INNISFAIL - Town council has formally approved its Anti-Racial Discrimination & Anti-Racism Policy, and officially endorsed the anti-racism vision of the new Welcoming & Inclusive Community Committee.
The approval and endorsement were made official at council’s regular meeting on July 27. There was no council discussion for the green-lighting of the two issues, except one short comment from mayor Jim Romane.
“I think it is just great what you have done to pull it together,” said Romane, noting the members of the welcoming committee who attended the council meeting.
Council’s endorsement of the committee’s vision also came with an approval to grant the committee with $2,000 to set up joint training and workshops.
“I’m very pleased with the endorsement and we look forward to working with the town and the various stakeholders with the community,” said Jason Heistad, a co-chair of the welcoming committee who gave council a presentation on July 20. He said the first two training sessions are planned for Aug. 17 and 31.
Council was told on July 20 the committee’s goals are to have conversations to learn about the issues and challenges citizens of different backgrounds encounter in Innisfail.
The committee is also pledging to educate local citizens about what a welcoming and inclusive community is or should be. Members further want to promote awareness, training and education, as well as build community capacity and cultural understanding. The committee has also set a goal to develop a dialogue with local schools, businesses and the municipality about issues of concern connected to anti-racism.
The committee, the fourth one since it first began in town in 2005, was created following the anti-racism rally on June 13, which also triggered the town to immediately begin working on its own anti-racism policy.
The approved document sets out a statement of principles and responsibilities for council members, administration, employees, volunteers and contractors. These include a commitment by the town to promote an inclusive, respectful and welcoming environment for everyone, one that is free from racial discrimination and racism.
The mayor, who shocked local citizens in early June with a declaration to support the controversial anti-racism rally, as well as making a public apology for his lack of understanding on the issue, said council and local citizens can now seize the education opportunities the new bylaw and welcoming committee will provide.
“It will certainly be an education process for all of us. I am looking at it positively,” said Romane, acknowledging that racism does exist in the community. “It exists in every community, and for me it will be an education process, learning and working with people to try to make their lives fuller for living in Innisfail.
“I am looking forward to it. It will take some time and time from staff,” he said, adding it’s important to keep the momentum going. “There’s no point spending time now if we are not going to continue and keep it active. For me it is going to be the committee that will be the driving force for council, to keep us up to date and how we can work with situations. It will be a learning process for everybody, no doubt.”
