In honour of Truth and Reconciliation Day (today), Midland Mayor Bill Gordon put forth a request of council to give water access back to local residents with Métis or Indigenous status.
During the 2022 budget, Gordon pushed a plan to generate more revenue by charging boat launch fees at Pete Pettersen Park, which had been free for decades.
When that idea was endorsed by his colleagues, he was successful in adding an amendment to remove residents and leave non-residents to pay following community displeasure; that was further amended during the 2023 budget to charge residents $100 per permit.
Gordon returned to the recent regular meeting of council with another change of altruistic value, although he did acknowledge a budgetary impact to the move.
“(This was) something that came to my attention in talking with several Indigenous people from both Métis and First Nations, that the cost recovery thing we chose to do for the boat launch imposed an unintentional barrier to their traditional access,” said Gordon.
To implement, Gordon admitted he didn’t know the financial impact but argued that “when it comes to Truth and Reconciliation calls to action, we shouldn't be asking what it costs us.
“There are few mechanisms we as a municipality can do that are truly, I think, meaningful. And this is something, in talking with our residents in Midland who are either Métis or First Nation, feel that would be an olive branch and a truly nice gesture to do,” Gordon noted.
For their opinions, both Coun. Bill Meridis and Jim Downer were against the motion from a financial standpoint given the town’s need for revenue. Coun. Jamie-Lee Ball and Sheldon East sided with Gordon.
“On the 30th of September,” reasoned Gordon, “I would like to know – or at least have tried – to implement something meaningful as a municipal response to the many calls for action that are available to municipalities.”
In the meeting, he read aloud the 47th item of reconciliation relating to royal proclamations and covenants of reconciliation: ‘We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous peoples and lands, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, and to reform those laws, government policies, and litigation strategies that continue to rely on such concepts.’
Deputy Mayor Jack Contin provided his thoughts on the motion, and the reasons he was supporting it.
“We have to realize that Midland’s population is at a high percentage of Indigenous people, whether it's Métis or status Indians from the First Nations in the area. We have transient First Nation people that have come into Midland; they call home now,” said Contin.
“Historically, the rights to the land and to the water came through the British government and the Royal Park Proclamation of 1763, which gave the Indigenous rights to hunt and fish. Unfortunately in 1923, it was the First Nations that lost that – the local First Nations. It wasn't until last year that they got their fishing rights back and their way of life.
“We have a huge Métis population which is considered to be the homeland which is defined by the Métis Nation of Ontario,” Contin added. “There is an onus on council to look at this as a good neighbor gesture, but also as a partner with community.”
A recorded vote resulted in the motion being carried 7-to-2.
The policy is set to go into effect January 1, with waived boat launch fees for any Midland residents possessing a valid government of Canada Indigenous status or Métis Nation of Ontario citizenship document.
The parking update and considerations report, including information on the Pete Pettersen Park boat launch and fees, is available in full in the council agenda on the town of Midland website.
Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.
