Taylor Council seeks First Nations feedback on draft land acknowledgement
Developing a land acknowledgement is something the District of Taylor takes seriously, and its First Nations Land Acknowledgement Development Committee has spent the better part of a year, working with and learning from First Nations in the area.
The District of Taylor believes that it’s important to develop a land acknowledgement that properly reflects the long-standing relationship between First Nations and the land.
As part of the committee’s journey to develop the land acknowledgement, members took part in activities and courses to help committee members better understand this relationship, Councillor Desirae Graziano explained in her report to council.
By Fall 2024, the committee had developed several draft versions of a land acknowledgement which reflected the work they had completed.
On December 2, the committee met with Taylor Council, draft acknowledgements in hand, and emerged from that meeting with a land acknowledgement that reflected the District’s respect for its First Nations neighbours.
“The District of Taylor recognizes with respect, the traditional and unceded territory of Treaty 8. We honour the deep connection to the land and water, where everyone’s rights are respected, and opportunities are available for all to thrive.”
The next step was to send the chosen land acknowledgement out to local First Nations for feedback.
Two months have passed since council and the committee agreed upon the wording of the land acknowledgement, and so far, only Doig River First Nation has given feedback to the District.
DRFN suggested adding wording that, in addition to Treaty 8, recognizes the Dane-zaa people:
“The District of Taylor recognizes with respect, the traditional and unceded territory of the Dane-zaa people. We honour the deep connection to the lands and waters, where everyone’s rights are respected, and opportunities are available for all to thrive as promised in Treaty #8.”
Council said at their February 10 Committee of the Whole meeting that they like DRFN’s rewording of the land acknowledgement but are concerned that no other affected Nations in the area, including the Treaty 8 Tribal Association, have yet provided feedback.
“We’ve put this much work into it, we have feedback from one Nation – which is great, and I appreciate that very much – but I would like to see more feedback,” said Mayor Brent Taillefer.
Determined to get feedback from their First Nations neighbours, council decided to send the request for feedback out again and include Doig’s suggested version of the land acknowledgement.
"If that means going out to each of the Nations personally, then I’m good with that too,” Taillefer added. “Because this is something that we want to get right.”