County Council approves Indigenous Peoples Policy

Sep 15, 2022 | 11:33 AM

it’s being described as “momentous” for the County of Grande Prairie; a new policy has been introduced outlining how they will work with First Nations and Indigenous organizations, as well as for employees of the County that identify as Indigenous.

Reeve Leanne Beaupre says the Indigenous Peoples Policy was passed and is “groundbreaking”.

“We never had anything that was formalized about how we would interact with our Indigenous communities and peers, as far as a local government level.”

She says there has always been informal discussions, activities, and meetings with Horse Lake First Nation and other Metis settlements, but nothing formal through policy.

Land acknowledgement is a large part of the policy, which will be done on an annual basis at council’s organizational meeting. Beaupre says, “how important it is that the County of Grande Prairie acknowledge our relationship with both those that are present, as well as those in our past that of Indigenous backgrounds.”

Part of the policy also includes when the Reeve or a County representative is to speak at events, land acknowledgement will be done; “to honour our relationship with Indigenous communities.”

“If there’s new council and administration that comes in, they don’t have to guess what our relationship is,” Beaupre notes future County staff will be able to see in the policy how they work collaboratively with Indigenous groups.

by Erika Rolling