West Vancouver Council Withdraws Land Approval at Meeting

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The Squamish Nation Council has asked the mayor of West Vancouver to meet with Squamish leaders to discuss the district’s decision to withdraw from reading land approvals at meetings.

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In a strongly worded letter from the Squamish Council to Mayor Mark Sager, Squamish said the decision showed a lack of respect and said, “We are committed to the positive relationship we have built with West Vancouver over the years. It is a setback to”.

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“The act of unilaterally omitting verbal land approval from the opening address shows a lack of respect for our country and a lack of respect for our country after centuries of colonization and oppression by colonial governments. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, in letters.

At the outset of the final meeting of the West Vancouver Council, Sager said the meeting would be held in “the traditional ancestral and unclaimed territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Skirmish Nation), the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the Musqueam Nation.” I read the normal land approval. He said the council decided that it would be the last time it was recited and that the approval would be printed on the agenda instead.

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“I don’t want anyone to take it lightly,” he said.

The Squamish Nation is disappointed because the land grant “recognizes the spirit of reconciliation based on the fact that this is Squamish Nation’s unceded territory. We are uncomfortable seeing the decision to downplay it.”

And Helsirem said he and the other two countries were not consulted before the decision was made.

“We have a rich oral heritage, so verbal land grants show respect for our teachings and traditions,” said Khelsilem.

At the November 14th meeting, you said, “You said the Council wants a meaningful relationship with Indigenous Peoples and wants to do more than just words. The position is in stark contrast.

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“I question your council’s understanding and commitment to reconciliation and its desire to truly work together on a project that will affect both governments,” the letter said.

Postmedia reached out to Sager for comment.

In January 2021, the Surrey County Council, under former Mayor Doug McCallum, rejected by a vote of 5 to 4 a motion to create a land authorization before a meeting of the Council and the Commission.

Current Mayor Brenda Locke voted in favor of the motion at the time, noting that Metro Vancouver and the British Columbia Commonwealth of Municipalities also recognized Aboriginal land before the formal meeting.

Surrey has the largest urbanized Indigenous population in BC and has an Urbanized Indigenous Strategy, whose website states that Surrey has Semi-Amu, Katsie and Kwikwetrem. , Kwantoren, Qaikait and Tsawwassen Indigenous Peoples’ traditional territories.

slazaruk@postmedia.com

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