THUNDER BAY - The city of Thunder Bay continues to make efforts to create awareness and provide educational opportunities to the public on the shared history of the area with Indigenous peoples.
On Tuesday, as part of Treaties Recognition Week, Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro and Regina Mandamin, manager Indigenous relations and inclusion with the city, unveiled a permanent display of the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850 in the lobby of City Hall.
“This treaty posting in city hall in a permanent fashion is another symbolic gesture but an important gesture of the city of Thunder Bay’s commitment to improving relations and honouring and recognizing the original peoples here, notably the Ojibway of Fort William First Nation and the Metis people and the sacrifices that were made to facilitate settlement back in 1850,” said Mandamin.
The treaty was signed on Sept. 7, 1850 in Sault Ste. Marie by Ojibway Chiefs along the shores of Lake Superior from the Pigeon River to Batchawanda Bay and the Crown, represented by the delegation led by William Benjamin Robinson.
“It’s a good conversation piece to encourage dialogue about treaty relations and also talk about some of the difficult truths,” Mandamin said. “With reconciliation you need to share some of the difficult truths as well.”
A second permanent sign will be added to council chambers following renovations. Several other organizations throughout the city have also installed the treaty, including Confederation College and the Thunder Bay Police Service.
“For me, I think the last number of years we’ve all, as a country, arrived at bit of a watershed moment as we deal with reconciliation issues,” Mauro said. “This is one smaller part of what we are doing as a community in Thunder Bay to acknowledge that work and the work that still needs to be done.”
Mandamin will be bringing the Indigenous relations and inclusion strategy to city council later this year and Mauro the city will embrace any educational opportunities to enhance relations with Indigenous people.
“Anything that provides an opportunity to educate people about the history of Canada and the history of the Indigenous population I think is a way we can move the yard sticks forward in terms of the relationships and reconciliation,” he said. “This is one small example of that.”
“We need to encourage people to feel brave enough to have these conversations ad promoting awareness and raising community consciousness on these important issues,” Mandamin added.
