Metro Vancouver and the Musqueam Indian Band co-hosted the 2019 Community-to-Community Forum this summer, underscoring the importance of building relationships.
More than 65 participants attended the event, held at the Musqueam Cultural Pavilion, including Metro Vancouver Board Chair Sav Dhaliwal, Metro Vancouver CAO Carol Mason, Director Mary-Ann Booth, Chair of the Indigenous Relations Committee and other staff and senior managers.
Respected Musqueam elder Larry Grant provided an opening welcome and prayer to begin the day’s proceedings, while other presenters included Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Grand Chief Ed John, and Musqueam long-time Councillor and former Chief Wendy John, who spoke on behalf of the Musqueam Indian Band.
Councillor John noted the community and its members, past and present, have survived all kinds of negative influences to realize their ancestors’ dream of a thriving community for the relatively small First Nation with 1,300 members.
Attendees then watched a portion of the film “Musqueam through Time,” which was followed by a performance by eight members of the Tsatu Stalqayu group (Coastal Wolf Pack), a traditional Salish song-and-dance troupe, and the exchanging of gift blankets.
The Community-to-Community Forum marked the sixth annual event involving Metro Vancouver’s Indigenous Relations Committee. Previous forums have been held with the Katzie First Nation, Tseil-Waututh Nation, Squamish Nation, Tsawwassen First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation.