The Challenge

In 2014, then-BC Premier Christy Clark set out to right a historic wrong with an official apology to the Tsilhqot’in Nation for the 1864 hangings of five chiefs by the colonial government.

This official apology was a critical step in the government’s agenda to advance reconciliation with the Tsilhqot’in Nation and other Indigenous communities.

The Work

As a key member of the Premier’s communications and speech writing team, Emile was tasked with drafting the official apology for delivery in the Legislative Assembly.

Collaborating with senior officials across government ministries and with the Tsilhqot’in National Government, Emile was responsible for navigating complex legal and political considerations to ensure sure that every word of the Premier’s remarks would advance the cause of reconciliation.

The Outcome

The Provincial Apology delivered by Premier Clark on October 24th, 2014 made national news, was followed by an apology from the Prime Minister of Canada, and laid the foundation for a renewed relationship between the government, the Tsilhqot’in Nation, and other First Nations in BC.