Bruce County’s Executive Committee has passed a recommendation to commit $150,000 for the Indigenous Reconciliation Planning Initiative.
A report was brought forward by Interim CAO Christine MacDonald during their meeting on Jan. 20. It recommend spending the $150,000, $60,000 of which is already included in the 2022 budget. The remaining $90,000 would then be included in the 2023 budget.
The report says in 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was set up to document the effects of residential schools on Indigenous people.
The commission issued 94 calls to action, which were mainly addressed to federal, provincial and territorial government, but also to municipal. They cover a range of government responsibilities including child welfare, education, language and culture, health, justice, commemoration, museum and archives, training for public servants, and initiatives geared for reconciliation.
The Bruce County reconciliation initiative takes aim at building Indigenous cultural awareness and intercultural capacity and competency across the region.
The objectives of the initiative are to build a common foundation for reconciliation through an increase of Indigenous cultural understanding and awareness across Bruce County as an organization including having staff receive cultural awareness training.
The reconciliation plan seeks to develop through varying levels of collaboration with Indigenous people, a plan which is unique to the county, helps achieve specific goals and objectives for reconciliation, and establishes actionable items to be implemented.
The report says this planned approach would occur in phases over two years.
It would start this year, accompanied by an estimated cost of $150,000 that would be split. $60,000 would be paid in year one and $90,000 in year two.
Bruce County has and is taking steps to improve Indigenous relationships with surrounding communities including having book displays and recommended reads on residential schools at the Bruce County Public Library. The library also acknowledges June as Indigenous history month with activities, programming and collection highlights.
School programming and tours with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation have also occurred, along with the development of a Legacy Space for Bruce County by partnering with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.
The report lists several programs and opportunities the county is looking to establish. These include including setting up a relationships committee, organize a network with Indigenous service providers, and have Indigenous programming delivered by Indigenous staff.
“It is quite something to see it all on paper. because we are doing a lot but to see that huge list really confirms the effort that Bruce County is making towards reconciliation,” says Warden Janice Jackson.