TIMMINS - The city is checking in on its progress toward truth and reconciliation.
At the Nov. 20 Timmins Indigenous Advisory Committee meeting, members took stock of what work has been done to increase awareness and understanding among city employees and the wider community.
“We built this on three pillars, addressing human needs, addressing calls to action, and economic alliance,” said City of Timmins CAO Dave Landers during the meeting. “It is a broad-based plan.”
So far, all of the city’s full-time employees have taken a cultural sensitivity course that the IAC approved, but there is interest in doing more.
“I think we need to look at more in-depth and localized training at some point,” said Landers. “I think a lot of our coworkers are looking forward to that.”
The city is also working with Mushkegowuk Council on several goals, including another year contract with the Mushkegowuk Firekeepers to do outreach and harm reduction at ground level.
“The city has contracted with the Firekeepers to do outreach,” said Landers. “That work continues to happen, and we do get reporting that does come to council.”
The changes in community evacuation supports for flood and fire seasons were noted, and the shift to communities working with ISN Maskwa as the host for those events.
“We didn’t walk away from the table, we have certainly met and tried to support ISN Maskwa and offered whatever level of support they were looking for from us,” said Landers. “They did host evacuations in other cities this year.”
Timmins already has a formal agreement with Mushkegowuk Council, and is working toward a similar one with Mattagami First Nation, whose traditional lands the city is on, and Wabun Tribal Council in the future.
There are also currently talks with the airport and northern communities to amend the screening process on flights travelling north.
“There’s no level of screening or check that goes on,” said Landers. “There are things that you can and cannot do, but anything obvious they will be able to identify, and perhaps be able to make sure it doesn’t make its way north.”
The change in screening is planned to go into effect in January, but it relies on the availability of screeners at the airport.
The original framework for these initiatives has been in place for over three years. The committee will look at it to see what can be adjusted or changed as the community changes.
“Things have changed in the community in the last little while, so the need might be different,” said Coun. Kristin Murray.
