City council read and passed several proclamations as part of its regular meeting Sept. 15.

Sept. 15 to 21 was proclaimed as Rail Safety Week, recognizing that 261 railway crossing and trespassing incidents occurred across the country in 2024, resulting in 68 avoidable fatalities and 58 avoidable serious injuries. The proclamation also drew attention to Operation Lifesaver, a public/private partnership aimed at working with the public, rail industry, governments, police services, media, and others to raise rail safety awareness.

Sept. 22 to 28 was proclaimed as Right to Know Week, highlighting that reasonable access to information is fundamental to a democratic society and draw attention to the benefits of transparent, accessible government.

A joint proclamation was also passed marking Sept 22 to 26 as Truth and Reconciliation Week and Sept. 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, recognizing the importance of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report  which included 94 Calls to Action to redress the legacy of residential schools and to provide a framework for all levels of government to repair the painful legacy of Canada’s colonial history and to move forward with reconciliation.

Finally, Sept. 28 was proclaimed Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day, commemorating those police and peace officers who were killed in the line of duty.

The proclamation also recognized the work of local RCMP officers, who are committed to the highest professional standards and work in partnership with the community to meet the challenges of reducing crime, creating a safe environment and improving our quality of life.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.