Hamilton's Urban Indigenous Strategy is ready, but committee isn't

After two years of hard work and community consultation, Hamilton's Urban Indigenous Strategy (UIS) is ready.

Now all itneeds is enough councillors to accept it.

The strategy was meant to be presented to the city's emergency and community services committee Thursday, but a shortage of membersin attendance meant the committeelost quorum and had to recess around 2:30 p.m.

That means the strategy will be back the committee's agendafor its next meeting on July 11.

Had a vote been completedThursday, the strategy would have been receivedin time for June 21,National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Hamiltonbegan developing itsUISaimed at building the city's relationship with Indigenous communitiesbackin December 2016 in response to calls for action from Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

More than 500 Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents were consulted forthe strategy through a survey, workshops and community conversations.

That survey found 41 per cent of Indigenous Hamiltoniansexperienced discriminationatsome point when using city services, with another 63 per cent saying they felt it in the broader community.

The strategybreaks down its 40 key directions using three themes Land, People and Spirit.

Among them is a recommendation the city adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as its framework toward reconciliation.

Its directions also include the following among itslist ofshort and long-term actions:

• Involving Indigenous people in municipal decision-making that will affect them.
• Morerepresentation of Indigenous people in the city through art and public education totake on racism and stereotypes.
• Increasing the number of Indigenous employees with the city and Indigenous health-care professionals.
• More opportunities for residents to play Indigenous sports and hosting major sports events for Indigenous athletes.
• Ensuring Indigenous stories and localhistory are part ofthe city's official archives.
• Setting up an Indigenous Cultural Centre that can offerinterpretive programming and provideplace ceremonies and cultural events.

In pointing to itsaccomplishments over the past three years, the report for the committee says "significant progress" has been made in terms of building a stronger relationship between the city and Indigenous residents.

Also on the list ofaccomplishments is a new land acknowledgement statement that was settled on with input from the Six Nations Elected Council andMississaugas of the Credit First Nation, along with aUse of Indigenous Medicines Policy that's described as "one of the first such policies for a Canadian municipality."

Other accomplishments include the raising of Indigenous flags at city hall,a celebration of National Indigenous History Month, aKAIROS Blanket Exercise for more than 100 participants and an Indigenous Cultural Competency Training pilot for 50 city staff.

Looking forward, the report says the strategy's"path to reconciliation" will see staff sharing its recommendations and developing a plan to implement it with timelines, specific actions and budgetary impacts,which is to be shared with the community and council by the end of 2019.