The city councillor, who also serves as chairman of the Ensemble Montréal caucus, even considers that there is urgency to act
.
” We have a humanitarian crisis in Milton-Parc. […] It’s not true that we’re going to tablet that. »
He also believes that “there are no resources adapted to Inuit people” and that the administration in place has to do his homework
regarding aboriginal homelessness.
Mr. Langevin plans to table a motion on Monday in response to the Ombudsman’s report.
The content of the motion, according to Benoit Langevin:
- Establish stable and secure accommodations for Inuit;
- Install a multidisciplinary center (indoor or outdoor) similar to what can be found in Ottawa;
- Set up alcohol control centers (wet shelter);
- Ensure that aid programs are sustainable (and not ephemeral);
- Establish accountability for homelessness.
Benoit Langevin believes that the City of Montreal should be much more proactive in its 2020-2025 strategy for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and should invest more in combating homelessness, in order to adapt to the growth in the number of homeless people. .
According to Mr. Langevin, the actions carried out by the current administration stem from the initial work carried out by the team of former mayor Denis Coderre.
” In the history of our party, the Aboriginal question has always been central. »
Mr. Langevin argues that the reconciliation strategy developed was largely based on consultations carried out under the administration of Mayor Valérie Plante’s predecessor.
Accountability for the Commissioner of Relations with Indigenous Peoples
Mr. Langevin thinks that accountability for the reconciliation strategy should be assigned to the Commissioner for Relations with Indigenous Peoples, a role he considers absolutely necessary
.
The position of Indigenous Relations Commissioner was established in 2018 by the City of Montreal. The commissioner’s term of office is for a period of three years.
This position was first held by lawyer Marie-Ève Bordeleau. Various measures have been attributed to it, including the establishment of a day center (called Résilience Montréal) to meet the needs of homeless people in Square Cabot.
The position of commissioner is now occupied by the former director of the organization Projets aboriginals du Québec, Adrienne Campbell.
The Commissioner for Relations with Indigenous Peoples has the following mandate:
- Guide and advise the City and the Mayor on all matters relating to relations between the City and Indigenous communities;
- Promote the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
- Develop training for City employees;
- Develop a reconciliation strategy for the City of Montreal with several internal partners by implementing a paradigm shift and integrating a
autochthonous reflex
city policies and action plans.
The commissioner’s activities seem to be given very little prominence. No section of the official site of the City of Montreal clearly explains the work of the commissioner. Only a description of her tasks is published on the City’s website, without mentioning the name of the current commissioner.
Added to this is a noticeable absence from the activities of Ms. Campbell and Ms. Bordeleau on social networks.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca