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Future Canada Days in Westlock will have Indigenous component, says CAO

Land acknowledgement may also become part of future town council meetings
WES fireworks IMG_1165
Canada Day 2021 in Westlock concluded with a spectacular fireworks show. CAO Simone Wiley says the town's 2022 Canada Day celebration will "absolutely" include an Indigenous component. Andreea Resmerita/WN

WESTLOCK - As the nation comes to grips with the discovery of over 1,500 unmarked graves across seven former residential school sites, future Canada Day celebrations, as well as Town of Westlock council meetings, may come to include some component to honour First Nations and acknowledge past atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples.

In the lead up to this year’s Canada Day event in Westlock at least one poster on the Westlock News Facebook page took issue with the town’s celebration — specifically that there was no Indigenous component. CAO Simone Wiley said they also received a similar comment via social media and on June 30, they posted an acknowledgement message.

“In light of ongoing tragic news, we encourage our community to be respectful and sensitive to the Indigenous peoples of Canada while we Reignite the Spirit of Westlock with traditional activities and events. As Canadians continue to reckon with the damage and pain inflicted to Indigenous communities, on July 1st, let's celebrate with the spirit of compassion and kindness for all,” the statement reads.

In a June 30 interview, Wiley said that since their Canada Day celebration didn’t feature a formal opening ceremony they decided to post the statement online. She went on to say that they’ll “absolutely” look to incorporate an Indigenous component into Canada Day 2022.

“We’re going from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and didn’t have an opening ceremony, so we didn’t feel we’d catch a lot of people that way, so we decided to do the messaging on our social media as an acknowledgement,” she said, adding that it was not their intention to snub or disrespect First Nations.

“I truly believe that it’s important at the very least to do this acknowledgment as this is an issue across our country.”

As it currently stands the town, Westlock County and the Village of Clyde do not recite a land acknowledgement before meetings, while the Pembina Hills School Division began the practice in 2017 for meetings, significant special events and professional development days — teachers also have the option of reading the acknowledgement on the first day of school. It reads: “We honour the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit whose footsteps have marked these lands for centuries. We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is Treaty [6] [7] [8] territory, an ancestral and traditional meeting ground for many indigenous peoples. We honour the presence and contribution of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit people who live, work and learn together in our communities.”

The town did lower all the municipal flags to half-staff following the May 27 discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School and at their June 14 meeting (their first following the discovery) observed 215 seconds of silence to remember not only the victims of the residential school system, but the Muslim family killed in a premeditated hit and run in London, Ont. June 7.

“This council has talked about land acknowledgements a couple of years ago. It didn't go forward at the time, but I think you’re possibly going to see some changes,” said Wiley.

George Blais, TownandCountryToday.com

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