Luncheon March 26, 2015

Dear Rotarians,

ROTARY Minutes

March 26, 2015

                                                               

31 members & guests in attendance

OH CANADA

Grace

President Judy had the members introduce our guests and prospective members today since there were so many in attendance. Great turn out today.

Myers Bennett introduced our guest speaker Chief Clarence Louie from the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) who he had met many years ago as an instructor of the Dale Carnegie Course.

Clarence has received many awards and accolades over his 30 years as chief.

 

Chief Louie started his talk off with how impressed he is with the Rotary Wheel monument at the USA/ Canada border how much the 4 way test has impressed him; especially “Is it the Truth”.

 

His talk took us on a history lesson how the First Nations People were deprived of their rights by our federal gov’t back in 1763 when the Royal Proclamation actually gave them rights.

 

He believes that if the First Nations people are going to be self-sufficient they need to get back to

their original relationship with the Federal Gov’t. which was a business relationship instead of a dependency relationship.

 

During the 2^nd World War several members of the Okanagan Band volunteered to serve for their country. Ernest Baptiste actually has a gravesite in N. Italy which Chief Louie has visited.

 

He refers to himself as a” born again savage” since that is what the natives were referred to many years ago.

 

One of the unsettled land claims he referred to was Haynes Point. He mentioned that they will be planning on changing the name of Haynes Point. He asked  us “when do our ancestors bones stop mattering” so why don’t they need a proper burial ground?

He mentioned that Haynes was a land thief of 4,000 acres.

 

The OIB has a strong working relationship with the towns of Oliver and Osoyoos and has leased a lot of their land to local wineries for their vineyards. Jim King asked him to explain Area 27 to the members and guests. Area 27 is the professional racetrack designed by Jacque Villeneuve on OIB land of Black Sage Rd. near La Vieux Pin. It will be for the rich and famous. He feels that if they can afford these very expensive cars and lifestyle they can leave some of their money in the area to bolster our economy. He mentioned that one of the drivers liked a certain vintage of white wine at a local winery and bought every bottle they had, we wish they would all do that. Because these drivers come from all over the world he feels that the publicity can only help the region.

 

Jim King won the 50/50 for the second time in the last month making up for his constant complaint that he never wins.