Nisg̱a’a Nation Mourns the Loss of Dr. Joseph Arthur Gosnell
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To my friends at NLG,
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Joseph Gosnell. I send my deepest condolences to you and the community in these difficult times.
Kind regards,
Pascale
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Pascale Méra| Sr. Relationship and Project Engagement Lead
Indigenous Relations, North
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Hello Collier. I hope you and your family are well during these trying times.
I am very saddened to hear that Joe Gosnell has passed. He left an important mark on British Columbia, Canada, and especially the Nisga'a people. He also left a strong impression with me about leadership, vision, hope, and spirit. I remember my interactions with him and his steady hand during the treaty negotiations like yesterday.
Please pass on my condolences, thoughts and prayers to President Clayton and the rest of the Exectutive. My thoughts are with all of my Nisga’a friends.
Doug Caul
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
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It is with great sadness that we offer our condolences to the beloved family of Sim'oogit Hleek.
Lorna Azak and I would like to share some memories that we have of Sim'oogit Hleek. The year was 2010 when Lorna and I were planning the Healing, Reviving, Restoring Nisga'a Identity Conference. We invited some Chiefs and Matriarchs to come and plan with us. It was at our first planning meeting that Sim'oogit Hleek expressed his happiness that we had the courage to host such a conference. Sim'oogit Hleek told us that we had just enacted our traditional laws by offering up a prayer of thanksgiving and request for guidance before we began our meeting. He said, "It is in our laws that we offer prayer for guidance and thanksgiving to our creator before we embark on a new path or we set out to do something. He said, "It's important to put our Creator, Sim'oogit Laxha first, then everything falls into place." He shared a memory with us that day regarding Sim'oogit Laxha. He told us of a time that he was traveling to Vancouver for meetings. He wasn't feeling very good when he awoke in his room. He prayed and picked up the Bible and began to read, as he read the Bible a bright white figure appeared in his room, and he knew he was going to be ok. He knew it was God. Sim'oogit Hleek had very deep faith in God.
He also shared a time when he was a very young child playing in Gitwinksihlkw. He said he went to hide under his house, as he hid under his house, he saw that some of the posts supporting the house were carved. Apparently, his father or grandfather took the totem poles that were to be destroyed during the Christian colonization and used them as the supporting posts to their house. He found later that this was their way of saving the poles and hiding them away. Sim'oogit Hleek likened this foundation to our Nisga'a resiliency. He said the foundation of our culture are corner posts carved and made up of Nisga'a Laws to governed by traditional ethics are reasons we did not perish during colonization. He said "Our resiliencies are our laws handed through the generations from our Wahlingigat to this day. It was awe inspiring to see Sim'oogit Hleek and Sim'oogit Baxk'ap, facilitate men's Yaskw at this conference. Following our planning , Simoogit Hleek along with other Nisga'a went on video to record their Residential School experience.
We were fortunate to have waked a very short way with Sim'oogit Hleek on his life's journey, and he blessed us along the way with his knowledge.
Thank you Sim'oogit Hleek for your love, wisdom, and your compassion. Hagwil Yeen Sim'oogit Hleek, T'ooyaksim Niin.
With deepest Sympathies, Lydia Stephens, and Lorna Azak. NVHA Commuinty Wellness Counsellors.
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Hello,
I hope this finds you and your family healthy and safe. I just read about the passing of Joe. Gosnell. When I was reading up on Nisga’a history a couple years ago now, there were many references to Joe Gosnell. He was an inspiring leader and set an example that many of us could learn from.
Best regards,
Steff
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The news of Dr. Joseph Gosnell Sr.’s death has saddened our entire team at Indigenous Program Delivery of Service Canada. Please accept our most heartfelt condolences for your loss at this time.
Dr. Joseph Gosnell Sr. was an amazing person and a true blessing to the Nisga’a community, and everyone who was privileged to know him. We are grateful for his invaluable determination, wisdom and positive contributions to the Nisga'a Lisims Government, as well as advancing the rights of Indigenous people in Canada.
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. May his life’s stories continue to be a blessing to future generations.
Thank you,
On behalf of BC Indigenous Program Delivery
Linda Dozie
A/Service Manager
Program Delivery Branch
Service Canada – Government of Canada
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Hello Bobby,
Please accept my condolences on Dr. Gosnell’s passing.
We are half-masting the Canadian flag on the grounds of the BC Legislature in Victoria to honour the memory of Dr. Gosnell.
Lucy Lobmeier
Chief of Protocol and Executive Director
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The Chief and Council and community of Lyackson First Nation extends their deepest condolences to the Nisga’a Nation and to the family of Dr. Gosnell.
Chief and Council would like to send flowers to the family.
Huy ch q’a
Chris Thompson
Executive Assistant
Lyackson First Nation
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On behalf of the Coast Mountains Natural Resource District office (Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development), I would like to extend our sincere condolences on the loss of Dr. Joseph Gosnell. Dr Gosnell’s work continues to have profound impacts on how our office conducts business, guiding our relationship with the Nisga’a Nation. It is incredible to think of what a difference Dr Gosnell has made in the Nisga’a Nation, BC, Canada and the world.
Sincerely,
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Lesley Winterhalt Advisor, First Nations Relations Coast Mountains District | Skeena Region
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I express my deepest condolences to the Gosnell family and the Nisga’a Nation on the loss of a great man and leader. Thankfully I had the privilege to know Joe and to work a bit with him in his many leadership roles. I learned a lot from him about commitment to principles, true community leadership and about being a good person.
All my best and prayers to the family and the Nisga’a Nation.
T’esóts’en (Patrick Kelly)
Leq’a:mel (Stó:lō Nation)
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My thoughts are with you today as you mour the passing of Dr Gosnell. My own treaty journey started more than 20 years ago when I saw the Nisgaa canoe and heard the drums beating as your people came down Government Street in Victoria toward the Legislature. I felt the drums in my heart and my brain was prompted to learn more.
During that time, I was fortunate to gain a new hero in Dr Gosnell as I listened to him speak and read interviews with him. He was a Nisgaa Mandela and I was envious that my culture has such few true statesmen to match him.
He will be long remembered… Prayers,
Mark
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Hello,
I wanted to take the moment to send my sincerest condolences to the Nisga'a Nation, and to the family of Dr. Gosnell on his recent passing.
For many like me, Dr. Gosnell was an inspiration due to his many great contributions to the pursuit of reconciliation and advocating of Indingeous rights. As a University student so many years ago, in First Nations Studies and Political Science, his works were the epitome of greatness in Indingeous Governance and rights. The Nisga'a Final Agreement among other monumental works, is a legacy to his historic vision and commitment to the Nisga'a Nation.
He truly was one of the greats, that is the beautiful and resilient legacy of the North West. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. My thoughts are with the Nisga'a Lisims Government Office, that I have had the honour of working with in some capacities over previous years.
Sending much love,
The Fergusons
Cheryl, Chuck, Kendall, Kelly, Jackson & Joseph
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Dear Mr. Clark,
My name is Chris Dragseth. I worked for DFO for over 33 years and during that time Dr. Gosnell was someone I highly respected. We weren’t always in agreement, but I was always certain that Dr. Gosnell represented his community and the Nisga’a Nation in a compassionate, professional and sensitive manner. He always worked to advance his position, but did so in a respectful manner. At times when we were on the same Team (e.g. Can/U.S. Salmon Treaty Negotiations), Dr. Gosnell represented all Canadians, setting a very high standard.
Certainly he is a loss to his family and the Nisga’a Nation, at the same time, Dr. Gosnell’s passing will be a loss to Canada.
I would like to pass along my sincere condolences to Dr. Gosnell’s family and the Nisga’a Nation.
Yours truly,
Chris Dragseth
Retired
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Hello,
My name is Crystal Dixon, from the Coastal First Nations, Great Bear initiative: The Nations would like to send some flowers and condolence card, what address should we send these too?
We send our deepest condolences to the family and Nation for the loss of Dr. Joseph Arthur Gosnell. Please do let us know where we can mail our card and flowers too?
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Ǧiáxsix̌a, “Thank You” c̓ḷ́q̓ḷá t̓út̓u̓a Crystal Dixon |
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Dear COLLIER,
Our mutual friend Tony Pearse has kindly informed me of the passing of Joseph Gosnell, Sim’oogit Hleek, whom we got to know during the very challenging pre-Treaty years.
I vividly recall meeting Joe at the Canadian High Commission in London in 1998 and spending a day with him as he travelled to speak about the Treaty to students at the University of Cambridge. Though extremely tired he found time to share some interesting memories with me from his younger days in the Nass Valley.
Joe’s thoughts and efforts were constantly directed to promoting better understanding of Nisga’a history, culture and values and advancing community wellbeing. I am pleased to have captured video footage of him at a number of public events in Canada and abroad including a very special visit to raise a mighty crest pole in the city of Vienna as a symbol of friendship between Canada and Austria.
Please would you be so kind as to convey my sincere condolences to Joe’s immediate family as well as to members of the House of Hleek and his friends and colleagues at Nisga’a Lisims Government.
My heartfelt sympathies to all.
JACK ORCHEL
(Gwiix T’il Xsgaagim Gat, wilps Gitxhoon)
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