[00:00:02]
[1. Councillor Payne will read the Opening Statement.]
THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT HAS BEEN A TRADITIONAL LAND OF YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURAL CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS ALLIANCE AND ALL FIRST NATIONS METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. THERE WERE NO AWARDS CEREMONIES OR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE AGENDA.
[Items 3 & 4 ]
COUNCILLOR PAYNE. I MOVE THAT MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2023 BE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION.THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR COCHRANE ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS? SEEING NONE.
NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SEEING NONE. THERE WAS NO CORRESPONDENCE, NOR WERE THERE ANY PETITIONS FOR THE AGENDA.
THERE WERE NO STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE AGENDA.
THERE WERE NO DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDAS.
THERE WERE NO STATEMENTS FOR THE AGENDA.
BUT WE DO HAVE STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR.
[10. Are there any Member statements from the floor?]
DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH.SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE DAY OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION.
OCTOBER 4TH DAY OF ACTION FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.
THERE HAS BEEN MUCH TO REFLECT ON THESE PAST FEW WEEKS DISCUSSING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD? THERE IS CONFUSION IN CANADA ABOUT THE CONNOTATION, AND I FEEL THE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE THESE WORDS STIR MANY EMOTIONS.
RECONCILIATION IS NOT ABOUT MAKING THE WHITE MAN PAY.
TO BELIEVE THAT IN 2023 THERE IS NO HATRED TOWARDS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IS TO BE BLIND.
RACISM, EVEN IN OUR FAIR TOWN IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL.
I WITNESSED BEAUTIFUL WORDS BY JIM LYNN.
HE SO ELOQUENTLY IDENTIFIED THAT THE PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION IS NOT SOLELY ON THE SHOULDERS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, NOR IS IT ON THE SHOULDERS OF NON INDIGENOUS, BUT RATHER WE MUST ALL CARRY THIS BURDEN SO THAT WE MAY MOVE FORWARD.
HE CARRIED THIS LARGE BINDER FILLED WITH THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN WHO DID NOT RETURN HOME.
A PROJECT OF HIS OWN MAKING AS A REMINDER OF THE ATROCITY.
A REMINDER THAT THESE HORRORS DIDN'T JUST AFFECT THOSE CHILDREN, BUT IT AFFECTED THEIR PARENTS, THEIR GRANDPARENTS, THEIR ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. TO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOUR LOVED ONE, LET ALONE YOUR CHILD IS HORRIFIC.
AND I REITERATE THE SAME SENTIMENT.
ALLIES, IT IS NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK IN OUR STEAD.
THESE ARE OUR STORIES, OUR EXPERIENCES, BUT RATHER SUPPORT US WHEN OUR VOICES BECOME SHAKY.
AND IF OUR PRESENCE THREATENS YOU, THEN ASK YOURSELF WHY? IT IS ONLY THEN THAT WE CAN GET TO THE ROOT OF THIS HATRED.
FIVE YEARS AGO, I PLEDGED MYSELF TO THIS COUNCIL IN THE FIGHT FOR INDIGENOUS WOMEN, OUR PRESENCE IN SOCIETY, OUR PRESENCE IN GOVERNANCE, OUR SAFETY, EDUCATION, RECOGNITION.
BUT TO BE A NATIVE WOMAN IS A JOURNEY OF SURVIVAL.
SIX OUT OF TEN INDIGENOUS WOMEN WILL EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC ABUSE OR VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFETIME.
[00:05:10]
THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO BE AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN.THIS IS WHAT WHAT WE MUST LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND I AM NO EXCEPTION TO THIS SIX STATISTIC.
I HAVE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE.
THOUGH YOU WILL NOT SEE ANY BRUISES ON MY BODY, MINE WAS THE INVISIBLE KIND.
THE KIND THAT LINGERS LONG AFTER.
AFFECTING ONE'S MENTAL HEALTH.
LEAVING ONE QUESTIONING THEIR SELF-WORTH, THEIR VALUE.
AND BECAUSE IT IS INVISIBLE, IT IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
BUT NOT ONLY DO OUR INDIGENOUS WOMEN HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY, NO.
IN A SYSTEM THAT WAS MEANT TO ERASE ANY TRACE OF THEIR CULTURE.
MY STORY IS ONE OF MANY THAT ARE JUST LIKE IT.
BUT LIKE ANY STORY, THERE IS ALWAYS AN ENDING.
SOME ARE HAPPY AND SOME ARE TRAGIC.
I HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.
TODAY I REAFFIRM MY POSITION ON COUNCIL.
I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THE WORD RESILIENCE TO DESCRIBE ME.
I AM HERE TO REPRESENT WOMEN, INDIGENOUS WOMEN.
I WILL BE THEIR VOICE UNTIL THEY ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO SPEAK THEIR OWN TRUTHS.
AND THEN WE CAN BE STRONG TOGETHER.
[INAUDIBLE] COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
[INAUDIBLE] MADAM CHAIR AND [INAUDIBLE] TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE FOR THAT, VERY THOUGHTFUL REMINDER.
IT'S A BRUTAL REMINDER THAT POLITICAL DISCOURSE HAS REAL REPERCUSSIONS.
MAY OUR DISCUSSIONS HERE IN THESE CHAMBERS AND BEYOND REFLECT THOSE VALUES ALWAYS.
ANY FURTHER MEMBER STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.
NEXT, WE HAVE INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.
WE HAVE OUR GOVERNANCE AND COMMITTEE REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 25TH.
[Items 11 & 12]
COUNCILLOR PAYNE IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ITEM.I MOVE THAT COUNCIL DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO SEEK EXTERNAL EXPERTISE TO COMPLETE AN AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT TRIPLE A OF THE 2023 NORTH SLAVE COMPLEX WILDFIRE EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR HENDRIKSEN OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION.
SEEING NONE. I THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY LENGTHY DISCUSSION LAST GPC IN THIS ONE, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESPONSE AND AGAIN, IT WILL BE A NUMBER OF UPDATES COMING FORWARD, INCLUDING THE INTERIM AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FINAL.
SO WITH THAT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[13. Councillor Payne moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That Council adopt the Access for All Policy.]
I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT THE ACCESS FOR ALL POLICY.THANK YOU. AND JUST TO NOTE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE POLICY WAS UPDATED TO ACTUALLY SHOW THAT IT COMES INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S NOT A SECOND PART TO THE MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR MCGURK OPENING IT UP TO DISCUSSION.
FOR MYSELF I SUPPORT THE ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM, HOWEVER, THE WAY THAT THIS
[00:10:09]
POLICY IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, I'M NOT IN FAVOR.I YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN, IT WILL ONLY BE UPDATED ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS VERSUS THE CURRENT, WHICH IS THE NORTHERN MARKET BASKET MEASURE THAT GETS ADJUSTED BY CPI EVERY YEAR. IT'S MORE COMPLICATED FOR STAFF TO ADMINISTER AND IT DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THE MEASURES THAT THE TERRITORIAL AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT USE.
SO AS A RESULT, I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST IT TODAY.
BUT I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE THE POLICY IN PRINCIPLE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? AND THAT CARRIES WITH COUNCILLOR WARBURTON MYSELF, COUNCIL DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH AND COUNCILLOR PAYNE OPPOSED.
THERE WAS NO NEW BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE. THERE WERE NO BYLAWS FOR THE AGENDA.
THERE WAS NO DEFERRED BUSINESS AND THERE WERE NO TABLED ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY DEFERRED BUSINESS OR ARE THERE ANY TABLED ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WAS NO OLD BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY NOTICES OF MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
THERE WERE NO ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FOR THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE, IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
OUR NEXT MEETING, OUR GPC IS GOING TO BE CANCELED SORRY, NEXT MONDAY.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE MONDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, AND THEN AGAIN AT 7 P.M.
FOR ANY RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO COME MAKE A PRESENTATION ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO
SEE OR NOT SEE INCLUDED IN BUDGET 2024 ARE WELCOME TO COME AND PRESENT AT THAT TIME. WITH THAT, ENJOY THE UPCOMING WEEK.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.