By Heather Ramsay--An impassioned plea to have the Protocol Agreement signed in Queen Charlotte was made recently by Councillor Kris Olsen.
The Council of Haida Nation's Protocol Agreement was on the agenda for the first time at the June 19 Queen Charlotte council meeting and Councillor Olsen wasted no time in putting a motion on the floor.
"I move we sign the Protocol Agreement by the last day of summer," he said.
Councillor Greg Martin quickly seconded the motion.
Councillor Olsen then stood to discuss the motion. He said he supports the Protocol agreement because it is one of the first steps he's seen that promotes the building of an all-islands community. He'd like to see extensive public participation on the topic, including visits from a delegation of the Council of the Haida Nation take place over the summer.
Councillor Gladys Noddin, put the brakes on before a vote was taken and asked to make a friendly amendment. She suggested the motion state a decision on the signing of the protocol agreement be made by September 21.
"You can't say you'll have public participation and have already made up your mind," she said of the motion on the table.
Mayor Carol Kulesha agreed.
The motion passed with the amendment made.