Williams Lake First Nation has received a formal apology from the Canadian government for being displaced from its village lands at the west end of Williams Lake in the 1800s.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued the apology in person in Ottawa on Monday, Nov. 25 to Chief Willie Sellars, former Chief Anne Louie, councillors and elder Amy Sandy.
Trudeau said an apology is a deeply important step.
"It's about taking responsibility in large for what happened decades ago, but it is also about commitment. A commitment we make to recognize the past, recognize the errors of the past, but commit to learning from them and not just making right on them, but learning to never make them again."
The official apology was read out by Trudeau, in which he said by being displaced from the village lands by settlers, the people of WLFN lost access to a variety of resources year-round.
Canada did not protect or compensate WLFN for any of the village lands, he said.
Before the apology was read out, Chief Sellars thanked the Trudeau government for working with WLFN on its specific claims process which brought the community $135 million.
The funds have been invested into a community trust and grown to more than $150 million, he said.
"It gives us a fighting chance, levelling that playing field and allows us to do some amazing things."
Elder Amy Sandy read a translated version of the apology in Secwepemc language, which Trudeau said was very important as it is one of the country’s many languages.
Coun. Dancing Water Sandy presented Trudeau with a beaded pendant created by Secwepemc artist Lisa McAlpine depicting the Canadian Flag.
“She created this gift with time,” she told him. “May you wear it in good health and in kindness.”
Responding, Trudeau presented Chief Sellars with a framed art piece that he said represented family and culture and a commitment to future generations.
The ceremony ended with Sellars and the other WLFN members singing and drumming the Honour Song.
They will stay in Ottawa for a Tuesday evening screening of Sugar Cane, the documentary about St. Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential School.
Members of the community watched a livestream of the apology from the Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium at Williams Lake First Nation's Sugar Cane community.
More to come
