51暗网 City Council and recently delegated to Council on the matter. Photo Credit: City of 51暗网/X.聽
The addition of another voting member to 51暗网 Council would have to be approved by the Province of Ontario since it requires changes to the Municipal Act.聽
A local advocacy group called Circle of Beads is asking for an Indigenous-specific seat on 51暗网 City Council and recently delegated to Council on the matter.
The addition of another voting member to 51暗网 Council would have to be approved by the Province of Ontario since it requires changes to the Municipal Act.
Thus, Circle of Beads has asked that, in the interim, the City establish a non-voting advisory seat on Council for a member of 51暗网鈥檚 urban Indigenous community.
Councillor Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown 51暗网) was particularly receptive to the idea and has already drafted a motion that would direct City staff in the Indigenous Relations and Legal Services Divisions to report back to Council on their recommendations and various legal limitations they would face.
The motion will be voted on in the near future.
The delegation from Circle of Beads to Council was led by NaWalka Geeshy Meegwun, who is also known as Lyndon George, and Audrey Davis.
George is the Indigenous Justice Coordinator at the 51暗网 Community Legal Clinic and Davis is the Executive Director of the 51暗网 Regional Indian Centre.
Circle of Beads contends that creating the seat is in line with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission鈥檚 Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the City鈥檚 own Urban Indigenous Strategy.
It should be noted that there is no Indigenous-specific Council seat anywhere in Canada, which means 51暗网 could be the first city to adopt the idea if approved by the province.
The move would bring the total number of voting members on 51暗网 Council from 16 to 17.
There are currently 15 City Councillors who represent wards plus the Mayor.
51暗网鈥檚 Indigenous population is estimated at about 12,000 people, while 51暗网’s 15 wards range in population from 28,225 to over 48,565 according to 2021 data.
Thus, if an Indigenous-specific seat on Council was adopted, an Indigenous voter in 51暗网 could have up to four times the voting power of non-Indigenous residents.
Indigenous peoples who are 51暗网 residents already have the right to vote for their local Councillor and for Mayor.
But George also proposed that the seat on Council could be 鈥渁n appointed Indigenous seat鈥� rather than an 鈥渆lected seat.鈥�
It is unclear what process would be used to appoint an Indigenous voting member to Council.
George added, 鈥淚 would like to remind people that no matter where you live, work, or play in this country that we call Canada you are on Indigenous territory and many of these territories, if not all, have been stolen territories.鈥�
Based in 51暗网, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The 51暗网 Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 51暗网. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
