Officials outside of Lethbridge City Hall during the flag raising on Monday morning (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

City marks start of Reconciliation Week with flag raising

Sep 21, 2020 | 11:45 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A special flag was raised outside of Lethbridge City Hall Monday morning.

This week marks Reconciliation Week, which recognizes the anniversary of the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877. Treaty 7 is an agreement between Canadian Crown and First Nations in southern Alberta.

City officials and members of the Indigenous community raised the reconciliation flag to start the week on Monday.

“We had elders who came forward and told their stories about residential schools, which kicked off the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the 94 calls to action,” said Pamela Beebe, the City of Lethbridge’s Indigenous Relations Coordinator.

“We’re honouring them and saying we’re continuing the work of reconciliation that you started, and we acknowledge that we have a lot to do to build strong, healthy relationships between the Indigenous community and the non-Indigenous community. Obviously, some people have done that work and so, we’re helping them, we’re helping carry that work forward.”

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Beebe said days like today and weeks like Reconciliation Week are a way to show support for all Indigenous people from those in non-Indigenous communities.

“We’re saying we support you and we encourage you and we want to help. So, please come out. Please come support the Indigenous community, support our events and find out more about us and build relationships,” she said.

“Start getting friends who are from the nation, who are from the Blood Tribe, Piikani [and] from Siksika. They’re so close by and a lot of people couldn’t tell you what’s happening on there and what they do, and this is your opportunity to build those relationships.”

In 2018, Lethbridge City Council established the 15-member Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee (RLAC).

The RLAC includes representatives from the Lethbridge Indigenous Sharing Network (LISN), City Council, those in the business sector, the education sector, as well as other members pf the community. The majority of members are Indigenous.

The reconciliation flag outside of Lethbridge City Hall (Lethbridge News Now)

In addition to the flag outside City Hall, residents will be able to see the building glowing in red, yellow, white and blue to draw awareness to the importance of reconciliation.

On Tuesday, there will be a teepee transfer at Galt Gardens, in partnership with SAGE Clan. The teepee will remain at the site until September 25, 2020.

A full listing of events taking place weeklong can be seen here. This is the fourth year that Reconciliation Week is being celebrated in Lethbridge.