The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has adopted three additional Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. Call 45, 69 and 93 with the goal of advancing Truth and Reconciliation in the Fort McMurray region.
Call 45 urges the Government of Canada to collaborate with Aboriginal Peoples to develop a Royal Proclamation to be issued by the crown. Call 69 encourages libraries to allocate more resources to public education and programming on residential schools. Lastly, call 93 calls on governments to create or update information kits for newcomers to include information about the diverse Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including Treaties and the history of residential schools.
The RMWB adopts initiatives it can act on or influence through collaboration or advocacy in the community. The Municipality collaborates with Indigenous partners and communities to advance the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action in the region.
Rita Kankunda, Economic Reconciliation Advisor for the RMWB says the three calls were recommendations from the administration to the council and were subsequently approved and adopted after a presentation to the council.
With the three newly adopted Calls to Action, the RMWB has adopted a total of 33 out of 94 Calls to Action which is amongst the most for municipalities across Canada.
The three specific Calls to Action, calls 45, 69 and 93 were chosen by the RMWB administration and brought to council.
Previously, a team reviewed 23 Calls to Action to determine what was in Fort McMurray’s jurisdiction. The council and administration also assessed other actionable Calls to Action for the RMWB.
Kankunda said After determining, the RMWB began to review some of the work that they have done and the engagement that they’ve done in the community. Adopting these Calls to Action helps the RMWB work towards advancing reconciliation in the region.
The recent initiatives and ongoing collaboration with Indigenous communities are steps in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Reconciliation happens when we all commit to listening, learning, and acting. There are many opportunities to participate in local TRC events and programs. – Dennis Fraser, Director of Indigenous and Rural Relations
RMWB council and administration aim to expand reconciliation efforts in Fort McMurray through new Calls to Action, programs, and partnerships, Rita Kankunda stated.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) works together with Indigenous partners and communities to advance the adopted Calls to Action. They have revitalized Indigenous languages through events, signage, and communication materials, established the Missing or Murdered and Exploited Indigenous Peoples Taskforce, facilitated additions to reserve, implemented protocol agreements, and introduced the TRC Champions as well as TRC challenge educational programming.
More information on the adopted calls and the RMWB council 2022-2025 Strategic Plan can be found on the RMWB website.
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