Sudbury city council to vote on creation of Indigenous advisory panel

Sudbury's mayor will table a motion to create a permanent 12-member Indigenous advisory panel. The group aims to guide the city on reconciliation policies.

Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre is bringing a motion to city council next week seeking the creation of an Indigenous advisory panel.

Its mandate would be “to provide guidance to the City of Greater Sudbury in developing and implementing policies, processes and initiatives that are inclusive of Indigenous community members, ensuring active engagement in responding to the Calls to Action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada,” the terms of reference states.

Lefebvre said he wants the panel to continue long after this current council is gone.

“Today, we have a group of individuals that want to see this happen and that’s why we were having discussions before. But how do we make this permanent?” he said.

“Having a growing Indigenous population in Greater Sudbury and in the area, I think there’s a lot of potential to address some of the issues and some of the potential outcomes that are positives for everybody.”

The idea for the panel came four years ago, along with the idea of an Indigenous relations coordinator. Both are meant to advance reconciliation efforts and build engagement with Indigenous communities.

Christian Naponse has been the city’s Indigenous relations coordinator for the past two years and would be the city staff representative on the panel.

The group would include representation from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Wahnapitae First Nation, Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services, N’Swakamok Indigenous Friendship Centre, Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services, Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre, youth, elders and other community members.

“Just so that we have a fulsome representation of different age groups and different socio-economic groups and things like that. So that the input that they give, and the advice they give and the guidance they give, is done to the best of our ability,” Naponse said.

The panel would play a key role in “the development of certain policies,” she added.

The panel also responds to Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which Naponse said some are municipal specific like hiring practices, procurement, etc.

Addressing Reconciliation appeals to Amelia McComber, an Indigenous practitioner and educator.

“I work in the field, I’ve lived in the shoes, and I’ve also grown up in the neighbourhood,” McComber said.

“I feel it is a good step forward, as we are all collectively starting to reconcile with the horrific past that we’ve been through and the only way we can do that is by coming together to meet as friends around a table.”

Naponse said the panel would also help pull together resources, for example, different drum groups or elders needed for various events across the city.

The Indigenous advisory panel would have a maximum of 12 members and would meet four times a year. If approved, Lefebvre said he hopes to have the group in place by October.

“To me, it just makes so much sense that we work as a community together with other communities, and certainly with members of our community as well, to reach our better potential together,” he said.