The Economic Development office of the Moricetown Band Council hosted a Land Use Planning Meeting on January 11, 2017. 

Dan Adamson, of Radloff & Associates in Prince George, chaired the meeting. Dan and his team—Hilary Morgan and Liliana Dragowska—led the Moricetown members in a series of presentations and activities on land use and community engagement.

The event attracted more than 100 community members of all ages and abilities, and everyone actively engaged in the presentation and the activities. By the end of the evening, a large number of names had been nominated as advisors on thirteen areas of interest (Environment and Sensitive Areas, Infrastructure and Operations, Economics and Business, Education, Fire and Emergency Response, Recreation, Families and Single Parents, Energy, Health, Financial, Youth, Culture and Traditional Knowledge and Elders)    

Executive Director Lucy Gagnon was quoted as saying that this was the highest turnout of members she has ever seen. If you were listening to the programme last week, you’ll have heard me and Vi Gellenbeck ponder the need to motivate attendance by offering prizes. There was a big screen TV offered for this meeting, but I have to wonder whether it was necessary in this case: I think people were so enthusiastic to share their thoughts that they needed no further motivation to come to the meeting. The Wet’suwet’en are very connected to and passionately protective of their land.

One of the Radloff team members, Liliana Dragowska, agreed to have lunch with me in Smithers this week so I could hear the team's reaction to the meeting, and to find out what happens next. What you’re hearing is a conversation between me and Liliana walking around the quieter streets of Smithers during the lunch hour, interspersed with clips from the meeting itself.

Nominations for these advisory roles will be accepted until Friday, January 20, 2017. To submit a nomination, contact Norma Stumborg by email at ecdev@mbed.ca or by phone at (250) 847-2133.