Rita Matthew, eldest daughter of Ida and Louis Matthew, was born and raised in Chu Chua except for two years when the family moved to Vavenby and on to Blue River. Previously married in the Okanagan with four children, 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Owned and operated a Hairdressing business for 8 years, completed Grade 12 at 26 years of age and went on to complete a Bachelor Degree, Professional Teaching Certificate and Masters Degree in Education. Owned and managed a tree service business and worked in education consulting and as administrator for the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society and a Provincial Native Education Centre with Okanagan College. Most recently administered an Aboriginal Life Skills Centre for 13 years which planned and delivered an Aboriginal Life Skills Facilitator Training Program and Job Readiness programs in Kamloops and in urban and First Nations communities throughout BC. Moved back to Chu Chua in 2005. Worked on a Health project, community census taker, as administrative assistant and in the past two years as Education Program Manager for the Simpcw First Nation.

Portfolios: Community Planning, IR Lands, Infrastructure/Capital, Language/Culture, Social Development.

Vision: My vision for the community is to provide awareness about the importance of personal and family development through understanding of how our history has affected us and the willingness to take personal responsibility and develop individual potential.

Why I ran for council: I chose to run for council because I believed that my work experience, education and communication abilities provided me with the skills necessary to assist in personal, family and community planning and in decision-making for good governance of the Band.

Shelly Loring is in her first term as Council and was elected in April 2009 for a three (3) year term as Councillor. She was previously elected to Council in 2003 and served for one (1) year.

Portfolios: Housing, Administration, Elders and Sustainable Resources.

History: Shelly has strong skills in management and interpersonal skills to effectively deal with Simpcw members, sound decision making ability and ability to be fair. Shelly’s prior experience includes 8 years with Simon Fraser University (Kamloops Campus) as a Program Manager and Education Coordinator and Health Manager for Simpcw First Nation. This experience has provided Shelly with a strong background in Program Management, Financial Management, Policy Development and understanding First Nation organizations.

Family: Born and raised on Simpcw First Nation. Parents are the late Gerald Joseph and Margaret Joseph. Paternal grandparents are Sammy and Angelique Joseph. Proud mother of six beautiful children: Levi, Sammy, Montana, Zachary, Gerald and Michael Jr. Recently became a grandmother to a precious grandson, Lane Kyleen. Supported in everything I do by my wonderful husband, Mike.

Fred Fortier has been on council for twenty years for the Simpcw community.  Fred has held various portfolios on council from agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and community planning. Majority of the past twenty years was working on fisheries related initiatives, fisheries with the Simpcw community and the Secwepemc Fisheries Commission where he served as Chairman for sixteen years and Director for six years. As well he has chaired the Canadian Columbia Intertribal Fisheries Commission for sixteen years and the BC Aboriginal Fisheries for four years.

Fred has also worked at the International level with in the Convention on Biological Diversity on traditional knowledge and access and benefit initiatives and has co-chaired the International Indigenous Forum on Biological diversity.

Fred has shared portfolio responsibilities for Natural Resources, Title & Rights, Infrastructure, Community planning and Finances. He also sits as a council representative on the Simpcw Resources Limited, which is the economic development arm for the Simpcw Community.

Fred and his wife Mary have four grown adult children with two grandchildren, he enjoys hunting, fishing and is an avid organic gardener. Fred and Mary have started a restoration and reclamation company (4TR Ventures Ltd.) this past year and look forward to business opportunities in the future.

Vision:
To have all Simpcw people be proud of who they are regardless of what path in life that they chosen to fulfill their destiny.

Why I ran for Council:
To help the Simpcw People better themselves in all areas of development to become self sufficient people.

I have been the Catch Monitor for the band since 1993 and the Fisheries Coordinator since 1999. I assisted the Dunn Lake Hatchery manager with reports and minutes of committee meetings from 1988 to 1992. I work in conjunction with the staff at Secwepemc Fisheries Commission (SFC) office. We meet on a quarterly basis with the other eight SFC bands. My main objective is to promote the continued traditional use of the fisheries resource by all community members, at the same time keeping a healthy balance amongst everything The Creator has provided this earth.

The promotion of traditional fishing activities amongst the Simpcw Youth has been my greatest success, Along with providing a good education program for the North Thompson Valley elementary schools. I truly believe in order for our fisheries resource to survive we need to educate the youth.

The Clearwater Community Resource Centre and Simpcw First Nation have been coordinating the Raft River Salmon Interpretive Program for the past five years. The Wells Gray Service Committee and Department of Fisheries & Oceans – Kamloops & Clearwater offices play a major role in the program by providing staff support and a facility to operate our three day program. We wanted to provide the local schools in the North Thompson Valley an experience similar to the Roderick Haig Brown Park salmon run, but in our own back yard at Raft River. The 450-500 school kids from kindergarten to grade seven from four different elementary schools and their teachers and parents cycle through in three days. We offer a program that entails all aspects of fish and fish habitat and Simpcw First Nation fisheries knowledge and history.

Other events hosted by my program are:
- Annual Salmon Run (bike relay Tete Jeune to Louis Cr.), September
- First Fish Ceremony, August
- Coho Day, Dunn Creek Hatchery, October

Why I ran for Council: One of the reason’s I ran for council was there was numerous people within the community who had asked that I be part of council to make a difference. I saw what was happening in the community and wanted to be part of the positive change.

Vision: To continue to see the positive growth within the community, promoting team work amongst the staff, community working together on important issue to see to resolution. Making a good place for our youth to live in the future by involving youth in different projects.