Powell River Regional Hospital District board will write correspondence to Tla’amin Nation providing an update on the status of the hospital district’s name change request.
The board also voted to copy the provincial minister of health with the Tla’amin correspondence, and to request a meeting with the minister at the upcoming Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities convention.
At the January 24 hospital district meeting, directors reviewed correspondence from Tla’amin Nation treaty implementation and intergovernmental relations coordinator Emily White, who requested a status update and any next steps being considered.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne asked if a response had been received from the minister regarding the board’s request to remove Powell River from the hospital district name and replace it with qathet.
“Where are we with the process?” asked Gisborne.
Communications advisor Shelley Termuende said staff had provided the ministry of health with a request on October 14, 2022, and the ministry provided confirmation of receipt on November 9, 2022. She said staff reached out for an update on May 11, 2023, and received no response.
“We then followed up again on December 18, 2023, requesting a response and an update,” said Termuende. “On January 9 we received an email response from the ministry of health informing that work on the order in council to amend the letters patent is in progress, and as soon as it is completed, we will be notified.”
Hospital district chair George Doubt said the provincial government is saying it is a work in progress.
“I’ve talked to the MLA [Nicholas Simons] about it and I would like to see this go ahead as soon as possible,” said Doubt. “It has taken quite a while. It would be nice to go ahead with this. It would help with relationships within the regional district.”
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