The Strathcona Regional District is working towards including territorial acknowledgements at its meetings and hearings.
Territorial acknowledgments are a way of showing respect for the Indigenous Peoples on whose territories people live and work. The Strathcona Regional District includes ten different First Nations and is situated on multiple unceded territories of those Indigenous Peoples. The board has tasked staff to draft an acknowledgement that speaks to each of those groups and their historical and current ties to the land.
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“Essentially, we’re looking to develop a territorial acknowledgement for use of staff and elected officials no matter where they are within the region. We’re doing this to show recognition and respect for Indigenous People and their connection to the land both past and present,” said Renée Laboucane, strategic initiatives manager for the SRD.
The move comes as the SRD has a new First Nations coordinator who will be heading the initiative. It is also part of what Laboucane calls a “pretty large game plan” of recommendations from the SRD’s First Nations Relations Committee on how to build relationships and work towards reconciliation.
Staff will be reporting back to the First Nations Relations Committee with a draft acknowledgement, which will be referred to the board for approval.
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