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Williams Lake hockey team draws attention to Truth and Reconciliation in sports

WLMHA U18 Female Timberwolves take their message for calls to action to the rink

WLMHA’s U18 Female Timberwolves are wearing their hearts on their sleeves this week.

The Williams Lake rep team donned orange jerseys in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.

The jerseys all have #87 on the back in reference to some of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

Numbers 87 to 91 speak specifically to sports at all levels.

“We encourage everyone to read the calls to action and see how you can be a part of reconciliation in your community,” said the team.

The following are those calls for action;

Sports and Reconciliation

87. We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.

88. We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.

89. We call upon the federal government to amend the Physical Activity and Sport Act to support reconciliation by ensuring that policies to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and well-being, reduce barriers to sports participation, increase the pursuit of excellence in sport, and build capacity in the Canadian sport system, are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples.

90. We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing:

i. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable funding for, and access to, community sports programs that reflect the diverse cultures and traditional sporting activities of Aboriginal peoples.

ii. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes.

iii. Programs for coaches, trainers, and sports officials that are culturally relevant for Aboriginal peoples.

iv. Anti-racism awareness and training programs.

91. We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of planning and participating in such events.

Read More: OUR HOMETOWN: Supporting healing in Cariboo-Chilcotin schools



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Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
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