Victor Jim has been elected the new chief of Moricetown.
Jim defeated longtime incumbent chief Duane Mitchell on Aug. 10 by a vote of 83-40.
In his platform Jim said he would make education for the Wet’suwet’en student’s to become a priority again and create “Respective relationships with all our partner groups like the OW, RCMP, SD54, town council of Smithers, Northwest Community College, federal and provincial governments.”
He also pledged that he would work closely with the younger population, create better night-time lighting in Moricetown and develop a meaningful, trusting relationship with the hereditary chiefs and hereditary system.
Jim was only one of two candidates that showed up for the election forum. Eleven people ran for chief. The debate was cancelled.
Jim, a former teacher who was among the members of the first graduating class of the University of British Columbia’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP) in the spring of 1978, subsequently received his Master of Education from the UBC Ts”Kel program in 1999.
After teaching in Kispiox, for two years, and Moricetown, for eighteen, Jim became the Aboriginal education district principal for Prince George. Graduation rates for Aboriginal students in Prince George climbed from 31 to 56 percent over the last ten years.
Jim’s early participation in NITEP made him a trailblazer in his community, passing his passion for education on to his students as well as his children. In 2012, his eldest son graduated from medical school to become Moricetown’s first doctor; his daughter plans to become an educator herself.
Also elected were 12 council members: Sandra George, Gary Naziel, Sheri Green, Warner William, Freda Huson, Lillian Lewis, Desmond McKinnon, Margaret LaRose, Archie Joseph, Clement Mitchell, Victor Jim and Russell Lewis Jr.
A total of 401 ballots were cast in the election.
