Antonia Victor, Women of Sto:lo co-ordinator, young women, Allyson Marchand, Soraya Felix, Toni Douglas-Nendick, and Jacqueline Silver, with Mayor Ken Popove (right), marking the MMIW Day of Remembrance on Oct. 4, 2019 on the Coqualeetza grounds. (Jennifer Feinberg/ The Progress file)

Antonia Victor, Women of Sto:lo co-ordinator, young women, Allyson Marchand, Soraya Felix, Toni Douglas-Nendick, and Jacqueline Silver, with Mayor Ken Popove (right), marking the MMIW Day of Remembrance on Oct. 4, 2019 on the Coqualeetza grounds. (Jennifer Feinberg/ The Progress file)

Chilliwack mayor says conference call with chiefs had aim of collaboration

'Taking care of ourselves is one way we can take care of each other,' says mayor in daily statement

Supporting the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis was something they all agreed on.

Mayor Ken Popove said one of Chilliwack council’s priorities is building relationships with local First Nations, and that was the rationale for a conference call today with local chiefs of Indigenous communities on the response to COVID-19.

“Supporting our vulnerable populations is a common goal at this time, and we will continue to keep the conversation and information sharing going,” said Mayor Popove.

Here is the mayor’s statement for March 24, 2020:

“As a Council, one of our priorities is to build relationships with our First Nations neighbours, and this is even more important in times like these. Today I participated in a conference call with Chiefs from several local First Nations and representatives from the First Nations Health Authority in order to establish a dialogue between our communities and identify areas in which we can work collaboratively.

“During this call, I shared an update on the City of Chilliwack’s response to COVID-19 to date and heard from each community the measures they are taking and the challenges they are facing. Supporting our vulnerable populations is a common goal at this time, and we will continue to keep the conversation and information sharing going.

“Each of us agreed, it is important we all continue to follow the direction of the provincial health officer, practise social distancing and stay home as much as possible. Practise good hand hygiene and stay home if you feel unwell.

“Taking care of ourselves is one way we can take care of each other.”

READ MORE: Concern over outbreak control for rural Indigenous communities

READ MORE: Urgent letter for the people of the Eastern Fraser Valley


Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: jfeinberg@theprogress.com


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