Good News for the work of reconciliation

As many of you are aware, the ReconciliACTION Oak Bay network of which St Mary's is a part has been advocating for a restart to the process of determining the future of the land on which the Oak Bay Marina is located (see here for background).

According to a news release this past Monday, Oak Bay Council has begun the process of restarting the exploration, this time with a commitment to meaningful consultation with the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations, the descendants of the Lekwungen people who stewarded these same lands and called them Spewhung. This is hopeful news, indeed!

Thank-you to all who wrote letters to the Mayor and Council, or who discussed the issue with your friends over coffee these past months. Please consider adding a letter or email of thanks to the Council for their courage in making this decision, and continue to encourage them to explore what meaningful consultation and even partnership might look like as we continue forward!