RCMP North District Commander Rod Booth greeted NLG officials and staff at Nisga'a Lisims Government on August 14, 2013.  Superintendant Booth was accompanied by outgoing Lisims Nass Valley Detachment Commander Sgt. Donovan Tait and Constable Anthony Fletcher.  Superintendant Booth is informally touring the Nass Valley, which is part of the geographically large North District under his oversight and includes 37 detachments.

Chairperson Kevin McKay, Chairperson of the Council of Elders Shirley Morven, Director of Programs & Services Roberta Stewart, Chair of the Public Order Peace and Safety (POPS) committee Ron Nyce and other POPS committee members were also in attendance. 

Speaking on behalf of the Nisga'a Nation, Chairperson McKay provided welcoming comments to Supt Booth, providing him with a background of the Nation's relationship with the RCMP which began in the 1950's.  McKay then went on to explain how the relationship evolved over decades and finally post-Treaty into what is now known as the Community Tripartite Agreement (CTA) - an agreement between the Nisga'a Nation, Canada and British Columbia that sets out the expectations and various authorities that the relationship continues under.

McKay then ackowledged the large geographic region under Supt Booth's responsibility,  "We are truly grateful that you have taken time out of your busy schedule to come and visit us." said McKay.  "In order to be effective in carrying out that responsibility it must take a great deal of creativity and innovation, so we are very appreciative of your efforts in visiting us."

Supt. Booth and others were treated to a feast of various salmon and oolichan dishes, to which he extended his gratitude by saying, "Thank you for the wonderful meal.  I could see if I lived here I might have to buy bigger clothes!"

Supt Booth also apprised Nisga'a officials of future plans for the RCMP to bring Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton to the North, including the Nass Valley in the early Fall to demonstrate RCMP policing in the northern region. "I want her to see the wonderful, amazing communities we serve (in the north) and the work that goes on in restorative justice and with your Public Order Peace and Safety committee."

Both Chairperson Kevin McKay and Supt. Rod Booth also credited outgoing detachment commander Sgt. Donovan Tait for his years of service to the Nisga'a Nation. Tait will move on to work on Vancouver Island later this summer.  "Certainly our loss is their gain," said McKay of Tait's departure from the Nass Valley to the Island.  "I have described Tait, in the short time that he has been amongst our people as a man who has demonstrated clearly that he is a man of the people."

"Sgt. Tait, on behalf of the RCMP, I cannot replicate the thanks you have received from this community, but I acknowledge and thank you in front of your friends here that what you've done is outstanding and has not gone unnoticed." said Booth.

Concluding the agenda was a presentation from Nisga'a artisan Bradley Percival.  Supt Booth was presented with a drum painted with the Nisga'a Nation hayatskw and the RCMP logo which was formally unveiled at the Lisims RCMP Detachment last winter.

Photos of the informal meet and greet can be viewed HERE