The Gitlaxt’aamiks Village Government is the newest First Nation to become a member of the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA). As the second Nisga’a village to join the ranks of the local government coalition, NCLGA’s President hopes it won’t be the last.
“It’s what we set out to do in our Four-Year Strategic Plan,” says Brian Frenkel. “We recognize that local governments, whether they be regional districts or councils, don’t always encompass all voices needed to be at the table. By reaching out to our First Nations communities, we’re looking to build an even stronger voice for the region by articulating all northerners’ priorities and perspectives.”
“When you consider all the work that lead to their historic treaty, and the community building they’ve done over the past decade, I can say with certainty that all NCLGA members will greatly benefit by bringing on Gitlaxt’aamix as a member.”
As the governmental advocacy body for every community north of 100 Mile House, the NCLGA is key in advocating for Northern issues at the provincial and federal levels, as well as connecting organizations and spearheading initiatives to benefit all those who call Northern BC home. Nine First Nations have been identified as Nations who qualify for membership, and two have already come on board: the Nisga’a Villages of Gitwinksihlkw and Gitlaxt'aamiks.
“Our offer of membership has received some great uptake from surrounding First Nations,” says Oliver Ray, NCLGA’s Executive Director. “Now, we need to work on keeping communication open and building those relationships. Quite frankly, we need all of Northern BC to be on the same page – whether that’s industry, local government, or First Nations. With only 7% of the province’s population, we need to speak with a united voice. The NCLGA, as the elected voice of North Central BC, is ready to step forward & take on that role.”
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