Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg is proud to introduce the newly established Welcoming Winnipeg Committee of Community Members, who will make recommendations to help guide the decisions regarding requests to create new, add to, or remove/rename historical markers and place names and resolve the absence of Indigenous perspectives, experiences, and contributions in stories remembered and commemorated.
The eight members of the community committee are:
- Robert Gendron
- Mabel Horton
- Albert McLeod
- Reanna Merasty
- Dr. Erin Millions
- Angelic Mojica
- Raymond Sokalski
- Katherena Vermette
Additionally, Tricia Chestnut has been designated by the Mayor as an ex-officio member.
On January 30, 2020, Council passed a motion to adopt the Welcoming Winnipeg: Reconciling our History Policy. Part of this process included establishing a Committee of Community Members to review Welcoming Winnipeg applications and provide recommendations for Council’s consideration. The committee will host delegations and community presentations to gather public feedback. Additionally, they will provide input and advice to the Indigenous Relations Division to align existing and newly created processes related to creating new, adding to or removing/renaming historical makers and place names.
The Welcoming Winnipeg initiative is just one aspect of the reconciliation process the City of Winnipeg is 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.