PLAQUE

Description: PLAQUE IS PRIMARILY WHITE, WITH BLACK WRITING ON IT. AT THE TOP, IS THE ALBERTA SHIELD WITH A PRONGHORN ANTELOPE AND LION ON EITHER SIDE. THE WRTING STATES, "PRESENTED TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE ON THIS 17TH DAY OF DECEMBER 1991 IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN PROVIDING FOR ABORIGINAL REPRESENTATION ON MUNICIPAL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES". THE PLAQUE GOES ON FOR TWO MORE PARAGRAPHS. AT THE BOTTOM, THERE ARE TWO PLACES FOR SIGNATURES, ONE FOR "ELAINE MCCOY MINISTER ALBERTA LABOUR", THE OTHER FOR "FIL FRASER CHIEF COMMISSIONER ALBERTA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION". AT THE BOTTOM THERE IS THE HUMAN RIGHTS LOGO WHICH IS AN "H" AND "R" BESIDE EACHOTHER WITH A CIRCLE ABOVE THEM.

History: THIS PLAQUE COMMEMORATES THE EFFORTS WHICH OCCURED DURING MAYOR CARPENTERS STAY IN OFFICE (1986 - 2001) TO MAKE LETHBRIDGE A MORE OPEN COMMUNITY FOR NATIVE AMERICANS. IN 1990 - 1991 MAYOR CARPENTER RECIEVED A COMPLAINT FROM NATIVE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE BEING POORLY TREATED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES. UPON INVESTIGATION THIS TURNED OUT TO BE VERY TRUE. MAYOR CARPENTER WENT TO A HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE, AND DISCOVERED THAT LETHBRIDGE HAS A REPUTATION FOR BEING A FAIRLY RACIST CITY. AT THIS POINT IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE BEST WAY TO CHANGE THIS WAS TO GET NATIVE AMERICANS MORE INVOLVED WITH THE BUREAUCRACY, AND THE COMMUNITY. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, IT WAS DECIDED THAT A SPOT WOULD BE RESERVED FOR NATIVE AMERICANS ON BOARDS, COMMITTEES, AND OTHER DECISION MAKING INSTITUTIONS. THESE PEOPLE THEN REPORTED TO THE MAYOR AS AN ADVISORY BOARD. IN THIS WAY, A SORT OF PROACTIVE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY WAS INSTITUTED. AS A RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS, TWO AWARDS WERE GIVEN. ONE TO THE CITY, AND THE OTHER TO MAYOR CARPENTER PERSONALLY.