A massive landslide near Clinton, B.C. in June of 2019 created a blockage on the Fraser River and interrupted the migration of thousands of salmon populations. First Nations, provincial and federal leaders worked with scientists, engineers and emergency responders to rescue the spawning season. Click the link below to learn more about how there is renewed hope for the Endako River Chinook and other salmon populations.
News
COVID-19 BC Provincial Support
Self-Screening Tool for COVID-19 for First Nation
Self-Screening Tool for COVID-19 for First Nation Visitors or Members Returning to Communities
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is working closely with First Nations partners, the Public Health Agency of Canada, other departments such as Heath Canada, Public Safety and provincial and territorial counterparts to protect the health and safety of First Nations and support First Nations communities in responding to public health threats, including COVID-19.
To read the full version please click the links below.
English version: Self Screening Tool – visitors and returning members to communities_0403
Version français: Outil d’auto-observation – visteurs et membres revenant dans la communauté
COVID 19 – Accessing financial benefits and support
Canada Emergency Response Benefit Support Information
From Indigenous Services Canada
For information on accessing financial benefits and support during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Carrier Sekani Tribal Council Advisory on COVID-19
Tribal Chief of Carrier Sekani Tribal Council is issuing the following as our immediate response measures to COVID-19 to protect our staff, contractors and member nations:
Business Travel and Meeting Prohibitions and Restrictions
- A ban is now in effect on all non-essential business travel where the travel by air or rail (this does not include travel to your home office), regardless of whether your travel destination is international (outside of Canada) or domestic, but does not affect your commute to your home office. If you have essential business travel booked, this must be approved before it is undertaken. Please direct approval requests with specific details of your planned essential business travel to Mina Holmes or John Lewis.
- All in person meetings in the workplace with 15 people or more are now prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, meetings that we may host, external events that our member nations may wish to host in our premises, and internal meetings and gatherings. We encourage you to use video or audioconferencing facilities where appropriate.
- Staff and contractors are now prohibited from attending any external business events, conferences or other large gatherings when on CSTC business and where 15 or more people are in attendance, regardless of location.
CSTC would like to assure you that everyone’s collective health remains our top priority, as we continue to refine best practices in our office. It is important to utilize the highest standard in infection control procedures.
So it is most important that we all do our part to help slow the spread of this virus. By educating ourselves with the latest scientifically driven information along with advised protocol, we can make a difference.
Please take the time to become informed daily through reliable links like the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-(novel) and if, “Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.”
Welcome Home Bear Clan Blanket and Drum
Commeration of Bear Clan Regalia at Nadleh Whut’enne Yah
In 1924, Diamond Jenness went to Nadleh & Thomas Cho donated the bahlats bear regalia for preservation for the future. The Bear Button Blanket and Bear Drum will be returning to Nadleh.
Please RSVP with Eleanor Nooski or Lorna Paul at (250) 690-7211 and the host table will be Dunt’emyoo Clan.
Also see CSTC Event Page

To save endangered salmon, scientists use 20-year-old frozen sperm (CBC News)
“In an effort to restore dwindling salmon stock, the Spruce City Wildlife Association (Facebook Page) has partnered with the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council in Prince George to use 20-year-old cryogenically frozen salmon sperm to fertilize salmon eggs”.
Christina Ciesielski, fisheries program manager for the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, said it decided to try using the salmon milt it had been storing for 20 years after having it tested for motility and discovering it was still 80 per cent viable.
Click the hyperlinks to read the full article from CBC News or to listen to the interview on CBC Radio West with Sarah Penton starting at 31:12 up until 37:16 where Ciesielski discusses how CSTC is working to save endangered salmon.
For more information or questions on CSTC’s efforts to save endangered salmon please contact the Fisheries Program Manager at (250) 562-6279
Big Bar Landslide Update for Sept 15, 2019
Big Bar Landslide Update – Sept 12, 2019
Update from CSTC Fisheries Program Manager, Christina Ciesielski on Big Bar Landslide (Province of BC Sept 12, 2019)

CSTC Fisheries – Big Bar Landslide Update (Sept 11, 2019)
Christina Ciesielski, CSTC Fisheries Prgram Manager provides updated information from the Province of BC on the Big Bar Landslide

Clarification on HIC’s recent Requests for Expression of Interest
The BC First Nations Housing & Infrastructor Council (HIC) recently sent out three seperate Requests for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for 4 (four) vacancies within the HIC structure. This memo will hopefully clarify confusion about the difference between these three requests, plus there was an error that HIC would like to correcton the closing date in a version of one of the requests.
For additional information click here
Starvation deaths of 200 reindeer in Arctic caused by climate crisis, say researchers
“During an annual census of the wild reindeer population on the group of islands about 1,200km (746 miles) from the north pole, three researchers from the institute identified the carcasses of about 200 deer believed to have starved to death last winter.”
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