About Us
Pjila'si. Mi'kmaq originating from the Benoit family of the Southwest Port au Port Peninsula, Newfoundland, came together to recreate and reinvent a grassroots Mi'kmaq Community organization to hereinafter be called the Benoit 1st Nation.
Note: During the last nomination period to fill vacancies only 1 nomination for each position, therefore an election is not required until 2012 and the council members are deemed to be duly elected by acclamation.
Note: Results confirmed at an election committee meeting at an Annual Assembly of October 26, 2010 in De Grau, NL.:
Saqamaw Jasen Sylvester Benwah
Vice - Saqamaw Phyllis Young
Secretary Tanya Chaisson
Treasurer George Benoit
Elder Director Jerome Benoit
Public Works Director Stephen Benoit
Women's Director Donna Benoit
Full band elections will take place at the Annual Assembly in the fall of 2012.
The Benoit Nation Mi'kmaq Band officially includes the area east of the Francophone community on the Port au Port Peninsula.
Benoit First Nation territorial area
Together:
The people have spoken and have taken control of their destiny. Together we look ahead at what we can achieve with one voice. Welįlin.
Historic ties:
In 1972 under the local leadership of Adolph Benoit, our community was part of the Bay St. George Regional Indian Band Council and the Native Association of Newfoundland that included the Conne River group, Innu and Innuit of Labrador. A year after that groups went their separate ways. Their regional council included Edna Benoit, who at one point was Secretary. She is mother of our present Chief Jasen Benwah. In the early 1980's the Bay St. George Regional Indian Band disbanded - breaking up into 4 smaller bands that are part of today's Federation of Newfoundland Indians. For our community this signaled the beginning of a long period of inactivity and abandonment, lack of leadership and local silence that was only reawakened in 2002.
Former band council members:
Copyright © Benoit First Nation
