Edmonton builds foundation to be strong urban Aboriginal centre

By the time Edmonton claims the title of the Canadian city with the highest urban Aboriginal population, Mayor Don Iveson wants to have laid a foundation that creates caring, welcoming Edmontonians.

“I think it’s worth celebrating …that we’re on track to have the largest Aboriginal urban population, but ensuring by the time we get there this is a more respectful place, that we have achieved some measure of reconciliation, and that we’ve combatted racism and negative stereotypes,” said Iveson.

Iveson, who inherited a municipal government already moving in the direction of positive Aboriginal relations under his predecessor Stephen Mandel, has stepped up the work. Workplace learning, which includes an understanding of Aboriginal culture, history and residential schools, has been imparted on the city’s 11,000 employees. Ceremonial spaces are in the process of being developed within Edmonton, in places culturally significant to the urban Aboriginal population. And a youth leadership conference, which included intercultural dialogue and future direction for the city, was held in March.

On a personal level, Iveson continues to wear the pin he received last year, when Edmonton hosted the seventh and final national event for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and he was inducted as an honourary witness. He says the pin, the flying of the Treaty 6 flag at City Hall, and his verbal recognition of Edmonton in Treaty 6 territory when he hosts events, all open the door to discussion.

“My respect has been deepened immeasurably by being asked to be an honourary witness and I’ve taken the responsibility to honour the truth of the (residential school) survivors’ accounts and to be an advocate for reconciliation very seriously and I happen to have the platform as mayor of the city to tell that truth and to foster reconciliation activity,” said Iveson.

Muriel Stanley Venne, chair of the Alberta Aboriginal Commission on Human Rights and Justice, is encouraged by Iveson’s approach. “It opens doors for us for the city to be an active participant.”

But there is much work to be done, she says, and points to incidences like Cree Elder Gary Moostoos being thrown out of City Centre Mall by security guards last December and the appointment of a non-Aboriginal officer to liaise between the Edmonton City Police and the Aboriginal community.

Iveson agrees the work is far from over. A 2010 Urban Aboriginal Peoples study said many Aboriginals in Edmonton felt they were viewed negatively.

“I don’t think much has changed in those five years. I think changing attitudes is going to take a really long time unfortunately. I find that very frustrating, I find it unjust, but a lot of that stigma runs very, very deep,” he said. “That’s why reconciliation is going to take more than a year. But it’s worth doing.”

The city declared a Year of Reconciliation to follow last year’s national TRC event in Edmonton.

“We’re exploring a lot of things that will demonstrate pro-active partnership,” said Iveson, who points out that the barriers facing Aboriginal people are unique due to historical trauma and the continued underfunding of education, social programs and housing on First Nations. To that end, the city is working with individual First Nations as well as the Treaty 6 Confederacy and Treaty 8 Tribal Association on housing, post-secondary education projects and economic development in the urban setting.

Iveson also believes that racism is prevalent in every community and Maclean magazine’s tagging of Winnipeg, which is currently home to the largest urban Aboriginal population, as the most racist city in the country does a disservice.  

“First of all, I don’t think that title’s fair to Winnipeg. I think that racism runs just as deep in every community, large or small across the country. Singling one city out makes things worse in Winnipeg rather than calling us all to account for the stigma and racism that is everywhere. This is a Canadian issue. This is not a Winnipeg or Edmonton issue,” he said.

Venne is heartened by the action undertaken by the city and in particular by Iveson’s words.

“They’ve got a long way to go, but painfully and with much distress, we’ve come this far,” she said.

Photo Caption: A march from the Edmonton Convention Centre, the site of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final national event in 2014, marked the conclusion of the Year of Reconciliation declared by the City of  Edmonton.