The Town of Drayton Valley will now be opening their council meetings with a Treaty 6 Land Acknowledgment.
Drayton Valley town council adopted the measure at their May 25, 2022 meeting. The land acknowledgment reads:
“We acknowledge that we are gathered on Treaty 6 lands, a part of the traditional territories of the many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit in Alberta. The Town of Drayton Valley is grateful for the Knowledge Keepers and Elders and the stories and teachings they share of these lands and its people.”
The land acknowledgment was developed in conjunction with Elder Linda and Elder Alice of the Metis Association.
Mayor Nancy Dodds spoke highly of working with them.
“It was a very enjoyable day, and a day of learning and sharing,” said Dodds.
Before the measure passed, though, some town councillors did raise some concerns.
Along with land acknowledgment came the new policy that the land acknowledgment has to be read at the opening of all of the Town’s formal meetings. Councillor Bill Ballas objected to the policy being made mandatory.
“I have some questions about whether it needs to be mandatory,” said Ballas. “Whether we are pushing and saying ‘You have no choice.’ And I do not like not being able to have a choice.”
Councillor Amila Gammana was in favour of the new policy, but he did wonder aloud if this would open the door to the Town of Drayton Valley opening council meetings with a prayer again. In Gammana’s opinion, the two policies are virtually identical.
With the policy adopted, the first Drayton Valley town council meeting that will open with the land acknowledgment will be on June 15, 2022.
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