In a move to celebrate and strengthen the cultural ties and shared history among the Indigenous peoples of the Treaty 1-11 nations, the Cold Lake Council has announced a $10,000 sponsorship of the Treaty 1-11 Gathering, which will be held in Cold Lake this August.
The Treaty 1-11 Gathering is a significant event designed to honour, respect, and protect the Treaty’s way of life. It brings people together and communities from across Turtle Island. Through a series of ceremonies, discussions, and cultural activities, the gathering aims to reaffirm participants’ dedication to preserving their traditions and values for future generations.
Cold Lake Council’s sponsorship, categorized at the “Bear” level, was finalized after a brief discussion on the amount, with funds allocated from Council Goodwill. “Cold Lake First Nations hosts a lot of great events in our community,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “We wanted to make sure we are supporting them to the best of our ability while leaving room for other funding requests.”
Traditionally, funding for such events would fall under the Community, Recreation, Arts, Culture, and Heritage Investment (CRACH) Grant. However, the council decided earlier in the meeting to modify the criteria for government organizations, permitting them to request funds directly from the council instead of applying through the grant. This change means Cold Lake First Nations will no longer be limited to a single CRACH Grant application per year, enabling them to collaborate on multiple celebrations and events in the Lakeland area.
“With this change in place, Cold Lake First Nations isn’t limited to one application to the CRACH Grant per year, and together we can work to bring multiple celebrations and events to the Lakeland,” added Mayor Copeland.
