Elbow Mayor Rob Hundeby and FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron sign MOU. Photo by Dean Bear.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the town of Elbow are encouraging Saskatchewan’s municipalities to continue the journey to reconciliation.
The FSIN and the town of Elbow signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday which will look to eliminate racism by providing educational initiatives for the staff and elected officials of the municipality, including history of treaty, residential schools, colonialism and the treaty and inherent rights of Indigenous people.
Elbow Mayor Rob Hundeby met with FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron in February with an interest in working together after hearing Cameron’s speech highlighting reconciliation at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) Convention.
Hundeby said non-First Nations people have to change their attitudes about Indigenous people in the province.
“We have all participated in off-colored jokes at the local watering hole and just sloughed it off. No one seemed to take a stand. And that was wrong. This world is changing. We are all equal and he have to respect one another and treat each other as human beings,” he said.
Chief Cameron said it takes a lot of heart and courage for a leader to stand up to an issue like racism and applauded the mayor for reaching out and wanting to do something about it.
“We have to and we must work together for a brighter future for our children,” he said.
“We live here together on our treaty and ancestral lands. We raise our children together, and we’re called upon by the treaties to work together for the peace and prosperity of everyone. There are no better experts than First Nations people themselves, our elders, leaders and youth.”
Hundeby says he is making sure his children aren’t brought up with the same beliefs and encourages them to follow his Christian walk.
“Asking for forgiveness and accepting forgiveness is the only way true reconciliation can happen. We can all change. Let’s educate and create awareness,” he said.
Hundeby is encouraging all members of the province’s urban municipality and rural municipality associations to work with First Nations people and their organizations to forge, move forward and work together on positive, life-changing relationships.
“I’m hoping that each and every municipality to join the FSIN in this initiative, in the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation and friendship, to leave a foundation on these values for our future generations,” said Hundeby.
Cameron said the education part will be done through the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and its Speaker’s Bureau which will bring staff at the Elbow town office up to speed on important issues like the Treaties that affect Saskatchewan, the effects of residential schools on First Nations people and colonialism.
Cameron also said there is also a booklet called the Ten Principles of Treaty that will be sent out to a number of organizations including SARM and SUMA.