Cariboo-Chilcotin CARE/FN Reconciliation & Anti-Racism Efforts

This past Tuesday (April 12th, 2022) - a local group established earlier this year and called Cariboo-Chilcotin CARE (Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Reconciliation Engagement - their Facebook page here) presented before Williams Lake City Council, meeting in Committee of the Whole, requesting that it consider setting aside funds in the City's budget to focus on Indigenous reconciliation efforts including looking at establishing a Staff position- read their presentation here

Cariboo-Chilcotin CARE also spoke with CBC Daybreak Kamloops about their presentation to Williams Lake City Council - click here

The matter has now been referred to Williams Lake City Council's "Indigenous Relations/Reconciliation Committee" for review and recommendation to Williams Lake City Council.  The Committee membership is made up of Williams Lake City Councillors' Brenner, Bonnell, Nelson with Councillor Marnie Brenner serving as Chair of this Committee

Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb spoke with CBC Daybreak Kamloops about the request from Cariboo-Chilcotin CARE and the next steps but made clear during the interview that he was not supportive of establishing a City of Williams Lake staff position (contract/salary) on reconciliation efforts - click here

Staff positions in BC Local Governments' focused on reconciliation efforts is not new however.  In 2021 -- the Regional Districts' of Kitimat-Stikine and Bulkley-Nechako have established First Nation Liaison staff positions and I am monitoring to see how successful the positions are in building meaningful relationships between the non-Indigenous and Indigenous Governments' and I have had some informal conversations with my Cariboo RD colleagues about this position and seem to be supportive of looking into establishing a similar position at the Cariboo Regional District

It will be interesting to hear what Council's "Indigenous Relations/Reconciliation Committee" ultimately recommends to Williams Lake City Council... 

~SF