A B.C. councillor is facing growing criticism for his comments around the renaming of Powell River.
During a live broadcast of the citysa国际传媒檚 Jan. 30 committee of the whole meeting, Coun. Jim Palm used a made-up name,sa国际传媒漌akawana,sa国际传媒� to refer to what Powell River could potentially be renamed.
sa国际传媒淪tep one is sa国际传媒楢re you in favour of a name change?sa国际传媒� Yes or no. Thatsa国际传媒檚 simple. You donsa国际传媒檛 convolute it with sa国际传媒榃akawanasa国际传媒� or whatever name comes out of Tlasa国际传媒檃min. You just simply ask the question and get a response. Yes or no, and then we have a direction,sa国际传媒� Palm said.
Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation denounced the comment Monday (Feb. 5), saying Palm had belittled and mocked the Nationsa国际传媒檚 language and ancestral place names.
sa国际传媒淲e cannot let this racist slur stand. This comment is wholly inappropriate coming from an elected official and contributes to the normalization of racist remarks that make reconciliation harder than it has to be,sa国际传媒� said Hegus John Hackett, the chief of Tlasa国际传媒檃min.
Tlasa国际传媒檃min executive Coun. Losa Luaifoa said the Nation doesnsa国际传媒檛 take a mockery of its language lightly, sa国际传媒渆specially from a long-time schoolteacher and elected official.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淥ur people were taught to be ashamed of our language through the exact behaviours demonstrated by Councillor Palm and worse. This has resulted in the near loss of our language. We are working so hard to reclaim our pride and fluency in 蕯ay蕯a前u胃蓹m and call on Tlasa国际传媒檃min people and our allies to keep up their work to restore and draw attention to the beauty of our language.sa国际传媒�
The City of Powell River released a statement the following day in response to Tlasa国际传媒檃min. In it, the city apologized to the Nation, adding it wishes to sa国际传媒渃ontinue serious conversations about furthering all aspects of reconciliation.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淐ouncil is committed to fostering a positive and respectful relationship with Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation and work with all Councillors to understand and address the impacts of colonialism and stresses the importance of appropriate language.sa国际传媒�
Now, the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is calling on the City of Powell River to sa国际传媒渁ddress the situation and put a put an end to these disrespectful bullying tactics carried out in public meetings with no shame or remorse from these decision-makers.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淪adly, these ignorant and bombastic acts of racism, that occur everyday, have become acceptable in todaysa国际传媒檚 society and results in the normalization of casual racism,sa国际传媒� said Grand Chief Stewart Philip, president of UBCIC.
The union says it also sees a key role for the province to work in partnership with First Nations to accelerate the commitment in the Declaration Act Action Plan to review the principles and processes that guide the naming of municipalities and regional districts and sa国际传媒渆volve practices to foster reconciliation in local processes.sa国际传媒�
I stand with Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation and fully support their leadership and community. I understand that Councillor Palm has issued an apology through the media, and I am hopeful that he will learn from the work that the community, City and the Nation has already put in since 2022
sa国际传媒� Murray Rankin (@MurrayRankinNDP)
B.C.sa国际传媒檚 Indigenous Relations Minister Murray Rankin, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday, said he stands with Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation, and fully supports their leadership and community.
sa国际传媒淚 understand that Councillor Palm has issued an apology through the media, and I am hopeful that he will learn from the work that the community, City and the Nation has already put in since 2022.sa国际传媒�
Rankin said the citysa国际传媒檚 name is a constant reminder of the harmful legacy Israel Wood Powellsa国际传媒檚 actions have had and continue to have.
The city was named after Powell, B.C.sa国际传媒檚 first superintendent of Indian Affairs. Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation says Powell was one of the chief architects of early colonial policies, including the rise of residential schools.
sa国际传媒淭he townsa国际传媒檚 name is a constant reminder of the abuses inflicted on Indigenous children for more than a century, spurring a renaming campaign,sa国际传媒� Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation said in its statement.
In spring of 2021, Tlasa国际传媒檃min Nation made a request to Powell River council to consider a name change, sa国际传媒渋n light of the devastating legacy the actions of Israel Powell have had and continue to have on the Tlasa国际传媒檃min people.sa国际传媒� That fall, the Nation and the city developed a joint-working group to oversee a community conversation about a name change.
The working group released its final report on the engagement process in July of 2022 and, last month, the city tabled strategic priorities including, sa国际传媒淭ake real steps towards a name change.sa国际传媒�
Black Press Media reached out to Palm on Wednesday (Feb. 7). He said he would not be commenting further and referred to a statement he provided to Global News.
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