For the first time, members of the Indigenous community performed a smudging ceremony and drum circle at council Wednesday, to “cleanse minds of negative energy. “And to find clarity and strength and to speak the truth,” said Tasunke Sugar, a member of Cree First Nations, to the chamber. The ritual was followed by another first — council unanimously voted in favour of the city establishing a permanent Indigenous Affairs Office, which the Indigenous community has been requesting for more than 20 years, said city staff. For the office to become a reality, however, council has to approve it in its 2018 budget. Currently unfunded, the office would require four staff and one external consultant, costing $520,000 a year, said a staff report.

Source: thestar December 07, 2017 00:22 UTC