Chemainus First Nation
Encyclopedia
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
government located in southeastern Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, near the town of Ladysmith, British Columbia
Ladysmith, British Columbia
Ladysmith is a town located on the 49th parallel on the east coast of Vancouver Island British Columbia, Canada. The local economy is based on forestry, tourism and agriculture. A hillside location adjacent to a sheltered harbour form the natural characteristics of the community., the population...
. Stz'uminus First Nation is a member government of the Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council
Naut'sa Mawt Tribal Council
Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council is a First Nation Tribal Council located in British Columbia, Canada, with offices in Tsawwassen and Nanaimo. NmTC advises and assists its 11 member Nations in the areas of Community Planning, Economic Development, Financial Management, Governance and Technical Services...
. In early 2009, the Chemainus First Nation chief and council unanimously passed a 'band council resolution' to officially change the name from Chemainus to Stz'uminus in order to reflect its original Hul'qumi'num language name.
"Salish Sea"
In March 2008, Chemainus First Nation representative George Harris proposed renaming the nearby Strait of GeorgiaStrait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
as the Salish Sea
Salish Sea
The name Salish Sea was coined only in the late 20th century, and was officially recognized by the United States in 2009 and by Canada in 2010, to describe the coastal waterways surrounding southern Vancouver Island and Puget Sound between Canada and the United States of America...
, an idea that reportedly met with approval by B.C.'s Aboriginal Relations Minister Mike de Jong
Mike de Jong
Mike de Jong, Q.C. is a politician from British Columbia, Canada.-Politics and career:He was appointed Minister of Health Mike de Jong on March 14, 2011. He has previously held the post of Attorney General and Government House Leader, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Minister of...
, who pledged to put it before the B.C. cabinet
Executive Council of British Columbia
The Executive Council of British Columbia is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
for discussion. Renaming would require a formal application to the Geographical Names Board of Canada
Geographical Names Board of Canada
Geographical Names Board of Canada is a national committee of the Canadian Government Department of Natural Resources which authorizes the names used on official federal government maps of Canada since 1897. The board consists of 27 members including one from each of the provinces and territories...
.
The Salish Sea name has been used by the Coast Salish Gathering, (www.coastsalishgathering.com) a trans-boundary organization of Coast Salish leaders, since 2007. The Stz'uminus First Nation is located on Stuart Channel, which is within the Salish Sea ecosystem.
The Salish Sea name was originally proposed by Bert Webber from Bellingham, Washington in 1988 for the Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
, Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
and the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
and all adjoining waters.