Art Azak For President.
Arthur Roy Azak was born at Gitlaxta'miks on October 10th, 1943. He is a member of the Ganada (Frog-Raven) tribe, and belongs to the House of Sim'oogit Ksim Xsaan. His Nisga'a name, Ayuugaak, was created by his father, the late Sim'oogit Bax K'ap, Chief Roy Azak of the Wolf Tribe. His maternal Grandfather, the late Arthur Mercer, was a member of the Killerwhale tribe; and his paternal Grandfather, the late Henry Adjax (Azak), was a member of the Eagle tribe.
Art grew up in Gitlaxta'miks until his parents moved to Gitwinksihlkw in January when he was seven (7) years old. They traveled in deep snow and on the Nass River ice. Arthur attended the Gitwinksihlkw Indian Day School until he completed grade nine. From there he went to John Oliver Senior Secondary School in Vancouver, BC. Back then it was the biggest secondary school in BC until schools were built around its borders.
Art is divorced and has a son, Zenon Nelson, and a daughter, Julissa Azak. Zenon is working for CNRail and Julissa is an assistant manager at a retail store.
Art fished with his Dad on the Nass River and in the Commercial fishery of the coast. He also hunted for moose, one, matx, and bears. He continues to hunt and fish today and did regularly deliver fish to his Granny Ethel.
During the summer months Art worked at the resorts at Sunnyside Cannery before he was hired by his uncle Peter Clayton to work on the packer, the Moresby.
After working with his Dad in clearing the right-of-way for BC Hydro along the Skeena River, Art started working for one of the sawmills at Terrace, BC. A year later, he was hired to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on January 8, 1966. He attended the RCMP Academy at Regina, Saskatchewan. From there, he was posted to Alberta, the Territories, and British Columbia. He retired after twenty-two years of service with the rank of Sergeant. Art received his RCMP Long-Service Medal after twenty years of service.
When Art was promoted to Corporal, the RCMP held a training course for supervisors. The RCMP, besides using its own experienced trainers, would contract university professors to deliver certain parts of the course in office management and administration. Art made many mistakes but his supervisors (Sergeants and Staff-Sergeants) were always there for corrective direction, support and encouragement. From these supervisors, Art learned about setting goals and objectives.
Art learned about revenues and expenditures whilst a member of the RCMP. The RCMP had to answer to Treasury Board as any branch of government has to. With respect of contracts, if a job had to be done for the RCMP, then a bidding process is initiated by advertising or tendering the job to be done. Art learned about avoiding bad contractors in this process. Therefore, the peoples moneys are spent on time and on budget or below budget.
Whilst a member of the RCMP, Art, as a supervisor, believed in encouraging his fellow workers. His style of leadership was recognized as "unique" by one of the Inspectors during his triennial performance and evaluation. Immediate supervisors do the annual performance and evaluation. This "uniqueness" came from his late father, Simoogit Bax K'ap. When Art was promoted, he wondered how he was going to lead his people. During their long-distance phone call, Hereditary Chief Roy Azak said that "Si aamhl wilsim" or "Si aamhl wilin" went a long way to encourage and generate performance. When people make mistakes, Chief Roy Azak said, "Use the sandwich way. Encourage the good work of the worker, make corrections, then encourage the good work again." That is the way Art had supervised since.
Art's personal philosophy in leadership is to team-manage. Even when he was in charge of a group of members, Art would ask, "what do you think?" At first members were hesitant to provide their thoughts, views, and comments because of their prior experience with previous supervisors. The members soon were willing to provide ideas and suggestions and to make decisions within their areas of responsibilities. The group would become a very effective and efficient entity during times of refuced federal government funding.
After retiring, Art Azak became a band manager or administrator for the Village of Gitwinksihlkw. He developed the filing system which he learned from the RCMP. The RCMP used to have the same numbering filing system as Inidian Affairs but the RCMP hired consultants in the mid-1960's to develop a filing system. The consultants came up with the Universal Filing System. As there were no secretary funds for small RCMP detachments in those days, Art and his supervisor had to implement the changes. That is the filing system the Village Government of Gitwinksihlkw uses today.
After working at the Gitwinksihlkw Village Government for eight (8) years, Art decided to go back to school. He graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. His primary Arts courses were History, which included Aboriginal history, Political Science, and Geographical history of British Columbia. His Humanities courses included English and Social Studies. When he was not hired to teach in the Nass Valley, Art was nominated to be a school district trustee. The trustees replaced the Superintendent.
Art was also nominated to be a Councilor for the Gitwinksihlkw Village Government. Since Chief Ron Nyce selected him to hold the finance portfolio, the cheques have not bounced from the Village Government. Art's knowledge came from the RCMP where he learned that you have to have funds committed to a particular item before you carried out expenditures for that item. One example is travel. If you did not put funds in your travel budget, you did not travel. (Period). That is one item that we as elected people can control--travel. If you have no good reason to travel on behalf of the people's money, you did not travel. (Period). And, you have to account to a higher authority (Treasury Board). Here in the valley, it is the people we are accountable to.
Art comments that when you are elected to a position of trust, you have to rely on your experts before you make an educated decision. In the case of Lisims Goverment, you have your Directors who have developed expertise in their areas of responsibilities. And they, in turn, have subordinate workers who have developed expertise in their area of responsibilities.
The team-management style of governance then relies on those experts for advice, suggestions and ideas prior to making decisions. The decision makers (elected people) then would ask questions of the experts, perhaps agreeing with their thoughts or generating their own ideas and thoughts before making a decision. Team-management style of governance would ensure that no rock is left unturned as we look for solutions for the benefit of our people.
Yes, we will be confronted with hurdles and mountains to climb but we will meet those challenges with our TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More).
Si aamhl wilsim.
