The relationship between the City of Sarnia and Aamjiwnaang First Nation figured prominently as the city’s new council was sworn in Tuesday.
The relationship between the City of Sarnia and Aamjiwnaang First Nation figured prominently when the city’s new council was officially sworn in Tuesday.
“We’ve gone through some big challenges, but we continue to keep talking and talking and talking to each other,” newly re-elected mayor Mike Bradley said with emotion, “and I think that’s critically important for any relationship.”
Aamjiwnaang Chief Chris Plain led the ceremony, which included a territorial acknowledgment and the Aamjiwnaang Binoojiinyag Kino Maagewgamgoons Early Learning Center kindergartners singing O Canada to mark the occasion.
The chief, meanwhile, noted water and wastewater pipes through the Lambton Area Water Supply System, police and fire protection agreements with the city, and ongoing shared projects to improve infrastructure on the First Nation have contributed to residents there feeling safer and more comfortable.
“Because forever and a long time, we never really felt safe,” Plain said. “We always wanted to stick together.”
The chief urged the incoming council — Bradley and councilors Bill Dennis, Brian White, Chrissy McRoberts, Dave Boushy, Adam Kilner, Anne Marie Gillis, George Vandenberg and Terry Burrell — to continue to invest in things like sidewalks and street lights in the First Nation territory.
Plain noted it’s been more than 195 years since the treaty signing of 1827 that ceded their lands to the British colonial government.
“Here we are, almost 200 years later, and we’re finally starting to see a connection between the City of Sarnia and Aamjiwnaang, and it’s taken a while and it’s grown,” he said. “I’d like to thank the mayor and the city council members, and previous city council members, for bridging those two communities together, so that we feel more comfortable in each others’ (communities).”
Bradley said he’s “treasured” the city’s relationship with the neighboring First Nation over the years. The 11-term mayor also shared a joke with Plain, a nine-term chief, about their shared political longevity.
In his later address, Bradley reaffirmed his vision for the coming term, including ongoing initiatives like the city’s waterfront and growth planswhile keeping debt in check and taking care of the basics before looking at bigger projects amid recession worries and inflation.
He credited the previous council with “getting through the toughest pandemic in 100 years,” praising a “stable leadership” that “kept the taxes low and got the debt reduced further.”
Ongoing focuses include growing and diversifying the city’s population with a college-led immigration strategy, as well as growing an economic base that doesn’t rely on petrochemicals, he said.
“We can be leading the change,” he said. “Hydrogen hub and all the things we have here that other communities don’t have.”
Bradley also noted the importance of social issues like homelessness and addictions, saying there should be discussions about the city having a greater role in decision making when the city and the County of Lambton enter agreement renewal discussions.
“How that works and how it’s going to happen, I do not know,” he said, “but I want to have that discussion.”
Terry Mills piped council in and out of the ceremony while the oath of office was administered by Justice Paul Kowalyshyn, whose late father served on council for years.
In its first vote, council unanimously agreed to name Council. Bill Dennis as acting mayor, a position that involves performing the actions of mayor, including chairing council meetings, when Bradley is unavailable.
The job in the term’s first year goes to the councilor who received the most votes in the municipal election and then passes each year to the next councilor on the vote-share list.
The order for this term is Dennis, Chrissy McRoberts, Brian White and Dave Boushy.
Outgoing Coun. Mike Stark was also honored for his service.
Bradley urged councilors to be respectful, committed, and visionary.
“If you bring the community in and they’re on board with you and they accept the direction … then you can do some great things,” he said.
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