Kukpi7 Frank Antoine
INTERIM TRIBAL CHAIR – SHUSWAP NATION TRIBAL COUNCIL
Kukpi7 Frank Antoin’s career in Indigenous politics started in 2017-2019 as a Councillor for Sťuxwtéws. He missed a term to take care of his son who was at the BC Children’s Hospital from 2019-2021. When Frank returned, he ran for Kukpi7 for the 2021-2023 & 2023-2025 term. He has just been re-elected for the 2025-2029 term. Kukpi7 Frank’s vision is to carry on the work of his portfolios, which is the economic development, titles & rights & finance. His proudest accomplishment so far in office is the custom election code St’uxwtéws just passed and are using in this election. “It took our community 73 years to change a system which will benefit the membership moving forward” – Kukpi7 Frank Antoine
Frank is also the co-founder of the award-winning company called “Moccasin Trails Inc”, which is based out of Kamloops & Kelowna, B.C. His lifetime experiences and cultural practices have given him a platform to work on many levels within the tourism industry. “Wanting to grow Indigenous tourism is to learn how to trust and how to share our Indigenous values in a respectful business format. If done right, tourism will educate our guests & visitors the authentic ways of our ancestors.”
Frank sat on a variety of tourism boards in his province of British Columbia & Canada from grassroots, regional, provincial & national. He currently sits on the international World Indigenous Tourism Alliance as the board chair. He is a sought-after presenter who is well-versed in a multitude of Indigenous topics including his own inspiring journey, relationship / partnership building, authentic Indigenous tourism development, Indigenous empowerment and much more. Frank is a strong cultural ambassador and proud to share the traditional values he carries today.
“Our old people say, “How are we to live? If the government takes our food from us they must give us other food in its place.” Conditions of living have been thrust on us which we did not expect, and which we consider in great measure unnecessary and injurious. We have no grudge against the white race as a whole nor against the settlers, but we want to have an equal chance with them of making a living. We welcome them to this country. It is not in most cases their fault. They have taken up and improved and paid for their lands in good faith. It is their government which is to blame by heaping up injustice on us. But it is also their duty to see their government does right by us, and gives us a square deal. We condemn the whole policy of the B.C. government towards the Indian tribes of this country as utterly unjust, shameful and blundering in every way. We denounce same as being the main cause of the unsatisfactory condition of Indian affairs in this country and of animosity and friction with the whites. So long as what we consider justice is withheld from us, so long will dissatisfaction and unrest exist among us, and we will continue to struggle to better ourselves”
– MEMORIAL TO SIR WILFRID LAURIER,
PREMIER OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA
From the Chiefs of the Shuswap, Okanagan and Couteau Tribes of British Columbia
Presented at Kamloops, B.C. August 25, 1910