A scathing letter from the Grand Chief of the Huron Wendat Nation regarding the city’s stance on the Champlain Monument was not discussed at last night’s city council meeting.
In the letter, Konrad Sioui said his First Nation “deeply disapproves” of Orillia City Council’s recent resolution calling for the re-installment of the Champlain Monument in its original state.
"The Huron-Wendat Nation does not support the re-installment of Parks Canada's offensive and degrading monument in Orillia 's Couchiching Beach Park,” wrote Sioui.
“Not only would such an action undermine and challenge reconciliation efforts with Indigenous Peoples, but it would also perpetuate a disgraceful perception of our Peoples as being submissive, subservient and obedient to the French Crown and considered an inferior class of citizens.”
The letter was simply "received as information" and referred to the cit'ys parks, recreation and culture department.
Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke said he has the “utmost respect” for Sioui and his First Nation, but has a different perspective on the issue.
“I do believe our ultimate goals are absolutely aligned and that is to move reconciliation forward meaningfully,” Clarke told OrilliaMatters after the council meeting. “I believe that is what will happen.”
Clarke said it was unfortunate Sioui and others from Huron Wendat Nation, in Quebec, were unable to attend several of the meetings of the working group assembled to tackle “a path forward.”
Huron Wendat was one of six groups represented on that working group along with the City of Orillia, the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and others.
The Mayor and Coun. Tim Lauer were the city’s representatives on that working group which hosted several public consultations, spearheaded an online survey among other tools to garner input on the future of the monument, which was removed two years ago by Parks Canada so it could refurbish the iconic bronze statue crafted by Vernon March.
Its removal sparked debate about its portrayal of First Nations people, leading Parks Canada to delay its return and create the working group.
That working group has apparently reached a conclusion, but it has not yet been made public, said Clarke.
“All stakeholders around that particular working group table brought perspectives from their own people they were representing,” said Clarke.
He said the city’s endorsement of returning the statue, adding interpretive pieces and working with First Nations groups on educational initiatives “really only forms part of the information that is going to Parks Canada.”
He said he believes the community will “hear very, very soon” what the working group has recommended to Parks Canada.
Ultimately, it’s up to Parks Canada, the owner of the monument and the plot of land on which it stands, to make a decision.
“When all is said and done, I … have full faith in Parks Canada that they will bring forward a direction that will make sense,” said the mayor. “I believe it may be one of those scenarios where nobody gets everything thing want.”
While he wouldn’t speculate on Parks Canada’s decision, when pressed, he did say he felt it “would probably be a mistake” if they didn’t return the monument "in some form" to the park.
Whatever happens, Clarke said city council’s stance reflects the majority opinion of the community.
“Coun. Lauer and I felt absolutely compelled to bring that motion forward because that’s what we heard loudly and clearly from the public (at workshops) and from the survey, which was the most responded to survey we’ve done in the city’s history,” said the mayor.
“To reflect anything else, would not have been representing our constituents.”
