nation is an Indigenous government with offices in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and Squamish, BC. To learn more about the Squamish Nation, visit www.squamish.net

Media Contact:
Lauren Hutchison
Communications Officer
Squamish Nation
604-363-4055 | Lauren_hutchison@squamish.net