The resignation of Sechelt (shíshálh) Nation councillor and former chief Garry Feschuk was announced via special notice on the Nation’s website Sept. 19.
The notice said that Feschuk was asked by council for his resignation as per the amended 2013 Chief and Council Policy that puts limits on how long a councillor can be away.
“Garry has advised repeatedly that he does not want to be an exception to this policy,” the notice stated.
Feschuk suffered a stroke on May 12 and has since been on the Lower Mainland recovering. He was in Lions Gate Hospital for 80 days before being discharged as a day patient, needing regular physiotherapy.
Feschuk and his wife have been staying in the city with friends during the extended recovery process.
He declined to comment on his resignation this week.
The notice announcing Feschuk’s resignation thanked him for his longtime dedication to the Nation as a “leadership figure.”
Feschuk was the Nation’s chief from 1993 to 2005 and again from 2008 to 2014. He also served a total of eight years as a councillor for the Nation.
In addition, during the past three years Feschuk has taken the lead on the residential school day scholar class action lawsuit, a file that has since been handed to Coun. Randy Joe to work on.
“We thank Garry for his unwavering leadership and all that it has shown us,” the notice read.
Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) chairGarry Nohr said he was sad to hear of Feschuk’s resignation.
“In the 11 years I’ve been on the board he’s done a tremendous job with relations between different elected officials and governments and really looked after the Sechelt Nation,” Nohr said.
“He’s been a real mover and a shaker for the band so it will be sad to see him go, but I can understand it.”
Nohr said he’s been over to visit Feschuk a couple of times since his stroke and noted, “It’s going to take him a while to get up to speed.”
Currently Coun. Chris August is the SCRD board liaison for the Nation and he’s also served as acting chief while Chief Calvin Craigan has been away on leave. Nohr said August hasn’t been coming to meetings lately but that soon there will be a get-together to “sort things out.”
It is unclear whether a byelection will be held to replace Feschuk.
The current council’s term ends on March 31, 2017.
