At its regular meeting on Oct. 14, city council voted to approve spending $2,000 from its city initiatives program budget to support Reconciliation Canada’s workshops planned for Merritt in 2015.
Reconciliation Canada is an organization that aims to build and strengthen relationships between First Nations peoples and other Canadians through sharing of diverse histories.
The group, in partnership with the Union of B.C. Municipalities and BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, will be hosting 100 reconciliation workshops in communities across B.C. starting next February. The financial support requested by the organization covers the cost of renting the Civic Centre for the local workshops.
Reconciliation Canada is also seeking council’s support in identifying facilitators to assist with the workshops.
The workshop series is meant to engage participants in a dialogue to invoke positive change. Attendees are expected to leave with a better understanding of reconciliation and the generational impact of the residential school system.
Reconciliation Canada hopes to host four, one-day workshops in Merritt on Feb. 2 and 3 and March 5 and 6. Each workshop will include up to 40 participants. These can include leaders from aboriginal organizations; all levels of government, people from the education, health and justice systems; community organizations; the private sector; and multicultural and faith-based groups.
Participants will develop reconciliation action plans at the workshops.
Culture policy approved
The city approved a new arts and culture policy at its regular council meeting on Oct. 14.
The policy, developed by the Arts and Culture Policy Task Force, states the City of Merritt will be a “champion” of Merritt arts and culture with emphasis on new and existing cultural initiatives, and a regionally inclusive mindset.
The goal of the policy is to have the city provide sustainable support to arts and culture causes. This includes financial, in-kind and partnership support, according to the policy.
