Winnipeg, MB –The City of Winnipeg is developing a process and policy to guide how the City recognizes and commemorates various historical people and events, place names, plaques, signs, and street names.
The City is launching the second phase of community engagement on this initiative, using community feedback gathered in phase one. Feedback gathered in phase one showed that participants felt strongly that all options presented for recognizing historical people and events should be explored, with options to create new, to add to, or to remove historical markers. A proposed process has been developed to guide how we move forward in reconciling our City’s history, and throughout July, the City will be meeting with community members to discuss the proposed process and to gather feedback on how applications will be evaluated through the process.
The feedback gathered through the public engagement process will be compiled and used to help refine and further develop recommendations for Council’s consideration in fall 2019.
“The City of Winnipeg is committed to a Journey of Reconciliation and this component of Reconciling our History is just one way that we are demonstrating our commitment,” said Rhonda Forgues, Manager, Indigenous Relations Division. “We have an opportunity to enhance our relationship with Indigenous Peoples and the traditional lands on which Winnipeg was built. This initiative supports our work through the Calls to Actions related to municipalities, particularly UNDRIP and the articles that speak to ensuring Indigenous peoples have the right to have their histories appropriately reflected in public information.”
Community members are invited to get involved in phase two, either online or in-person, to have their say in the future of creating a Welcoming Winnipeg.
- Complete an online survey to help improve and refine the proposed process. The survey will be available until August 2, 2019.
- Participate in an in-person community discussion to discuss proposed process and criteria for evaluating proposals to recognize and commemorate our history. Please RSVP to welcomingwpg@winnipeg.ca.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, July 18, 2019 | 5 pm – 8p.m. | Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre 445 King St. |
| Tuesday, July 23, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Neeginan Centre 181 Higgins Ave. |
| Tuesday, July 30, 2019 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Manitoba Metis Federation 180 Henry Ave. |
Background:
In July 2010, the Canadian, Provincial and Municipal government parties signed the Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) to work together and better align resources to improve socio-economic outcomes for the Indigenous peoples in Winnipeg and to improve the capacity of Indigenous organizations to carry-out their mandates.
The three parties collaborated on the development of priority areas in which to achieve these goals and from this, Welcoming Winnipeg was created. Dialogue across the country on shared history in various cities specific to markers, plaques and names prompted action in Winnipeg and is one aspect of the Welcoming Winnipeg initiative.
This component of the Welcoming Winnipeg initiative is just one aspect of the reconciliation process we, as a city, are committed to, and will help ensure that the contributions, experiences, and perspectives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit are reflected truthfully in our stories, historical markers, and place names.
For more information, visit winnipeg.ca/welcomingwinnipeg.