Rob Houle (Image Credit: GNBC)

By James Peters

Place Names

Kamloops man named to national coordinating body for geographical place names

Mar 2, 2022 | 10:47 AM

KAMLOOPS — A Kamloops man has been appointed to the Geographical Names Board of Canada (GNBC) as an Indigenous advisor.

In a news release, federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says Rob Houle of Kamloops will serve a two-year term in the role.

The GNBC is the coordinating organization that is responsible for official place names — especially for landscape and waterways — across Canada. It includes representatives from each province and territory.

Houle, a member of the Swan River First Nation in Alberta, is just the second person to serve in the position, which was created in March, 2021.

“Now is an opportune time for us to redefine who we are as a nation, and recapturing Indigenous names plays a huge role in that,” Houle is quoted in the news release. “By reconnecting and reminding each other of the true history of this land, we will grow closer not only as a people but also as a country. Only then, will we be fully embracing the journey to Reconciliation and respecting our shared heritage.”

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The board says it is still welcoming nominations for Inuit and Métis advisors.