Community News

MORE THAN JUST WORDS

At nearly every gathering in Hamilton whether by city councillors or community groups, the host recites a land acknowledgement recognizing the legacy of the Indigenous peoples' generational independence despite the colonization they have endured on the very land that was taken from them.

The importance of the land acknowledgement should not be dismissed since the contribution and legacy of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which includes the Hamilton area and is composed of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, was instrumental in crafting the city's Urban Indigenous Strategy in 2019.

At the beginning of the strategy, the city outlines in simple terms that it will be committed to "having a trusting relationship with Indigenous communities where we communicate and work together ..." The city will "provide a clear picture of what goes on 'behind the scenes' and answer for the decisions and actions that are taken ..." and that the city will "consult Indigenous communities with integrity and in good faith."

If that is the bedrock that Hamilton, its staff and councillors are ready and willing to uphold with its Indigenous partners, then why does the city have a tension-filled relationship with the Haudenosaunee representatives on the Joint Stewardship Board of the Red Hill Valley?

It was somewhat of a surprise that the city had authorized an environmental assessment of the Red Hill Valley Parkway with the ultimate goal to widen the roadway without even talking to the Haudenosaunee representatives about the project. It was also discovered that the city was not in "compliance" with the stewardship agreement and has not been for some time.

This attitude by the city toward the Haudenosaunee was not readily apparent early.

From 2007 to 2012, there was a series of successes by the board. The city and the Six Nations collaborated on the ecological restoration of the Red Hill Valley. The board contracted Indigenous consulting and training to conduct an inventory and develop a recovery plan to understand the type and health of Indigenous medicine plants that are in the valley. Protection efforts for threatened plant stands involved seed recovery, replanting or relocation of some rare or significant species.

But the successes of protecting the valley's natural environment is blunted by the city's ignorance of the Indigenous people's right to oversee the land they have been preserving for generations.

To be sure, over the years, the city has been attempting to reach out to the community's Indigenous population, but it continues to fail at discussing vital issues with Indigenous representatives and in keeping its promises.

Councillors and staff should remember that a promise made is a promise that should be kept, and that keeping one's word will go a long way to repairing a frayed relationship.

OPINION EDITORIAL

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2022-06-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281505049896324

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