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Winnipeg
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Thursday, December 15, 2016
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The cost of truth and reconciliation ... and why this councillor doesn’t think it’s worth it
residential schools
Browaty opposes training city workers on the system’s legacy Stephanie Taylor
Metro | Winnipeg The city’s grass cutters, payroll clerks and pothole fillers shouldn’t have to take residential school system training. That’s according to one Winnipeg city councillor, who later apologized for his comments on Wednesday, while still standing behind them. “Taking away or paying employees overtime to attend this type of training, taking them away from cutting the grass, filling potholes, providing the services we count on, I don’t think that is our position,” Coun. Jeff Browaty said during a council meeting on Wednesday. Apart from his opposition,
councillors voted in favour of training city workers on the legacy of the country’s residential school system. This follows a recommendation in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report. Browaty said he supports Mayor Brian Bowman’s commitment to reconciliation, but that he draws the line at spending extra money to train employees. Around 90 minutes later, Browaty issued a statement apologizing for his comments and clarifying his concern was about the absence of any costs related to the training from the report. “In reality, they’re talking about taking people away from their jobs for a 1/2 day session,” reads the statement. “In the course of a year, the City of Winnipeg issues around 10,000 T-4 slips. That would equal 5,000 working days people would be away from their jobs and in this training. I don’t think it’s necessary for a grass cutter, payroll clerk or pothole filler to take this training.” “I apologize if my comments
metro file
offended anyone. I simply don’t see this as the city’s role.” Browaty was the sole councillor to vote against an information report on how the city is working to implement some of the 94 TRC calls to action.
There is a cost to inaction, he said, adding the commission’s calls to action are just that, and are not an option. “Whether you look at policing, health-care costs and other support organizations, many of which are, I believe, the results of the legacy that we have as a country to deal with in terms of residential schools,” Bowman told reporters outside council chambers. Bowman said he has heard Browaty voice these concerns before behind closed doors, but was surprised to hear him oppose the report on Wednesday. He told reporters he will now review how Browaty’s comments impact his role as chair of the Winnipeg Police Board — a committee that deals heavily with issues in the city’s indigenous community.
I apologize if my comments offended anyone. I simply don’t see this as the city’s role. The report says staff have already developed a half-day training session on residential schools, which would be led by elders and other cultural leaders, and begin in 2017 until every employee has participated. Browaty’s fellow councillors did not share his concerns. “If you vote against this report, you are voting against Truth and Reconciliation,” said Coun. Matt Allard. Bowman said Browaty’s comments demonstrates the need for greater education on the topic.
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