LAC LA BICHE - Since it's a land discussion, Lac La Biche County council took information they had received from Métis Nation of Alberta officials and their own administration into an in-camera session last week. The discussions behind closed doors were the initial stages in determining where a new, municipally-endorsed homeless camp would be situated.
The idea to find a piece of suitable, municipal property and make it into a fenced and gated homeless camp came in the days following the recent dismantling of a squatters' camp on private property near Lac La Biche's downtown railyard. Members of the Métis Nation of Alberta, including provincial President Audrey Poitras and MNA Region 1 President Jimmy Cardinal, urged council to relocate a group of about a dozen people ousted from the "tent city" styled camp.
A two hour discussion between council, administration and MNA officials just days after earth-movers levelled the encampment, resulted in the decision to find other land.
Saying the people who stay in "bush camps" made from re-purposed wood scraps, tarps and cardboard choose that way of life because of their ancestry, troubled upbringing, mental and addiction issue as well as a deep-rooted mistrust of colonial thinking, the MNA leaders said a new, safe area could help many troubled people find the stability they need to move ahead with life.
Lac La Biche County councillors have yet to make a formal decision or any announcement about specific plots of land under consideration.
A spokesperson for the municipality confirms that locations have been discussed, but said no specific details are currently ready to be made public.
"That will be coming back to a future meeting," said municipal communication manager Jihad Moghrabi.
MNA officials have already said they want the new property to be near municipal services and amenities, preferably near a walking path so occupants don't have to walk along busy roadways, and have fencing and gating to provide security. If land is secured, MNA officials have also said they would consider leasing, buying or renting the property from the municipality. Métis officials are also prepared to offer social service programming to camp members, including cultural education.
Lac La Biche County councillors have already sent correspondence to local MLAs, MPs and ministers seeking provincial and federal support for the homeless situation in the region.
An item specific to the MNA request is not included in the public portion of the upcoming Lac La Biche County agenda for their May 11 meeting — but one in-camera item is titled: Land request. The item is in the in-camera session of the meeting because disclosure could be "harmful to economic and public interests of a public body."
