After a few years of pushing Department of Indigenous Services Canada (DISC) to set up a land lease referendum, a date has been set for the band informational meeting and vote date:

Land Lease Information Meeting:

Tuesday, October 6 th at 5:00PM, Community Hall

Land Lease Vote Day:

Thursday, October 29 th –  9:00AM to 8:00PM, Community Hall

Because of Covid-19, Department of Indigenous Services Canada (DISC) has sent all Osoyoos Indian Band members living on reserve mail-in voting ballots (normally this would not be done – only off reserve band members would get voting packages in the mail).

Band members living on + off reserve can still vote in person at the hall on October 29th from 9:00AM to 8:00 PM, (but please remember to bring in your mail-in package that was mailed to you, if you lose your mail in ballot you can still vote in person at the hall). COVID-19 precautions will be in place (social distancing). For those on reserve Band members who wish to vote ahead of October 29th please fill out your mail-in ballots as per instructions and hand in the sealed envelope to Doris at the Band Office.

Sorry the information meeting and other meetings and details of the upcoming vote was not done before Department of Indigenous Services Canada (DISC) mailed the ballots out. We did not know when DISC was mailing out the ballots and this is the first vote being done during COVID-19 and Indian Affairs is doing a few things differently.

Please read the reasons why Chief and Council feel this land lease referendum will provide much more needed income to Osoyoos Indian Band to provide more money for all the Band’s program and services (health, education, youth + elders, culture, etc.) plus support our businesses and increased per capita (an additional 15% for per capita-per additional lease).

Chief Clarence Louie