The District of Houston has taken the first steps toward holding a session with the Wet’suwet’en clan whose traditional territory takes in the area.
Billed as a forum between local governments and First Nations to build relationships and open lines of communication, initiatives such as this one can be supported through a grant from the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
This would be a first-ever forum on the part of the District and the Likhsilyu clan of the Wet’suwet’en.
District of Houston mayor Shane Brienen said Houston is a little behind other local governments in the region in establishing connections and relationships with First Nations.
“I think it’s important we do this,” he said of the forum concept. “There’s a lot we can do together.”
“In the end, I think we all have the same needs and wants as a community.”
Brienen said District staffers are gathering information and working on details which will be released soon.
The Union of B.C. Municipalities grant program for forums between local governments and First Nation can provide up to 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum $5,000.
An initial forum could take the form of a meal and discussion or a more comprehensive series of workshops.
Previous forums have been held in the region before, mostly concentrating on connections between First Nations and industrial development with the prospects of a liquefied natural gas industry being the driving force.