In his first two years as mayor of Cranbrook, Scott Manjak said that there are many accomplishments in which he takes pride. One of the most personally significant endeavours has been sitting at the table during the treaty negotiation process with Cranbrook’s nearest neighbour, the St. Mary’s Band, a member band of the Ktunaxa Nation.

Manjak couldn’t comment on any of the specific details of the process, as it is currently ongoing, but said that, for him, it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. On a personal and professional level, he was concerned about the rift between the two communities and made it a priority in his role in local government to do what he could to address that.

“I think it comes down to who we are as people,” said Manjak. “All of us share some commonality about what we want for ourselves, for our families and for our communities. I think most reasonable people would acknowledge that where an injustice takes place, or there’s something that we feel is just not right, that we have an obligation to respond.”

Manjak said there has been a strong desire from both the City of Cranbrook and the Ktunaxa Nation Council—and the communities they represent—to right old wrongs and establish mutually beneficial business relationships. He mentioned the Reconciliation Sculpture that was recently installed at the Canadian Rockies International Airport.

“(The Ktunaxa) are going to be an important economic partner,” said Manjak, “and I think the opportunity for Cranbrook is to enter into relationships around land planning, economic development and cultural activities that will benefit both communities—and that excites me.”

A memorandum of understanding between the City and the Ktunaxa Nation Council, represented by Chief Cheryl Casimer, has been signed, outlining how the two governments will relate to one another so that future negotiations have a blueprint with which to begin. A joint land-use management plan that will set protocols for parkland areas is also in process.

Manjak expressed appreciation for the previous mayor, Ross Priest, and Casimer’s predecessor, Sophie Pierre, for beginning the process and carrying it forth, and he is pleased that he and Casimer have been able to take the relationship between the two communities to the next level. More impressive is the fact that there is no existing template for building the kind of relationship that the City and Council are aiming for.

Casimer credited Manjak with facilitating understanding between the communities.

“Since Scott became mayor, the relationship has been really positive,” said Casimer. “I think it’s because not only is he the local government representative at the table who gets a better understanding of what the treaty process means to the area, but I also think it’s because of his personality, of recognizing that if we want to see progress for the region as a whole, it’s not something the City or the regional district can do on its own. I think he saw that there was a need.”

Casimer said she expects the result of finalized treaty negotiations to be beneficial to both communities, creating the framework for good neighbours to work together.

“We have a lot in common with each other,” said Casimer. “We both want a stable economy base for the region, the municipality and our community. And we both want to make sure it’s done in a sustainable manner.”

While agreements between First Nations and government bodies, communities or organizations are not new, Manjak said the goal is to create an understanding that is specific to the cultural needs of the people of the region rather than a carbon copy of a different city and nation.

“In my mind, it’s truly a historic event,” said Manjak. “I think it’s important for Cranbrook and the region to build and to come into relationship building with the Ktunaxa Nation.” 

"There are people who have chosen to make their home here in Ktunaxa territory, and we welcome that," said Casimer. "But the fact of the matter is that the Ktunaxa are not going anywhere. We've been here for thousands and thousands of years and future generations of non-Ktunaxa will come and go, but what will always be here will be Ktunaxa. So with that in mind, we want to make sure we have good relationships with the people who choose to live here."