Bonnyville and Kehewin growing partnerships

Bonnyville and Kehewin are going to work closer together.

Town council and Kehewin Chief and council have met twice in 2019, and the town passed three motions on Tuesday to strengthen their relationship with the First Nation community.

“When we take a look at the way things have progressed here in the last 3-4 years, especially in Truth and Reconciliation, the Town of Bonnyville has made a concerted effort to reach out to our Indigenous neighbours Cold Lake First Nation, Frog Lake First Nation, Elizabeth Metis Settlement, Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, and Kehewin as well,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski.

The town moved to hold bi-monthly meetings with Kehewin council, form a working group to regularly discuss common issues, work on projects, and discuss potential reconciliations activities between both communities.

The town will also support holding Indigenous events such as the Indian Relay Racing at the Bonnyville Rodeo Grounds.

Included in the council agenda package were archived surveys that show the overlap in histories with the land that is now Bonnyville and Kehewin.

“The first survey of the Kehewin reserves versus the second survey that was amended in 1905 and then these haying lands that was first surveyed in 1897 that took two years before being registered….we have sent this to Kehewin. I do feel there will be some initiative between the two councils in terms of the reconciliation site, now that we can see there’s an area directly in that haying area, if there’s an interest from Kehewin,” said Sobolewski.