City has worked to develop relationships with First Nations

I note the irony that a mayoralty candidate would describe Lethbridge as a racist community at the very time the Kainai Chieftainship is preparing to celebrate its birth.

A driving principle behind the creation of the Chieftainship was to help the Blood Tribe to develop relationships with governments, businesses, educational institutions and community foundations. If the public is not as aware of the work of the Chieftainship as it once was, that may be because of the significant progress the Indigenous community of southern Alberta has made on a number of fronts.

The City of Lethbridge, for instance, routinely recruits Indigenous representatives for City committees. It has also removed barriers to Indigenous citizens seeking employment with the City. And indigenous employees are not limited to entry level positions.

Both of the University of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge College have made remarkable commitments to the Indigenous community. They hire Indigenous employees for a variety of roles and provide instruction and counselling for Indigenous students with a range of needs. The University of Lethbridge Native Studies Program has an international reputation. I have been advised that it served as a template for a similar program at Harvard University. Lethbridge College has demonstrated a similar level of commitment to the indigenous community through its classroom experiences and employment practices.

Both the Lethbridge Public and Holy Spirit school districts have focused energy and resources so that they might meet the needs of Indigenous students, while at the same time enriching the education of the other students. And many local businesses have partnered with the Blood and Piikani nations.

The fact that Indigenous organizations in southern Alberta are now able to make important contributions to our community should not be overlooked. The Sik-ooh-kotoki Friendship Centre has long provided a bridge for Indigenous citizens adjusting to life in a city. It also operates the Lethbridge Homeless Shelter. The Aboriginal Housing Society provides rental accommodation for nearly 60 families and, through its unique home ownership program, allows renters to build up equity so that they might purchase their own homes. And the Opokkaa’sin Early Intervention Society provides caring, professional instruction meeting the unique needs of young Indigenous children.

If we have not solved all our community’s problems, we have at least started down the path to reconciliation.