June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Celebrate safely – keeping yourself, your family and your community safe by following instructions from health officials and other trusted, reliable sources.
“Surrey has the largest urban Indigenous population in BC,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. “It is important, not only in June, that we honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, but also reflect on the trauma that we as settlers inflicted on them, with lasting impacts. The recent discovery of the 215 children killed at the Kamloops Indian Residential School is a harrowing reminder that there is much work to be done when it comes to reconciliation. We grieve alongside the First Nations communities.”
Recently, the Surrey Board of Trade was one of the lead business organizations to compose a leadership-oriented policy to the Provincial Government, which was recently approved by BC Chamber of Commerce delegates this past weekend (May 28-29): BC’s Implementation of DRIPA.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the Provincial Government:
1. Engage with Indigenous peoples and the business community to ensure policies will be effective, efficient and create positive outcomes for indigenous peoples and communities;
2. Support business through educational and mentorship programs to support policies as they are implemented and into the future; and,
3. Continue to grow sustainable economic projects with Indigenous partners that ensure positive economic outcomes within the Nations and is supported by non-Indigenous business communities.
Learn more about the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples by visiting Celebrating National Indigenous History Month.
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