Message from T’Sou-ke Council
Dear Community Members,
Chief and Council would like to provide our community with an update regarding the recent incident involving Sooke Brewing Company.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation and the hurt caused, Council agreed it was important to meet with the brewery owners as soon as possible rather than wait until our next Council meeting in November. Due to unforeseen circumstances, some Council members were unable to attend. However, the remaining members of Chief and Council proceeded with the meeting as agreed.
During our meeting, the owners confirmed that John Adair has been terminated and that they are working through the formal separation process but due to legal processes couldn’t share much on that. They made it clear that his views do not reflect those of the other owners, their staff, or the values of their business.
Chief Underwood shared his personal experiences and the lasting intergenerational impacts of residential schools and the foster care system. These conversations reinforced why respect, understanding, and accountability is so important.
The owners expressed their sincere concern for the hurt caused and reaffirmed their commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and rebuilding respectful relationships with our Nation.
Moving Forward Together
Chief and Council recognize that the actions of one individual should not define an entire business, its employees, or its future. We acknowledge the steps the owners have taken to address this matter and their responsibility to support their staff and livelihoods.
As part of moving forward, discussions included:
- A commitment to cultural humility and cultural sensitivity training for brewery owners and staff, with guidance from our Nation.
- Exploring the creation of a high school bursary in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation.
- Opportunities for the brewery to support our Nation’s annual fundraising efforts for families in need, particularly during the Christmas season.
- Continuing to build respectful relationships through education, understanding, and meaningful actions.
Chief and Council remain committed to standing up for our people, honouring the experiences of our Survivors and families, and ensuring that the impacts of residential schools are never minimized or forgotten.
Reconciliation requires accountability, education, respect, and a willingness to move forward through meaningful change.
We appreciate the willingness of the brewery owners to meet with us, listen, and take steps toward rebuilding trust. The brewery owners remain committed to our discussions above and look forward to implementing them.
T’Sou-ke Council
Message from Sooke Brewing Company
To the members of T’Sou-ke Nation,
I wanted to reach out personally on behalf of myself and the other remaining owners of Sooke Brewing Company.
First and foremost, we remain deeply sorry for the hurt caused by what happened at our brewery on September 30. We understand why it caused anger and disappointment, particularly on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and we continue to take responsibility for our actions and how we respond moving forward.
Earlier last week, several of us had the opportunity to sit down with representatives of T’Sou-ke Nation. We were grateful for the chance to apologize directly and, most importantly, to listen. I want to be clear that we never considered that meeting to be the end of the conversation, nor did we assume that one conversation could represent the views of the entire T’Sou-ke community.
We recognize that there are many voices within the Nation, and we respect that members may have different views. We would welcome the opportunity to work with the Nation’s leadership to identify an appropriate way to share our apology, the commitments we have made and the actions we have taken.
Should a further conversation be helpful, we would be willing to participate in a coordinated meeting arranged through the Nation’s leadership, with an agreed purpose and next steps. Our hope is that this would provide an opportunity to hear community concerns, clarify our commitments and establish a constructive path forward. From there, our focus would be on following through on those commitments and demonstrating our accountability through our actions.
We are not looking for the Nation to endorse us or tell us that this matter is behind us. We understand that reconciliation is not something accomplished through a single meeting, statement or apology. Trust is earned through actions and relationships built over time.
Our hope is simply that we can work toward building a respectful and lasting relationship with the T’Sou-ke community in the months and years ahead.
Anton Rabien
On behalf of the remaining owners of Sooke Brewing Company
