Aboriginal Rights and Title Department

The Aboriginal Rights & Title Department's role at SNTC is to gather data to be used as a resource, to defend and protect Secwepemculecw. Additionally, the department functions to foster the continual growth of traditional knowledge. The AR&T Department encourages the sharing of wisdom between Secwepemc communities and our neighbors. Information dissemination ensures continuous dialogue thus promoting unity in the Secwepemc Nation.

The AR&T Department staff at SNTC is a talented team that work together to respond to the changing needs of the member communities. The work of the AR&T Department concerns itself with the collection, organization, analysis, management, archiving and preservation of Shuswap history. The scope and content of the data collection is not limited to historical literature, in fact, Shuswap language, culture and tradition is embedded in oral or verbal communication that resides within contemporary as well as historical entities. This AR&T Department has the critical task of collecting and preserving Secwepemc history and keeping it safe for future generations. The result is the development of a Secwepemc archives tailored to support the legal principles required to prove and defend Secwepemc rights and title issues.

The AR&T Department also provides technical support services to member community bands by sharing archive materials and by providing educational workshops and presentations to assist members in understanding the issues as required.

The AR&T Department promotes unity within the nation and acts as knowledge keepers for matters related to rights and title.

"So long as what we consider justice is withheld from us, so long will dissatisfaction and unrest exist among us, and we will continue to struggle to better ourselves."

Memorial to Sir Wilfred Laurier, Premiere of the Dominion of Canada

From the Chiefs of the Shuswap, Okanagan and Couteau Tribes of British Columbia. Presented at Kamloops, B.C. August 25, 1910

Bonnie Leonard, Director

Bonnie Leonard has been the Director of the AR&T Department since June, 2004. Her duties include planning, development, and managment of the operating, financial, human resource, community and other external affairs of the SNTC Aboriginal Rights & Title department.

A graduate from the University of Victoria faculty of law, called to the British Columbia Bar in 97, and having worked as a correctional officer, Bonnie has extensive experience working within the legal system.

Bonnie has served a three year term as Chief of the Kamloops Indian Band and relies upon this political experience to assist in strategic planning at SNTC.

Diane Jules, Researcher

Diane Jules has been the Researcher of the AR&T Department since July, 2005. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and Anthropology in 2002 and she also has a Post-Baccalaureate in Linguistics from SCES/SFU. She was awarded the Dean's Medal of Academic Excellence upon graduation from the SCES/SFU Post Secondary Program. This knowledge guides her in determining the validity and reliability of evidence gathered.

Reanna Leonard, Database Clerk

Reanna started working at SNTC in 2008, on the virtual Library project. She is responsible for uploading SNTCs archive files to an online library. She graduated high school with top grades in her BC First Nations studies class. She has also participated in 2 art shows one locally and one provincially and enjoys photography in her spare time.