Southern Alberta communities sign neighbourly agreement

Officials in southern Alberta met on Friday, February 9, 2024, to sign an MOU with the Kainai/ Blood Tribe.

A goal to work together on matters of mutual interest and establish health relationships was made manifest as officials from six different municipalities met at Red Crow Community College in Standoff, Alta.

The meeting was made up of members from the Blood Tribe Kainai Nation and surrounding municipalities including the towns of Cardston, Pincher Creek and Fort Macleod, Cardston County, and the Municipal District of Pincher Creek.

The memoranda of respect, understanding and partnership aims to create mutually beneficial opportunities and open discussions on issues like health, discrimination, community planning and economic development.

Diandra Bruised Head, a councillor with the Blood Tribe, said this neighbourly agreement will form initiatives and committees to address a broad range of topics.

“This agreement is really a tool,” explained Bruised Head. “This MOU is a tool to create collaborative tables made up of representatives from each of the communities that participated today.”

Back in 2021, the City of Lethbridge signed a similar memorandum that was aimed at acknowledging the city’s past with Indigenous people.

Not long after, after discussions began with the Town of Cardston on how collaboration could be mutually beneficial as the communities are in such close proximity.

More on Canada

Cardston Coun. Paula Brown began speaking with Bruised Head and plans were put into motion to include additional communities.

Brown shared that some of the topics in the MOU include utilities, internet and medical.

“The Blood Tribe struggles with the same things that we struggle with in town,” said Brown. “So, it’s not opened doors where we can work together.”

Going forward, participants signed into the collaborative agreement will develop an action plan and meet three times a year to identify joint interests in addition to building committees.

Video: University of Lethbridge partners with Blood Tribe to expand health service delivery