CRTC Public Hearing

Burnaby, British Columbia

Intervention by

Chief Bill Williams · Squamish Nation

in support of Aboriginal Voices Radio

November 30, 2000

Traditional Squamish Greeting

Members of the Commission: I am Chief Bill Williams, Chairman of the Squamish Nation Chiefs and Council. I want to extend a warm welcome to you who have come here to consider awarding new radio licenses in the traditional territory of the Coast Salish Peoples.

I am pleased to appear in front of you, representing the Squamish Nation, we are one of the most progressive and forward-looking urban First Nation communities in Canada. We are moving ahead with education, economic development and communication initiatives, in our community to name a few.

It also is a pleasure for me to be here because of my own personal experiences with Native broadcasting in Canada. My background includes involvement in the development of Northern Native radio here in British Columbia. As one of the founders of Northern Native Broadcasting, I know about the history, the development and the challenges of creating and operating a Native radio network. I have seen the northern service develop and mature over the years. I have also seen government funding cut, and NNB's ability to provide adequate service challenged. I have seen how they are adapting to funding cuts and how they must work hard to maintain network programming for the northern audiences in remote First Nation communities. It is good to know they are still providing a valuable service in the north where they have

developed their expertise.

Here in the south, it is a different story. We can receive occasional radio programming through co-op radio broadcasts or reports filtered through mainstream media, but there is no Native radio network here. People have talked about it for years but the focus has been on the northern needs, and besides, the resources have not been available. Urban Aboriginal people here have been neglected.

There can be no doubt that there is a need and that there is a large potential audience. The urban Aboriginal population is perhaps as large as one hundred thousand in Vancouver and area.

My understanding is that the Aboriginal Voices Radio application lays out a project that is for those people. It is devoted to the creation of a national radio service, one that focuses on the urban audience. The Squamish Nation Chiefs and Council are well aware of the needs and we wholeheartedly support the need for a new Native radio service for the Vancouver area. This new service would immediately provide an easy way for us to connect with other First Nations and Aboriginal peoples. We will hear their voices and they will hear ours, especially on matters that are important to all of us.

An example is the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision regarding non-Native leaseholders living on the Musqueam reserve. The perspective on this important story, which affects many people across the land, came almost exclusively from that of the renters. If we had a radio network of our own it would have provided an opportunity to educate and inform all Canadians, both locally and nationally. We could have carried on a full and frank discussion of all related issues in a way that's widely accessible to Native and non-Natives.

Squamish Nation's voice of support for the AVR proposal is part of the loud chorus of support from local Aboriginal communities and their organizations. You will hear from them today.

Aboriginal Voices Radio came to us with respect, acknowledging our culture and traditional territory. They reached out to us and explained their national network plans and the vital place of the Vancouver region in its ultimate success. We agreed with them, that a truly national Aboriginal radio network could not exist without a Vancouver radio service. They asked for support and advice. After they clarified important aspects of their plan, we agreed to support their efforts.

The Squamish Nation puts a high priority on our youth and on education, employment and training. We see opportunities to work with AVR to involve Aboriginal youth and our community, and we look forward to developing and expanding our relationship.

If we were talking about a local radio station only, it would be a different situation altogether. But I believe the need is for a network first. We then expect to see further development of local radio. For this reason, we support AVR’s intention to be conservative and practical in the development of a schedule of local programming to be heard only here in Vancouver, and not over the national network.

An expansion of Vancouver-only programming would only be developed once adequate resources become available. This national-first approach, followed by local expansion is good planning.

I know from my own experiences that a network radio service could be financed from a number of revenue sources, especially when it reaches a critical point of development. We're all familiar with the conventional wisdom that 'Money-makes-money'. But we also know audience size attracts revenue opportunities. So it is imperative to get the network up and running first in Vancouver, and other key centres with large Aboriginal populations, such as Calgary, Regina, Ottawa, Montreal, Atlantic Canada, for example.

But how does it all get done in a way that addresses our urgent community needs? We understand that a favourable decision to license a mainstream commercial radio company not competitive with AVR in this hearing, will commit them to significant development funding for Aboriginal Voices Radio. If that happens, then AVR's launch will be a blast-off of historic proportions. You must be excited, as we all are about the significance of such a breakthrough for the Aboriginal community and the broadcast industry.

Such a large source of funding provides many, otherwise unavailable doorways through which other funding, including matching funding might be secured. On behalf of our community I deal with the financing of major projects, and believe me --- money does get money.

In summary, we share the AVR vision of urban Aboriginal Peoples having a new accessible media for communicating Native issues and concerns. We see the immense value of a new local area service that would bring together the voices of our own Vancouver and area communities, and those of others from across Canada.

We look forward to working with AVR to ensure their success, whether in the area of production of radio programming, the location of studio facilities, or education and training.

In summary, we recognize the benefits to the Squamish Nation, and to all the people of Vancouver that would come from your favourable licensing decisions for both Aboriginal Voices Radio and their commercial broadcast partner.

Members of the Commission, you face an important decision.

This is a decision that will make a difference, in many ways, and in many lives.

I wish you all the best in your deliberations.