Politicos from three levels of government in New Westminster teamed up to support the Tsilhqot’in National Government.
Queensborough-Richmond MLA Aman Singh and New Westminster MLA Jennifer Whiteside, joined New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian and Coun. Chuck Puchmayr in shipping new thermal boots and long underwear to New Westminster's sister city, the Tsilhqot'in National Government.
Puchmayr said Pharmasave donated 250 PPE masks and DS Tactical on 12th Street donated brand new thermal boots and thermal underwear, with local politicos covering the cost of shipping the items.
“It’s just for the nation, whoever needs it,” he said.
The Tsilhqot'in Government is made up of six communities in the Chilcotin Plateau, which include Tl'etinqox, Tl'esqox, ?Esdilagh, Tsideldel, Yunesit'in, and Xeni Gwet'in, with offices in Williams Lake.
“The City of New Westminster and the Tsilhqot'in Government became sister cities in 2021 and have had collaborations in donations of fire and police vehicles as well as masks, sanitizer and firefighting gear,” said Puchmayr, noting Piva Modern Italian and Qayqayt First Nation have helped donated products and emergency response training to the Tsilhqot'in Government in the past.
DS Tactical has also made several recent donations to the Lookout Housing and Health Society’s program in New West. The local business donated 220 wool sweaters to the Russell Housing Centre, as well as military-grade sleeping bags and parkas.
Puchmayr also acknowledged the efforts of several South Asian organizations, including the IK Sansar Foundation, the Kirpa Collective and the Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen in Queensborough, which have supported British Columbians impacted by the recent floods. In the past couple of months, he said the groups have donated large quantities of bottled water, diapers, dog food and Christmas presents to flood victims.
Closer to home, he said noted IK Sansar Foundation has donated sanitary napkins to the school district for its Period Promise initiative, track suits and blankets to the local extreme weather shelter, and women’s clogs, diapers and sanitary supplies to Monarch Place transition house for women and children fleeing violence.
“It just gives me a lot of faith in humanity,” Puchmayr said.
