Aboriginal word on stop signs in Kamloops stopped by BC legislation – PG Citizen
January 21, 2015
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A proposal by a councillor in Kamloops, B.C., to add the Secwepemc language to some of the city’s traffic signs has been stopped in its tracks by provincial legislation.
Coun. Donovan Cavers came up with the idea of adding the word estil, which means stop in Secwepemc, on stop signs to acknowledge the city’s aboriginal population and history.
Bilingual signs already exist on the Thompson Rivers University campus and on the Tk’emlups Indian Reserve bordering the city.
However, in a report to council this week, traffic engineer Elnaz Ansari said Kamloops is not permitted to add other languages or symbols to the signs due to provincial Motor Vehicle Act regulations.
