We asked: “Do you think our communities (eg the Village of Pemberton, SLRD and Lil’wat Nation) should invest in community wellness, resilience and reconciliation?”

Overwhelmingly, survey respondents said YES.

• Yes
• yes
• Absolutely
• 100%
• absolutely
• Yes.
• Absolutely!
• I believe they are.
• Yes
• yes
• Yes, it would be great to see leadership and collaboration
• Yes, but only if all three contribute the same (as in they all are on the same page)
• Not in its present form. No.
• Yes.
• Have drumming and invite everyone not just Ashley or iswalh dancers have it like our community gathering
• I don’t think it is a bad idea but there has to be value to the taxpayers – it is challenging for many to make ends meet and if it means my taxes are going to go up to support activities that can be managed through other means then I would rather the money be used to keep the streets cleared etc. No we don’t need a pool nor can we afford one.
• Yes!
• Most definitely, there is so much to learn and grow in these areas
• Yea
• Yup
• No
• no
• Yes absolutely
• Yes. 100%
• Absolutely yes
• Absolutely! I feel that just as there are guidelines that a school is required to incorporate and principles to consider with the curriculum there should be guidelines for any business /organization to follow in regards to how they contribute to reconciliation.
• Wellness and housing
• YES!!!!!
• Yes, local governments have an opportunity to bring positive change.
• Yes, many people get lost within the cracks and in this day it’s easier to isolate and be alone than to come together and support each other when needed.
• You have my full support and approval for the investment in community wellness, resilience and reconciliation (especially reconciliation on the indigenous communties side of the matter).
• It would keep people alive.
• YES!!!
• Stop the colonialism, and realize our land back.

Each contributing party, the Village of Pemberton, Area C of the SLRD, and the Lil’wat Nation, contributed a modest amount, to power the Wellness Almanac. In the last three years, it was $6,000 each. We asked people, if there was to continue to be a small annual sum available for “community wellness, resilience and reconciliation”, what kind of initiatives would you want to see?

The #1 response (53.6% respondents) was to “create more opportunities for us to come together.”

#2 (50.7%) was “provide access to workshops on reconciliation, how to be an ally, trauma-informed work.”

#3 (43.5%) was “provide small grants for community grants and individuals to support initiatives at a grassroots level.”

#4 (42%) was “host learning opportunities – book club, lectures, walking tours.”

#5 (40.6%) was “host a soup kitchen or a safe place for people who are drinking in public spaces to sober up, get warm, feel supported.” (although one person commented specifically to that, “I find the soup kitchen idea stereotyping and completely missed the mark on working with those who experience substance misuse.”)

#6 (39.1%) was “more interpretive signs throughout the community sharing history, language and culture”

#7 (36.2%) was “Just keep the Wellness Almanac going.”

and also with 36.2%: “free forest therapy, art therapy, walking groups or other social supports.”

#8 (33.3%) was “host a community feast”

#9 (31.9%) was “public art projects”

and “language revitalization initiatives”

#10 (30.4%) was “host an annual gathering/wellness fair”

Other ideas that were supported included sharing circles and support groups, movie nights or slide shows around celebrating and acknowledging the land, something sports/recreation based, a Men’s group, as well as:

“community projects in N’Quatqua to help support tourism expansion in the area, especially with the frequent use of gates lake and Anderson lake”

“I think we need to see each other as one nation, supporting education and learning together about this land”

“All of these and much much more.”

“These are all great ideas – which ones will bring in those who don’t want to support reconciliation? Those people need to come to the table.”