A date has been set for the first meeting between the City of Quesnel and the Lhtako Dene Nation since the controversy that strained the relationship between the two groups.
Councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg, the Council Liaison for Indigenous Relations, says the two sides will meet on November 5th.
She says it will take place at the Marsh House and the meeting will consist of members of Council from Quesnel and Lhtako, plus elders, and limited staff.
“Basically it’s dinner and a conversation. We’re looking at having some of the stories from the elders around their residential school experiences, and it’s that start of the process of trying to improve our relationship again with Lhtako.”
The relationship went south earlier in the year when Mayor Ron Paull was accused of trying to distribute a controversial book on residential schools at a CRD meeting, which is something he denies.
Roodenburg says a facilitator will also be there to make sure that they don’t get off track.
“Neither one of us, Lhtako or Quesnel, know how this will unfold. This is the first time we’ve had to do something like this. So we thought it was prudent to have someone who could be that calm, neutral voice in the room, if things decide to go, you know, take a step where we didn’t want to go.”
Roodenburg says this is a first step.
“That’s correct. It’s that first sit down opportunity that we’ve had that Lhtako is willing to actually sit down with Council here to have this conversation. It’s taken a while for us to get here, but I think it is a great first step.”
Roodenburg says the meeting is not open to the public and is essentially a private dinner.
“I think that if there some action items that might come out of it, because it’s not a Council meeting right, we can’t make decisions there or resolutions or motions, but if there are action items that come out of it they will be brought forward and discussed at a regular Council meeting.”
Roodenburg says the city also plans to meet with Nazko, Esdilagh, and the Lhoosk’uz Dene First Nation.
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