Governance & Council
Skowkale is Governed Under a Family Representative System
With four (4) main families, there is one (1) Councillor selected through a nomination and election process for each family. At a nomination meeting, if only one member is nominated to represent a family, they are elected by acclamation. However, if more than one member is nominated to represent a family, the names go on a ballot for the entire electorate to help select the representative.
The Chief is selected via a nomination and election process to represent the community as a whole, and does so with the guidance of the people and councillors.
The 2025-2029 Council Team is Comprised of:
Chief Darcy Paul, Councillor Willy Hall, Councillor Jamie Commodore, Councillor Mary Archie and Councillor Nicholas Point.
Advisory Committee Overview
In 2015, Skowkale leadership provided administration with a list of community members who had participated in, or expressed interest in, various committees and topic-specific discussions, including housing, membership, policy, education, and finance.
From this initiative, several committees were formed or reactivated, and their members worked collaboratively to develop many of the foundational policies that guide our Nation today. These include the Housing Policy, Membership Code, Election Code, Finance Policy, Post-Secondary Education Policy, and HR Policy, among others.
While the Lands Committee was already established, additional committees were created over time based on emerging needs, such as the Cultural Committee and the Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP) Committee.
After years of committed effort, it became clear that many of the same individuals were sitting on multiple committees, resulting in overlapping responsibilities and full calendars. To streamline efforts and encourage a more coordinated approach, the Advisory Committee was established (exact year to be confirmed). This committee brought together the Housing, Education, Finance, Membership, and Policy committees into one unified group. Meeting monthly, the Advisory Committee provided feedback and insight to both Administration and Council, while continuing to review, draft, and update policies and programs, including the development of the Member Benefit Program and updates to the CCP.
In 2025, Culture and Lands were formally integrated into the Advisory Committee’s scope. A new Terms of Reference was adopted to reflect this evolving structure. Today, the Advisory Committee includes two representatives from each of Skowkale’s four families, with appointments made Council based on family nominations. Council members attend Advisory Committee meetings in an ex officio capacity, ensuring continued collaboration and connection between the Advisory body and Skowkale’s elected leadership.