THUNDER BAY – POLITICS – Last night’s community meeting with Green Party Leadership hopeful David Merner at the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship was an open discussion on issues specific to Thunder Bay.

Adopting a Circle process, the 21 people present focused on issues that affect Indigenous communities in Treaty 3, and Treaty 9. Participants discussed concerns about drinking water, land use, racism, injustice, and economic development.

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Participants agreed that what is best for First Nations Communities in the region is also what is best for Thunder Bay.

“How do we change the conversation to ‘strong families make strong communities’? Strong families build a strong nation. What is good for the families of Couchiching First Nation is also good for the families of Thunder Bay. How do we have that conversation?” asked Robin Rickards.

“It’s sad that racism is becoming normal. I just want future generations to be able to go out in the afternoon and not be afraid” said Tanaya Tomagatick of Moosefactory. Tomagatick is a local community advocate, well known for her support of the Wet’suet’en Hereditary Chiefs and an opponent to the Coastal GasLink Pipeline.

Merner spoke on some of bridge-building between communities in his home community of Saanich, British Columbia.

As the Executive Director of the Dispute Resolution Office in the British Columbia Ministry of Justice, Merner led transformational change to the province’s justice system, promoting equal access to justice for those seeking help through courts, tribunals, and other public agencies.