Indigenous Framework

Community Engagement 
The initiative started with one-to-one meetings with 40 external communities, stakeholders, businesses, orders of government and institutions where the conversation revolved around, “How can the City best support the urban Indigenous population?”

Formation of an Interdepartmental Working Group
In Winter 2018, a Corporate Steering Committee was formed to champion the work. It includes representatives from the City’s 7 departments, Edmonton Public Library and Edmonton Police Service.

Consultants from the University of Alberta Join the Team
Dr. Pat Makokis and Dr. Fay Fletcher, who have expertise in Indigenous community engagement, joined the project to support internal and external relationship building. Dr. Lana Whiskeyjack later replaced Dr. Makokis on the project team.

Community Engagement 

• In the Winter of 2019, one-to-one meetings were held with 40 + community partners to ask if they could recommend an Elder or Knowledge Keeper to help guide this work
• Elders and Knowledge Keepers were invited to attend a gathering with City staff

Elders and Knowledge-Keepers Gathering #1  

• On March 25, 2019, Elders, knowledge-keepers, Indigenous youth and City staff attended a full-day gathering
• Elders and Knowledge Keepers advised the City  to begin the next phase in ceremony
• Through Circle consensus, Elders Tom Snow and Theresa Cardinal were agreed upon to lead us in a pipe ceremony
• Elders recommended that we engage the broader Indigenous community on the 4 roles

Ceremony #1

• On April 24, 2019, Elders Tom Snow and Theresa Cardinal lifted their pipes to begin this work in a good way and prayed for a name to protect and guide this work
• By entering into this ceremony, the City of Edmonton made a commitment to Indigenous Peoples in Edmonton to continue to move this work forward and to continue to build stronger relationships

Indigenous Name for the Framework

• Wahigicicobi is a Iethka Nakoda word given to us through ceremony to guide this framework, meaning “kinship relationships”
• Elders shared with us the nehiyaw (Cree) concept of wâhkôhtowin, also meaning kinship and our interconnected relationships

Indigenous Artist Engagement
Lana Whiskeyjack, Brad Crowfoot, Dawn Marie Marchand and MJ Belcourt were commissioned to create art pieces that reflect the spirit and intent of the four roles from an Indigenous perspective through listening to community feedback at the 2019 engagement sessions

Community Engagement #4 
In summer 2019, four community circles were held with Elders, community members, youth, City staff, and artists to focus on each of the four roles in the framework

• New Role For Executive Leadership Team
  In Fall 2019, the Executive Leadership Team became the new sponsor of this initiative
• Deputy City Managers Rob Smyth and Catrin Owen become the project sponsors

Community Engagement with Indigenous Youth 
On October 10, 2019, the City hosted a full-day event with Indigenous youth from Edmonton Public high schools, Edmonton Catholic high schools, Enoch Cree Nation and the Nîkâniw Indigenous Youth Leadership Program 

Elders and Knowledge Keepers Gathering #2 

• The Indigenous name, wahigicicobi, was shared and the Elders and Knowledge Keepers affirmed the name
• Indigenous youth attended the gathering as helpers and to learn from the Elders and Knowledge Keepers
• City staff received the guidance to have a gathering with the City’s Executive Leadership Team and with Elders

COVID Complications

• The inaugural Executive Leadership Team and Elders gathering planned for April 23, 2020, had to be postponed due to COVID-19 and project timelines had to be readjusted

• On July 29, 2020 Elders met with City staff in a socially distanced gathering in an outdoor park, following AHS guidelines
• The City received guidance on the importance of women in governance and leadership and ensuring a balance of men and women leading in ceremony

Members of the Corporate Steering Committee began to create their own teams within each of the seven City Departments.  These Department teams will be responsible for creating and implementing action and change management plans specific to their Department.

Community Engagement (WWH)

• Online engagement sessions were held with community partners to receive guidance on the seven commitments,  evaluating the strength of our relationships, and identify ways in which community partners would like to stay involved
• Online engagement sessions were held with Indigenous youth from Edmonton Public Schools and Edmonton Catholic Schools to understand how City staff can apply the Indigenous Framework so that Indigenous youth feel safe, valued, and respected

Elders and Executive Leadership Team Gathering
On October 22, 2020, Elders met with the City’s Executive Leadership team to begin a relationship-building journey and to share Indigenous teachings of ‘kinship relationships’

• Indigenous Framework presentation to Community and Public Services Committee by City staff, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Community Partners, Youth, and Indigenous community consultants  
• Framework shared with all City staff