City of Powell River councillors are supportive of continuing community-to-community-to-community (C3) meetings between the city, Tla’amin Nation and qathet Regional District.
At the April 2 committee of the whole meeting, councillors considered a motion that was brought forward by councillor Trina Isakson that council participates in C3 forums and other government-to-government forums as relationship building, information-sharing and learning gatherings, and in cases where discussions that advance decision-making among member governments are required, that those discussions be made in duly called meetings of city council, observing sections 89 and 90 of the Community Charter.
Those sections provide for what meetings should be open to the public and what meetings can be closed and held in camera. There has not been a C3 meeting since 2023.
Isakson said her motion was to establish the will of council so staff can carry out work at the direction of council.
“We’ve had a lot of uncertainty about what meetings might look like, who might participate and how they might happen,” said Isakson. “I want the will of council to be clear, because staff, without that direction, cannot carry out the will of council.”
Isakson said there is some staff involvement currently, where the three chief administrative officers meet, and other staff do also, but government-to-government relations at the political level are crucial.
“When I campaigned for city council, one of my key messages was related to how I felt that good relations, particularly with Tla’amin Nation, are a moral imperative and a strategic imperative,” said Isakson. “It’s also a strategic imperative to have good relationships with qathet Regional District. It’s in the best interests of the city at so many levels.
“Tla’amin Nation has treaty settlement lands within the boundaries of the city. Tla’amin has expressed very clearly their interest in purchasing the mill site. We have recreation complex cost sharing and so many things that would benefit from greater information sharing, and if the opportunity or requirement arises to have a decision-making process, we are able to hold those meetings.”
Isakson said the motion was separate from a possible name change for the city. She said it was for overall relationships.
Isakson said there are a number of reasons for C3 meetings to potentially go into closed sessions, but her motion lays out all the options, whether they are information sharing forums intended for relationship building, or for duly called meetings.
Councillor Cindy Elliott said many of the rules the city has under the Community Charter are not rules Tla’amin is subject to.
“They are our rules and it’s our job to make sure we are upholding them,” said Elliott.
She said a commitment to moving forward in the relationship with Tla’amin is an excellent idea.
Mayor Ron Woznow said he was surprised to see the motion, only because he was not aware of any instance where staff has felt they did not have full support of council in terms of negotiating and entering into discussions with Tla’amin for additional meetings. He asked chief administrative officer Lisa Bhopalsingh if staff felt they did not have the support of council in order to pursue activities such as C3.
Political decision
Bhopalsingh said staff members have continued to meet staff-to-staff with the support and knowledge of council.
“Where it does get a bit tricky for us is with the discussion around C3 and whether meetings take place, and how they take place, in open versus closed,” said Bhopalsingh. “That is very much a political decision.”
Councillor George Doubt said he sees C3 meetings as a way to increase communication between the Tla’amin people, the city and the regional district in a positive way.
“Joining together and listening to each other and talking to each other in a respectful way is important, and it’s more important now than it ever has been,” said Doubt.
Councillor Jim Palm said the community is in a sad place. He said he was at the council table when C3 meetings commenced. He said they were open and there was constructive dialogue, and participants came away from those meetings with an understanding of various issues, and then took them back to the various tables of business.
“They were a good step forward on reconciliation, on communication, friendship and thoughtful input,” said Palm. “Every councillor ran in the past election on a transparent and communicative process for city residents.”
Palm said the Community Charter outlines laws that councillors abide by and through the charter, under section 90, closed meetings cannot be held with other forms of government.
“Tla’amin is another entity all their own,” said Palm. “Going behind closed doors in a C3 meeting as councillor Isakson is recommending here in this motion is against the law of the land,” said Palm.
He said the provincial government has been asked to make a ruling on the matter and hasn’t picked up the torch.
Elliott said legislation does allow for meetings with other levels of government in camera, but it does not spell out First Nations as a level of government.
“We want to have parity in that area and I’m in favour of us doing so,” said Elliott.
The committee gave unanimous consent to send the matter to city council.
During question period at the committee meeting, the Peak asked whether council envisioned whether future C3 meetings would be open or closed to the public and media. Councillor and committee chair Rob Southcott said it was a work in progress and the hope was that the majority of meetings would be open.
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