CAPITAL CAN BE ‘SHINING LIGHT’
Armchair mayor’s land claims plan
This fall, Ottawa elects a new city council. To help local candidates as they campaign, the Citizen asked people for ONE idea that would make the city a better place. This week, Anishinabe artist Jay Odjick highlights economic partnerships for First Nations.
“United. That’s what this city can be and what it MUST be again. Now, I know … I’m not the obvious choice for mayor. I’m not a politician.”
I’m also not Oliver Queen from Arrow, the character from whom I stole the line above when he was fictionally elected mayor of his fictional city. I’m about to pretend I’m Ottawa’s mayor, the key difference being Ottawa is a very real city (Canada’s best, in my opinion, and I don’t say that out of fictional-mayoral pride).
When I was asked: “Jay, what would you do if you were elected mayor of Ottawa?” I had to give it some very real thought. I was given the mandate of suggesting ONE thing. Now, I know what you’re thinking: That would be one more thing than most elected officials do once they make a promise, right?
So here we are. You, me and this city that we love. There are lots of municipal issues covered very well by this newspaper. I figured we’d cover something that might not be talked about otherwise.
As mayor of Ottawa, I’d institute policy that the city would not support, endorse, or do business with any enterprise or endeavour being launched on First Nations’ land-claim areas unless legitimate, meaningful consultation had been conducted, and most importantly, profit-sharing agreements with the First Nation/Indigenous community holding that land claim were made.
I believe in this city. It can be a shining light, an example to every city in Canada that we can move beyond platitudes and say we want not only reconciliation but improved living conditions for First Nations’ people in this country. The City of Ottawa would lead the way on this and show that by working WITH First Nations and ensuring fairness and equality, we enrich all our lives. Part of reconciliation is economic reconciliation.
Section 92 (ii) of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings calls for Canadian business to ensure that Indigenous peoples “have equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities in the corporate sector, and that Aboriginal communities gain longterm sustainable benefits from economic development projects.” While that’s certainly admirable, it is, simply put, not enough. Across this country, as you read this, resources on First Nations lands are being exploited without any benefit to the people whose lands they’re being taken from.
First Nations’ people had an average total income of $31,519 in 2015, which is 66 per cent of the non-Indigenous average total income. We can do something about that.
All we have to do is reach out and say, let’s try something new. We could accomplish so much together. Ottawa can accomplish it.
United. That’s real, if we want it to be.