MARILYN GABRIEL VS THE KWANTLEN PEOPLE

An assault on our traditions

Earlier this year, Marilyn Gabriel launched legal action against the councillors elected at the November 27th General Assembly. The councillors more than 90% of voters supported in the February 14th Consultation Vote. Nowhere in Salish custom is ‘federal lawsuit’ the way we do things.

From time immemorial our people solved things by coming together and hearing each other out in the longhouse. Family leaders would convene meetings and each person would have an equal say. Together we’d decide how this would be resolved. And in fact on November 27th, that’s what we did - Marilyn just didn’t show up.

One thing that this council will do, that Marilyn’s likely won’t, is give you all of the information. Here are ALL of the affidavits in the court case. We want you to read theirs, read Marilyn and Doug and Tumia. Please. And then read ours. Notice their inconsistency on our customs, Marilyn’s claim to rule for life - no matter what. Notice the governance code Tumia had produced based on a biased interpretation of the Four Directions consultation report. Yet in communication to the band earlier this year, they never mentioned this code, it’s the first any of us have seen or heard of it.

Then look at our affidavits. Our affidavits that include contributions from Coast Salish leaders like the Hereditary Chief of Kwaw-kwaw-apilt, from the chair of the Squamish Nation, from Grand Chief Betty Henry. Our affidavits have contributions from leading Coast Salish cultural experts like Gordon Mohs, Keith Thor Carlson, and Brian Thom. We have included affidavits from the cultural leaders that Kwantlen, has for years, put forward as its representatives: Farley Antone, Fern Gabriel, Dennis Leon, Brandon Gabriel. Ours includes contributions from Sto:lo people up river, via Darry Kipp, and from all of the Island Nations via Meaghan Walker. Ours include contributions from longhouses up and down the river.

Ours includes Marilyn’s own words describing our customary laws. Ours include quotes from the speakers on the day she was appointed hereditary chief - quotes Marilyn supplied. The case we lay before the Kwantlen people is undeniable.

If you are close to Marilyn or Tumia or Les, we implore you to read these affidavits. Look at the evidence. And then talk to them. Get them to abandon their expensive lawsuit, get them to stop wasting our money on this, and tell them to come to the table. It is obvious to everyone with eyes that Marilyn has a losing case, don’t let them spend hundreds of thousands of our dollars to lose it.

AFFIDAVITS

Band Council (November 27th 2022)

AFFIDAVITS FROM:

  • BRANDON GABRIEL

  • VICTOR BACK

  • ROBERT THOMAS

  • ROBERT JAGO

  • DENNIS LEON

  • FARLEY ANTONE

  • FERN GABRIEL

  • GORDON MOHS

  • KHELSILEM

  • MEAGHIE WALKER

  • DARRYL KIPP

  • VELDON COBURN

DOWNLOADS: PDF Volume 1 | PDF Volume 2 | PDF Volume 3

Band Council (October 7th 1993)

AFFIDAVITS FROM:

  • MARILYN GABRIEL

  • TUMIA KNOTT

  • RANDY HEWITT

  • CHRISTINE LOEWEN

  • LINDA MITCHELL

  • DOUG KELLY

  • ERIN MARSHALL

  • DERRICK MITCHELL

DOWNLOADS: PDF

COURT ORDER

A court order is currently in place until the trial is concluded. Please click here to download.