Meetings to begin with territorial recognition

Council meetings in Lake Country could soon begin with a territorial acknowledgement in favour of Indigenous peoples.

Coun. Penny Gambell has proposed each meeting begin with such an acknowledgement, widely used by other municipalities.

“So many communities elsewhere have this kind of reference to First Nations people. And even our United Church minister begins our services this way,” Gambell said. “I just got to wondering why we don’t do something similar at our council meetings.”

Council onTuesday supported her motion, but — at the suggestion of Mayor James Baker — agreed to send the proposed wording to the Okanagan Indian Band for review and approval before endorsing the change in procedure.

The proposed opening statement is: “Council acknowledges that we are meeting on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.”

Kelowna has begun its council meetings with a territorial acknowledgement since May 2019. Similar statements are made at the beginning of West Kelowna city council meetings and gatherings of the Central Okanagan Regional District board.

“I hope adopting something like this sends out a message from Lake Country in support of respect and reconciliation,” Gambell said.

Peachland is the only Central Okanagan municipality that does not offer a territorial acknowledgement at the beginning of its council meetings. The town’s mission statement is presented at the top of the council agenda's first page.