The District of Tumbler Ridge is supporting a letter, written by former Dawson Creek mayor, now principal of Scion Strategy, a consulting company representing four of the Dunne-zaa Nations in Treaty 8.
Bumstead is hoping to get all 18 northern leaders (including municipalities, the regional district and first nations) to sign a letter to David Ebby and John Rustad, “expressing the concern about the racism and anti-indigenous comments that were expressed during the recent Provincial election.”
However, says Bumstead, “the process of having approximately 18 signatures makes it difficult to try and facilitate any type of further discussion or input into the wording of the letter. It is my hope that you will find it acceptable to place in front of your councils and obtain their support to sign it. I am asking if you can please try and expedite the process of obtaining approval so we can get it sent off to the Premier and Mr. Rustad.”
While the District voted unanimously to support the letter, not every organization has done so.
Despite Bumstead’s comments about how revising the letter with input from 18 sources makes it difficult, the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) has sent the letter back asking for revisions.
While all agreed that racism and anti-Indigenous sentiment has no place in their communities, some members of the PRRD board said they needed specific examples of racism and anti-Indigenous sentiment before they would support it.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
