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It is with profound sadness that the Snuneymuxw First Nation advises that Chief Viola Wyse passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday, August 17, 2009.
Chief Wyse was elected as Snuneymuxw First Nation’s first female Chief in February 2, 2006, a position she always said that she was greatly honoured to hold. She was a member of Snuneymuxw's eleven-member council from 2002-2006 and worked as the band administrator from 1995-2001, having previously worked for the Department of Indian Affairs for twenty years.
Chief Wyse had an enduring and remarkable vision for improving the lives of the people in her community in a manner respectful to Snuneymuxw culture and traditions. It was a vision looked to as a model by many other British Columbian First Nations. During her tenure, Snuneymuxw embarked on many noteworthy ventures including Protocol Agreements with the City of Nanaimo, the Nanaimo Port Authority, the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Islands Trust, and collaborative management agreements with the government of British Columbia.
Chief Wyse firmly believed in regional partnerships as the way to a better future for all the residents of Nanaimo. When Snuneymuxw signed a community-to-community water agreement with the City of Nanaimo in 2007, she remarked: “It’s very important that we pay attention to each other’s interests and needs in this regard. Harmonizing our efforts this way will help all future generations living in Nanaimo.”
Councillor William Yoachim said today: “It was a great privilege to work with such a remarkable Chief and individual as Viola Wyse. I feel certain she will want her legacy to be a continuation of her vision of a better life for her community and for everyone in Nanaimo. I know that Snuneymuxw First Nation will do its best to uphold that vision into the future in her honour.”
Chief Wyse and her husband Joe have 6 adult children, 19 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She was dearly loved as a wonderful mother, grandmother and aunt and will be greatly missed by her family, as well as her community and the many political and business leaders who had the privilege of working with her.
For more information, please contact Councillor William Yoachim at (250) 713-3593.
PREMIER’S STATEMENT ON PASSING OF CHIEF VIOLA WYSE
VANCOUVER – Premier Gordon Campbell issued the following statement today on the passing of Chief Viola Wyse of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. “The Snuneymuxw First Nation and all of British Columbia are mourning the loss of a strong and passionate leader with the passing of Chief Viola Wyse.
“Chief Wyse worked to forge strong partnerships with the community and other levels of government. She advanced initiatives to create economic opportunity for the Snuneymuxw and to improve the health, environment and well-being of those she represented.
“As the first female chief in the history of the Snuneymuxw, Chief Wyse was a trailblazer. Through her tireless dedication to her people, she leaves a legacy of accomplishment that will echo for years to come throughout the region. Initiatives like the unprecedented collaborative management of Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park were only possible because of the commitment and vision of leaders like Chief Wyse.
“Chief Wyse will be missed by many, and I join members of the Snuneymuxw and others in honouring her memory and her accomplishments.”
THE HONOURABLE CHUCK STRAHL , PC, MP
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians
On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to extend my most sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Chief Viola Wyse who died suddenly on Monday, August 17, 2009 at her home on the Snuneymuxw First Nation reserve on Vancouver Island.
The first woman ever to lead the Snuneymuxw First Nation, Chief Wyse was an extraordinary team builder, forging important partnerships with all levels of government. Elected chief in 2006, she brought to her people a wealth of both personal and professional experience, including 21 years with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
She was a woman of immeasurable compassion and wisdom who understood the importance of relationships and interconnectedness. A fierce advocate for her own people, she recognized the need for balance between economic renewal and environmental protection. As she herself put it in a recent address to the Assembly of First Nations gathering, "We must be led by the conviction that better understanding and partnerships will only come about if we realize that we are all in this together."
Chief Viola Wyse was a great leader who will be deeply missed by all of us.
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