Local pediatricians and members of Lheidli T’enneh council gathered today to celebrate and mark an official “respectful land acknowledgement” pledge this morning (Friday).
“It didn’t take long for us to conclude that is was important to make this pledge,” Dr. Kirsten Miller, a local pediatrician, said. “We want our offices to feel like safe and welcoming spaces.”
Lheidli T’enneh Councillor John West thanked the pediatricians with three plaques that will be displayed in the three pediatric offices around Prince George.
“When our members and other Indigenous people bring their children to your offices for medical help and see your respectful acknowledgement plaques, they’ll know your group is sincere about walking together with all Indigenous people,” West said.
“I know I, as a younger person, was not to fond of coming to the doctors,” he said. “This is great to know this is a safe space.”
He said a lot of that discomfort comes from “assumptions of our people. They already have an idea when they see us come through the doors… assuming we are here for different reasons than we need to be.”
West said he hopes the plaque helps put Indigenous people more at ease when seeking medical help, especially children.
The announcement comes one week before National Indigenous Peoples Day, which will be observed on Wednesday (June 21).
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