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Kamloops and the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc win national municipal collaboration award for Building Relationships Towards Reconciliation
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Posting Date: May 18, 2022
Year Published: 2022
Abstract:
The City of Kamloops, BC and the First Nation of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc have received national recognition for their Building Relationships Towards Reconciliation partnership from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). The communities were presented with the first-ever 2022 CAMA Collaboration Award for a partnership between municipalities and external partners during a Virtual Awards of Excellence Ceremony held today. “CAMA is pleased to recognize Kamloops and the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc for the excellence demonstrated through their collaboration to reconciliation,” said Jack Benzaquen, CAMA president, CAMA representative for Quebec and City Manager for the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC. “The efforts of both communities put towards relationship building, collaboration and reconciliation is immense.” Kamloops and Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (TteS) share a vision and commitment toward reconciliation through relationship building that spans multiple fronts and has become a recognized example for others to follow.
These efforts have been demonstrated through collaborative initiatives in areas of: protocols and communication, community-to-community meetings, cultural heritage, recreation, celebrations, and shared messaging during climate change events and the COVID-19 pandemic. The City and TteS also have shared service agreements including fire protection, transit, and sanitary sewer management. The City has hired an External Relations Manager and Project Archeologist to assist in the work between the two parties. This commitment has been shown during one of the most important times in our recent shared history. The City supported TteS following the tragic discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. As the world’s eyes were focused on our communities, TteS showed vision and strength in sharing their collective grief and in encouraging Canadians to better understand the harmful history and legacy of the residential school system. The City stood alongside TteS in the weeks and months that followed.
The City and TteS have recognized the value of community-to-community and knowledge-sharing meetings for more than a decade. In the past five years, following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, the relationship has evolved in a way that has built trust and placed a greater focus on moving forward collaboratively.
These efforts have been demonstrated through collaborative initiatives in areas of: protocols and communication, community-to-community meetings, cultural heritage, recreation, celebrations, and shared messaging during climate change events and the COVID-19 pandemic. The City and TteS also have shared service agreements including fire protection, transit, and sanitary sewer management. The City has hired an External Relations Manager and Project Archeologist to assist in the work between the two parties. This commitment has been shown during one of the most important times in our recent shared history. The City supported TteS following the tragic discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. As the world’s eyes were focused on our communities, TteS showed vision and strength in sharing their collective grief and in encouraging Canadians to better understand the harmful history and legacy of the residential school system. The City stood alongside TteS in the weeks and months that followed.
The City and TteS have recognized the value of community-to-community and knowledge-sharing meetings for more than a decade. In the past five years, following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, the relationship has evolved in a way that has built trust and placed a greater focus on moving forward collaboratively.
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Full Text Word Count: 921