MARCH 24, 2020

ÍY, SȻÁĆEL HÁLE/Greetings all of my Tsawout family,

On behalf of Tsawout First Nation leadership, I wanted to reach out to our community.

If there was ever a time and need to acknowledge our Tsawout ancestry, this is the time.

Although we all may be scared and confused by this pandemic; we all need to be reminded we are all in this together, we are not alone.

Although health officials across this country are learning each day/hour how to respond to this virus; let’s not forget our elder’s teachings of being kind to each other, and to also remember the laws teachings and beliefs of our creator XÁLS.

Exercise social distance; do not be part of transferring or carrying the virus.

Tsawout First Nation Leadership is taking this covid-19 pandemic very seriously. Please be assured that we are thinking of our elders, infants/toddler‘s, community members at large and service providers. We are taking action to protect our community and also to provide emergency relief.

This pandemic is something that is new to each and every one of us. Please be assured we are taking every precaution for safety, while maintaining and providing essential services to all.

We request to each and all; take this virus seriously, it is actually taking lives.

• We are doing what we can
• We have closed our Tsawout Offices, with the exception of essential services to community
• We have provided 50.00 gift cards to each household, to help in purchasing cleaning supplies or for any other immediate or essential needs
• We are working at distributing food fish out to each home within the village.
• We have also ordered cleaning supplies and hoping to distribute once delivered to Tsawout Administration.
• We are closing our reserve to all outside visitors (other than essential/emergency services)
• We are exploring any and all opportunities to provide food (hunting and fishing)
• We are exploring other opportunities for obtaining and distributing food supplies
• We are exploring all opportunities for obtaining emergency funding and relief from Federal Government
• We are continuing to meet as a council virtually, to ensure we are doing everything we can

National Health and Provincial Health authorities have requested, and I too echo the request to exercise social distancing; please stay home and only venture out when it is necessary.

These extreme measures and cautions are for each of our own safety.

I also want to thank those who are assisting, going house to house with deliveries, and to our Administration (Eva Wilson and Rob Mortin), who are continuing to work in office to ensure our essential services to community are carried out.

Stay home, wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, disinfect your homes.

We are a surviving people; and will get through this together.

HÍSW̱ ḴE HÁLE,
Chief Nick Claxton