Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

MOU SIGNING

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, TNRD sign first Memorandum of Understanding

Oct 21, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Monday (Oct. 21), local leaders put pen to paper for the first memorandum of understanding between the Thompson Nicola Regional District and Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc.

“For us, I know that when we look at some of the governance structures, we work on many different issues with the TNRD,” says Tk’emlúps Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir.

The signing, paired with gift exchanges and a Tk’emlúps flag raising ceremony in front of the TNRD offices in downtown Kamloops, all serving as a formal acknowledgment of their plans to work together.

“The flag, especially I think, is going to be a tangible symbol of the relationship and the mutual respect between our two governments,” notes Board Chair Barbara Roden.

Question of the Week

Do you think a minority government could be a positive for British Columbia?

17h ago

Week in Review

Week in Review: Week of Oct. 14

Oct 20, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: The mind doesn't always listen

Oct 20, 2024

The MOU can impact everything governance-related, from economic decisions, land use rezoning, wildfire response and other kinds of emergencies.

“We really want to make sure that’s one of the channels that we are keeping well and truly open,” adds Roden, “because in an emergency, we need to have that relationship with Tk’emlúps, with our neighbouring First Nations, because natural disasters don’t recognize boundaries or borders.”

Kúkpi7 Casimir says recent rezoning work the nation undertook with the TNRD for the future site of a Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc Healing House is a prime example of the kind of collaboration this MOU signing had in mind.

The plot of land, formerly referred to as Harper’s Ranch, was bought by the band in the late 1990s and is now known as Spiyu7ullucw Ranch Corporation. The Agricultural Land Commission already approved removing the land from the Agricultural Land Reserve, and the TNRD and Tk’emlúps recently passed zoning and Official Community Plan bylaw amendments for a section of the property for the eventual construction of the healing centre, an Elder’s lodge and some housing.

However Kúkpi7 Casimir says the community still has a number of steps to go through before building can begin.

“We know that it is going to be brought to reserve status at some point here. There are still a few more steps at a few different tables that are taking place, but knowing that it had to be government-to-government to be able to work toward that healing centre,” notes Casimir. “And I really appreciate the technical teams that got it moving forward in a good way.”

MOUs are largely symbolic, but this one does mean staff and elected officials from both TNRD and Tk’emlúps have laid out their expectations to work together, government to government, for the people and areas they serve.

“It’s something that we have to work in collaboration together on. Where it’s upholding our community health and safety, and it’s also about making sure that we’re drawing on the strengths of our collective resources, but also to support each other as well,” adds Casimir.