Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, seated centre left, and North Battleford Mayor David Gillan, seated centre right, sign the Declaration of the Inclusive Municipalities at a special event at Finlayson Island on Wednesday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Forging a path towards inclusiveness

Leaders in region gather as city and town sign Declaration of the Inclusive Municipalities

Jun 30, 2021 | 5:56 PM

It was a moving event Wednesday afternoon when the two mayors of the Battlefords came together to sign the Declaration of Inclusive Municipalities.

Area leaders in the region, including representatives from Indigenous communities and the Métis community, also took part to welcome the initiative, and witness the signing during the ceremony at Finlayson Island.

The City of North Battleford and the Town of Battleford are now both members of the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.

“It’s a very important day,” North Battleford Mayor David Gillan said. “It’s a very important signing to join the other 82 cities and towns in this country who are making a declaration against discrimination, and promoting inclusiveness. This is what we really stand for here in the Battlefords.”

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Gillan said the city is looking at certain initiatives, and specific programming to put in place to promote inclusiveness.

“As the chief said, it’s great to talk but where is the walk?” He said. “We are trying to look at specific ways we can address discrimination in the communities, and make it more inclusive for everyone. We will try to come up with something concrete in the future.”

Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie also highlighted the importance of signing on to the Declaration as Inclusive Municipalities.

“What a wonderful day,” he said. “It was hot, but it was a day where many nations and communities came together to acknowledge and fight for a common goal, which is inclusion, diversity and taking steps to address racism, and acknowledge racism within the Battlefords.”

Some of the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition leaders gather for a picture following the event. Pictured (left to right): North Battleford Mayor David Gillan, Lucky Man Cree Nation Chief Crystal Okemow, Sweetgrass First Nation Chief Lori Whitecalf, Little Pine Cree Nation Chief Wayne Semaganis, Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, and Moosomin First Nation Chief Brad Swiftwolfe. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Leslie said he believes the key point is that there is acknowledgement that the communities, “will help keep the Battlefords accountable, to the commitment of addressing racism, inclusion and diversity.”

“I think that’s the big takeaway for me today, that the leadership around this table is willing to work together,” he said. “I don’t know in the history of being part of the Battlefords when that has been possible. Today, we heard we are going to work together to address it. I think today in that, it makes it a very big success.”

Many who attended the event represented the Battlefords’ cultural diversity as well. The Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre was also present. Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill also spoke at the gathering.

Among those who spoke at the event was Lucky Man Cree Nation Chief Crystal Okemow, who is also a member of the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition, made up of representation from the town and city, and five area First Nations.

“To me, what today represents is a change for tomorrow,” she said. “Not just for Indigenous people, but for all peoples that live in Canada. I think we could be an example for other nations, as well.”

Okemow said positive change starts at home.

Seeing the commitment by the local municipalities to forge a path to create inclusiveness in communities, Okemow said, is a sign of hope that other communities will also want to take a stand.

She is optimistic that this initiative of promoting inclusive communities will become widespread, so “this is going to be the status quo, not what has been status quo in the past.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow