Residents of the Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band have given their chief and council another term in leadership.
All incumbents held on to their positions following a band election on Friday, Jan. 26 in the community, located just outside of Clinton.
Chief Ed LeBourdais will return as chief after receiving 64 votes. His challenger Colby Boffa received 34 votes. Meanwhile Coun. Lewis received 62 votes and Coun. LeBourdais received 52 with challengers Viola LeBourdais receiving 30 votes and Jerry LeBourdais receiving 15.
Of the 193 members eligible to vote in the elections, 95 took to the polls, according to the WPCIB.
Chief LeBourdais thanked his community for having confidence in the existing chief and council to carry on the work they’ve done for the last two years. He said they’ll be “stepping up their game” to create a community that everyone can be proud of.
“This past term, we focused on getting our house in order, so to speak. My fellow council members and I sought out key staff to focus on an important push of catch-up on reporting. WPCIB administration has delivered above and beyond,” Chief LeBourdais said. “As a direct result, this term, we are now at liberty to concentrate on urgent matters, such as infrastructure. Climate Change has exacerbated the situation further leading to a higher risk of flooding, wildfire, need for heat response as well as significant cold weather.”
Ed said that the WPCIB is currently working on riverbank revetment to protect their community from the alarming fluctuations the North Thompson River has been demonstrating in recent years.
Coun. LeBourdais said over the last term, the band has maintained a strong connection to the lands and waters of their homeland around Clinton. A particular highlight for her was rebuilding access to C.Wéwlemten, their fishing rock, and holding their 2023 annual general meeting in Ctsets’ll (Cold Spring / Kelly Creek).
The WPCIB includes members with ancestral lineages from both the Pelltíq’t te Pésellkwes (People of the White Earth Lake / Kelly Lake) and Steke’7ús (People of the Little Hanging Bridge [Big Bar]) Bands of the Secwépemc Nation. Both bands have roots in the Clinton area, however, the Pelltíq’t People were relocated from Kelly Lake to Whispering Pines in 1972. The Steke’7ús People are considered extinct by the Canadian government, though their descendants still live on within membership of the WPCIB.
“We maintain and uphold our responsibility as Yecwmín’men te Secwepemcúl’ecw / Caretakers of Secwepemc Territory – including our ancestral winter home of Ctsets’ll,” Coun. LeBourdais said.
Lewis, meanwhile, said his focus in the coming months will be on supporting their constituents by providing housing for those in the community and those looking to return home.
“With the current housing crisis in Canada, we are dedicated to addressing our members’ needs; from planning and creating space for new home starts to addressing much-needed housing repairs and maintenance,” Lewis said. “I’m really looking forward to another term serving membership to the best of our abilities.”
