Chief and Mayor proud of relationship between band and city

TK’EMLÚPS — Both the Chief and the Mayor were eager to talk about their governments’ unique relationship at the City of Kamloops and Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc council-to-council meeting today.

Kúkpi7 Roseanne Casimir started off the meeting today, March 11, telling an anecdote about her time as a band counsellor and how she would boast at government initiatives across Canada about their relationship with the City.

“I think what makes it so special is we both want the same thing,” Kúkpi7 Casimir said. “We have a lot of different agreements in place.”

Fire, sewer, and transit services are a couple examples of shared amenities.

“I think that we focus on what we can do rather than what the obstacles are,” Mayor Ken Christian says. “I feel a commitment as mayor and Kúkpi7 Casimir feels a commitment as chief to continue this relationship in a very positive way, and we treat it as a government-to-government relationship.”

The meeting ended with both governments gifting the other a flag.

Band and municipal councillors talked about a number of items including past archeology challenges, affordable housing stats and updates on the West Highlands Carbon Park.

They did not sign a Letter of Understanding regarding Stuart Wood Cultural Centre, but Mayor Christian invited the band members to a signing at Kamloops City Hall at a future date.

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