At its next meeting, Mayor Steve Black is looking for Timmins council’s support to create a First Nations advisory committee, leadership forum, and more.
He talked about the five items in the resolution, which is on the agenda for council's March 27 meeting, at the Evening of Applause ceremony last night.
In his opening remarks, Black also addressed recent discussions about racism in the city, which surfaced after two Special Investigations Unit investigations were launched in February, and the Chief Ontario Human Rights Commissioner Renu Mandhane visited the city earlier this month.
Since the SIU incidents, Black said he’s met with First Nation leaders to talk about some of the work that needs to be done.
He has also talked to Mandhane since her visit, and said they’ve agreed to continue to work together for the changes that need to be made in the city.
The items Black is asking council to support are to: create a First Nations advisory committee, host training for cultural sensitivity and awareness as well as for truth and reconciliation, create a leadership forum with municipal and First Nation leaders to meet regularly, and raise three flags permanently at city hall. The resolution also asks to allocate $50,000 from the 2017 surplus to cover the cost of the training and flag poles, as well as supporting National Aboriginal Day events from June 18 to 22.
He explained the three flags would be the Mattagami First Nation, which is the traditional territory of the city, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which is the greater treaty land, and the Metis Nation of Ontario.
“I think it’s an important step for the City of Timmins. When you look at our population, over 10 per cent of our population is First Nation by the census and I would say the census drastically under reports First Nation residents in our community,” he said, also noting that Timmins is a service hub for the region.
While he’s received push back for saying that racism isn’t normalized in the community because he believes that means it’s an accepted standard, he acknowledges that it exists in the city.
“We have work to do as a community to step up and say that’s not acceptable, all of us play a role in that, it can’t just be ‘I don’t do it myself so it’s OK’. We need to step up as a community when we hear other people make inappropriate statements, when we see inappropriate actions and make a positive change,” he said.
The March 27 meeting is in council chambers at city hall at 6 p.m.
Read the full resolution here.
