ATHABASCA - A committee to study racism in the region may not be far off, says Athabasca County reeve Larry Armfelt.
County council discussed two letters on the subject at the June 25 regular meeting, one from a long time county resident, urging councillors to put forth a statement “showing our county's support for the POC in this country and showing our disgust at the way that they continue to be treated as lesser,” and to “condemn the intolerance towards POC, and to take a stand against racial hatred and discrimination, stating that our stance as a county is a stance against white supremacy and police brutality.”
Coun. Kevin Haines suggested the first step was forwarding the information to FCSS, as that agency is familiar with working with new immigrants to the region. Coun. Penny Stewart agreed, adding that sending the information to the town and to the inter-agency group would be helpful for some more perspective.
Coun. Travais Johnson took it a step further, even suggesting sensitivity training.
“It’s an initiative that even our prime minister is talking about and we’re not affiliating with any of the groups, we’re just calling it systemic racism,” he said. “Yes, there is an issue and we should all maybe take some sensitivity training and look at the issue.”
Coun. Doris Splane shared her viewpoint as well, adding that an awareness campaign for the public may be something that is needed.
“Within my community, I know that when I talk about things like this, people just don’t seem to understand it’s happening right here in our own neighbourhoods and I think that’s the key part of this,” said Splane.
The second letter, from the Athabasca Landing Metis Community Association mentioned that a committee to address the subject should be formed soon.
"It's time for the people within the community to start focusing on the discrimination and brutality that is happening in the town and county of Athabasca,” read the letter, which went on to say that reeve Larry Armfelt should chair that committee due to his years of experience in education and his reputation for fairness.
Council voted on two motions.
Coun. Splane asked that the vote on the first motion be recorded as well.
The first motion, which passed with no opposition, was to share the information they received and to ask for a response and suggestions on what to do next from MLAs Glenn van Dijken and Laila Goodridge, MP Shannon Stubbs and Rural Municipalities of Alberta.
The second motion to send a letter to FCSS and the inter-agency group for their input on starting an awareness campaign and perhaps an anti-racism committee made up of the regions relevant players, was also passed by consensus.
After the meeting reeve Armfelt said there has always been an informal discussion regarding the subject of racism and the formation of such a committee in the region.
“At county council, our job there, is to create an awareness for everybody, on something that we are hearing from a few,” he said.
After that, the formation of the committee could happen, but with pandemic rules still in place that could prove difficult in the near future, he said.
“The situation that was brought forward at the meeting is not fixable in any short period of time, it’s something that the whole community has to look at, and work at,” said Armfelt.
Chris Zwick,TownandCountryToday.com
