Strathcona County council balks at call to mention Treaty 6 to open meetings

While many municipal meetings begin with an acknowledgment they are being held on Treaty 6 land, Strathcona County will not be a part of the practice.

During a Feb. 7 council meeting, Coun. Dave Anderson presented a notice of motion asking that all council meetings include an expressed acknowledgment from the chairperson that the meeting is being held on Treaty 6 land.

“My reason for doing this is that this is something that has been happening at 90 per cent of the meetings that I go to,” he said.

“There is an expressed acknowledgment that the meetings are being held on Treaty 6 land and acknowledging First Nations communities and I think that we here in Strathcona County should be doing this, as well.”

Coun. Paul Smith said it is most important to focus on building community.

“You need to explain to me why this acknowledgment will help each and every person to be treated equally regardless of ethnic background,” he said.

“Education, financial situation, religion or physical capabilities, I fail to see how this will build that kind of community.”

County Mayor Roxanne Carr said council has made headway in recognizing the heritage and history of Strathcona County.

“We had our specialized municipalities anniversary,” she said.

“Here we are celebrating our total heritage and I am very proud of what this council has done ... What I would support is handing this off as a referral ... to our own administration and say bring us back the history of Treaty 6.

“I would like a bigger picture of this,” Carr said

Coun. Carla Howatt said she has more concerns with figuring out what the motion will accomplish.

“When we make decisions on this board, I always think ... and so what?” she said.

“What are we trying to accomplish? And what are we trying to do with this? And to me this feels like lip service quite literally.

“I don’t know that we have done anything else when it comes to involving ourselves with the truth and reconciliation process that happened or any of the recommendations that came out of that and so I think to just do this and pat ourselves on the back and say, ‘Yup, we did it’ is not in the spirit of what I believe Coun. Anderson is trying to do here, I don’t think this would satisfy that.”

Anderson noted that not only is it important to express acknowledgment, but he also had a firsthand experience with viewing the culture of First Nations people.

“Making this statement would show that we are willing to stand alongside the municipal, provincial and federal governments to recognize the First Nations people and our commitment to that reconciliation process,” he said.

“This is something that is important to me because I grew up next to one of the biggest residential schools in British Columbia.

“I have a first-hand experience through elders and through First Nations people ... I have seen the impact that it has had on their culture ... I just think it is just showing our support to those peoples.”

By a vote of 5-4, Anderson’s motion was defeated.

What are we trying to accomplish? And what are we trying to do with this? And to me this feels like lip service quite literally.