A Qualicum Beach councillor wants the town to get advice from First Nations about what image to use in place of a tepee on the municipal crest, since tepees weren’t historically used by Indigenous people in that area.
The tepee is in the lower right portion of the three-section town crest, which also contains an image of a salmon and the ocean.
Coun. Scott Harrison told council this month that Indigenous people in the area did not live in tepees. “That’s Alberta, Saskatchewan, not so much around here.”
He said the inaccuracy in the crest, which dates back to the Second World War era, came to his attention when it was pointed out by a member of the Qualicum First Nation in 2018, when Harrison was running for council. Changing it became part of his election platform, he said.
A flag containing the crest is typically displayed above the council table.
Harrison plans to recommend the town ask the Qualicum First Nation for a more appropriate image for that part of the crest. The matter is expected to come up for discussion and a vote at a council meeting in June.
“I really don’t want the town to be guiding this process because we have shared territory with the K’omoks and the Snaw-naw-as nations as well,” Harrison said. “So it’s really not politicians like me who should be telling First Nations how they should work together to represent their own culture.”
Qualicum Beach First Nation Chief Michael Recalma said he did not want to comment on the issue, as it is still before council.
Harrison figures that at the time the crest was created, inclusion of the tepee was intended as a friendly gesture to local First Nations, but there was no real outreach.
North Cowichan council decided in August of last year to retire its crest because it was not inclusive.
It was left to the next council to decide if it wanted a crest. Municipal elections will be held in mid-October.
