Adam Olsen is beginning a new life after politics, but he鈥檒l still be working for his home.
The former North Saanich and the Islands Green Party MLA is stepping into a new role as the lead negotiator for W瘫JO冉E冉P鈥� (Tsartlip) First Nation, where he has called home for his whole life.
Olsen, who was first elected to the B.C. Legislature in 2017, will now lead negotiations on behalf of W瘫JO冉E冉P鈥�. His efforts as negotiator will focus largely on conversations with federal, provincial, regional and local governments as well as BC Ferries and other organizations operating in the region.
鈥淚 am honoured to be in this role and to work on behalf of this beautiful community to advance our interests and rights as W瘫JO冉E冉P鈥� and W瘫S脕NE膯 people,鈥� said Olsen in a press release.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we take the initiative, as other communities have, to ensure that we take care of our people and W瘫JO冉E冉P鈥� and W瘫S脕NE膯 traditional territory. I look forward to having conversations with my relatives here about what we hope and dream to achieve.鈥�
Olsen announced he would not seek re-election last June, after seven years representing North Saanich and the Islands from 2017 until 2024. In that time, he championed the Southern Gulf Islands forum which brought together many levels of government along with First Nations leadership to discuss the economic, cultural, environmental and social well-being of the Gulf Island communities. Olsen's goal as lead negotiator is to see W瘫JO冉E冉P鈥� advance as other Nations have throughout Canada.
When announcing Olsen's new position, W瘫JO冉E冉P鈥� highlighted that provincial and federal policies on land, resources, governance and rights have often not served First Nations communities. Instead, stating that these policies have systemically divided these communities and negatively impacted their quality of life, something Olsen hopes to change.
鈥淭hese governance structures have fractured our communities and do not serve our people, our relatives or our territory,鈥� said Olsen. 鈥淔or me, in this role, success is finding ways to create systems that benefit our community鈥檚 needs and interests. We must raise our voices to make change so that we may fulfill our inherent rights as Indigenous people in this province.鈥�
