Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes is taking issue with a community group鈥檚 response to the municipality鈥檚 support of the Pow Wow Between the Lakes event in Penticton.
The event was held from July 18 to 20 at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Earlier this year, Summerland council approved $8,000 to support this event.
Holmes and Coun. Richard Barkwill attended, with Holmes participating in the Friday and Saturday evening grand entries and Barkwill joining him on the Friday evening.
In his mayor鈥檚 report, he expressed disappointment with a recent social media post by Summerland First, a community organization.
On July 19, Summerland First posted a statement to its Facebook page, questioning the municipality鈥檚 sponsorship.
鈥淪hould Summerland taxpayers be funding events outside our community? Should more of this money be invested into local programs and core services that directly benefit our residents? Did council buy themselves a public appearance opportunity?鈥� a portion of the statement read.
Holmes noted that the Facebook post referred to the event as a 鈥減rivate, ticketed event鈥� and did not mention it by name.
He said the Four Seasons Cultural Society, which organized the powwow, has worked to make it easy and comfortable for non-Indigenous people to attend and participate.
鈥淥ne of council鈥檚 published strategic priorities is to support truth and reconciliation through meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities, and our sponsorship of the Pow Wow is part of our ongoing effort to build a strong and respectful relationship with our Syilx neighbours,鈥� Holmes said, adding that a number of Summerland residents were in attendance.
He also takes issue with the tone of the Summerland First social media post, which he said is cynical and spreads misinformation about the event.
鈥淚n my opinion, Summerland First owes the Four Seasons Cultural Society and the Penticton Indian Band an apology,鈥� he said.
