This report was prepared for the Region of Niagara, by Niagara Chapter-Native Women Inc., the lead agency chosen by the N.I.C.E. (Niagara Indigenous Community Executives) to conduct the Indigenous community engagements. A total of ten Indigenous organizations within the region assisted with this work.
The report summarizes input gathered to inform the Niagara Region’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, with the intent of addressing root causes of social issues through a strategic, community-based approach. A total of five virtual sessions were offered during February and March, 2021.
The report cites the March 2021 Delaney engagement article, Words are important…they can wound or they can heal article, which states, “It is time to engage with the Indigenous population as true and equal partners, not ‘stakeholders’ but “participating parties”.
The Recommendations and Action section of the report emphasizes that it is imperative for authentic relationship-building to occur between the Region of Niagara and local Indigenous people’s leadership and people.
The N.I.C.E. leaders made three main Recommendations:
- We recommend a permanent joint Roundtable be established quickly, comprised of N.I.C.E. and Regional Councillors with the view to initiating and establishing sustainable relationships and to plan for the first Indigenous Region of Niagara Joint Leadership Summit.
- We recommend that the Region of Niagara make a public formal statement on its intention to address systemic racism within all it’s systems as it pertains to Indigenous people, based on the findings in this report.
- We recommend a joint summit of all of the Indigenous agencies’ Board of Directors and the leadership of the Niagara Region to convene a minimum of once or twice annually to start.
Published By: Niagara Chapter Native Women Inc.
Published Date: 2021
Click here to access Mno Bmaadziwin Living the Good and Healthy Life Community Safety and Wellbeing Indigenous Engagement Report Off-Reserve Niagara Region, Canada 2021
