The City of Portage la Prairie and Dakota Plains Wahpeton Nation are being recognized on the national stage for their work on reconciliation.
The two communities have received the 2025 Collaboration Award from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) for their June 2024 reconciliation ceremony and formal apology. The award was presented during CAMA’s national conference in Mont Tremblant, Quebec.
Honouring the past, working together for the future
The ceremony was the first formal council meeting held on First Nation land in the City’s history and featured a public apology from Portage for past injustices, including a 1911 resolution that contributed to systemic discrimination.
It also included a grand entry, drumming, storytelling, and a community feast led by Dakota Plains. The event focused on relationship-building and acknowledged the strength of both communities.
Portage Mayor Sharilyn Knox calls it a historic step forward.
“This approach was innovative because it marked a significant departure from traditional municipal-Indigenous relations, demonstrating a proactive and genuine commitment to reconciliation,” says Knox. “By holding the first-ever formal Council meeting on First Nation land, the City of Portage la Prairie acknowledged Indigenous governance structures and created a space for equal collaboration.”
Youth voice reflects community strength
Seventeen-year-old Sophia Smoke speaks at the ceremony on behalf of her family and the youth of Dakota Plains.
“This historical day was a beautiful and powerful testament to the strength and spirit of perseverance inherited from our ancestors,” notes Smoke. “My Unkan, the hereditary Itanca Orville Smoke, consistently advocated for and demanded recognition from non-indigenous governments. It was his never-ending hope and belief in a better future that gave my community the courage and strength to rise, to fight, and to work for it.”
Recognition from CAMA
CAMA President Tony Kulbisky, also the CAO for Westlock County, Alberta, says the work done in Portage and Dakota Plains sets a powerful example.
“The impact of this partnership is profound,” remarks Kulbisky. “It corrects a historic wrong, while leading to the establishment of a new park and potential new waterlines for DPWN.”
A total of 54 projects were submitted to CAMA’s 2025 awards program. The Portage–Dakota Plains ceremony stood out as a model of cooperation built on trust, listening, and a shared vision.
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