News & Events






Hotel Chain Seizes First Nations' Land in BC

Call to Action


Who are the Secwepemc NYM and what is Sun Peaks?

The land of the Secwepemc nation is un-surrendered -Sun Peaks and Delta hotels are stealing and destroying native land to build playgrounds for the rich.

Secwepemc youth formed a chapter of and united forces with the Skwekwek'welt Protection Center to resist the development of Sun Peaks Ski Resort on their traditional territories.They have organized against corporate colonialism, and continue to teach their children in the traditional ways necessary to unite and stop the destruction of their land. The Elders, youth, hunters, food/medicine gatherers, of this territory are committed to knowing how to survive off the land and making sure that the knowledge of their ancestors will continue.

Toronto Native Youth whole heartedly supports the Secwepemc people and their Native Youth Movement. In support of them and their community's struggle, we call upon our allies to join us in congesting the Sun Peaks booking office, SKICAN. Since Sun Peaks depends on the business generated by vacation bookings to survive, we need to confront them at their source. The Secwepemc NYM does not deserve to struggle in isolation. The Secwepemc NYM know that we are planning this action, and have sent their greetings of solidarity to our allies.

Time for action!

It is the goal of Toronto Native Youth to achieve a victory here in Toronto in solidarity with our sisters and brothers out west. We must convince SKICAN to end their partnership with Sun Peaks. SKICAN's call centre phone lines are open all week (9-5 Eastern Time). We propose that people call into SKICAN, and do one of two things, each of which is intended to end in filing a complaint with the business for their greed at the expense of the Secwepemc people:

  1. Confront the call center operator immediately on SKICAN's ties to Sun Peaks. Call for SKICAN to divest itself from partnerships with Sun Peaks. Inform the call center of your concerns, and ask to file a complaint with the business. Ask to speak the manager. This is sure to take a long period of time.


  2. Investigate all the possibilities of a vacation at Sun Peaks for you and your friends. Make many inquiries, work out exactly where, how much, when, etc. using details and preferences that the call center operator must enter into a computer. At the very end of a thorough investigation of these possibilities, ask if this Sun Peaks is the same resort that is stealing Secwepemc land and criminializing the Secwepemc people. At the point at which purchase must be initiated, stress that you would never give your business to a company that steals land from Indigenous people and criminalizes those that defend it. State that you will cancel your vacation if the company doesn't agree to change their policy. Ask to speak to a manager and file an official complaint with the business.

There are approximately 20 phone lines in the Toronto office. With enough allies participating, we can make an impact on their ability to enable Sun Peaks to profit from their genocidal business practices. SKICAN is involved with the callous and criminalizing Sun Peaks. We are doing them a favour by informing them of how great consumer concern is with our complaint campaign. Call as often as you feel it is necessary. We suggest making a call on your lunch hour every day. If you can only call once a week, call on a Wednesday.

In addition, we urge all of our allies to Boycott Delta Chelsea Hotels.

Here are the phone numbers:
SKICAN 1 800 4SKICAN
,
Sun Peaks 1 800 807 3257

Be sure to state why they will not have your business

Questions to ask the call center:

Are you aware that Sun Peaks is in violation of Aboriginal Title, and is operating for profit on stolen land? How can SKICAN justify working in collaboration with Sun Peaks?

Do you know that Secwepemc people are going to jail for defending their land from corporate and colonial trespassers?

And that the arresting RCMP use violent means and racist language during these arrests?

Are you award that Sun Peaks employees harass Secwepemc peoples on their own lands and elsewhere?

Did you know that Sun Peaks posted a "No Indians Allowed beyond this point" sign outside of their resort?

What code of ethics does SKICAN abide by when creating business partnerships?

Will it take bookings for any company, no matter how racist?

When can I expect to hear or read that SKICAN has made the ethical decision to no longer do business with Sun Peaks ski resort?

This action has been organized in solidarity with the Secwepemc chapter of the Native Youth Movement. For more information and further updates on the situation with Sun Peaks email:

Native Youth Movement, Secwepemc Chapter,
Site 31 Comp 8 RR#1, Chase, BC, VOE 1M0
nymcommunications@hotmail.com
www.nativeyouthmovement.com

Skwekwek'welt Protection Center
Jrbilly@mail.ocis.net
www.skwelkwek'welt.org

Toronto Native Youth
toronto_native_youth@hotmail.com
www.freewebs.com/tny

"TNY is not calling for any unlawful or criminal acts in this campaign. TNY calls on all people engaging in this campaign to make it more clear and less possibly advocating mischief."

[back to top]
 


© 2003 Libra Information Services
Last updated: February 10, 2004
Website comments to: greg@torontothebetter.net
Libra Information Services owns and operates the