‘We’re ready to roll up our sleeves:’ Amarjeet Sohi calls for a strategy to tackle racism in Edmonton moments after being sworn in as the South Asian city’s first mayor

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Edmonton’s new city hall took office on the steps of the city hall Tuesday afternoon, but it looked different from previous years.

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Eight women sat in chairs on stage as newly elected councilors, the majority. Four of Edmonton’s 13 council members are people of color, including Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, the city’s first South Asian mayor. Jennifer Rice and Keren Tang become the first women of color to serve on the council.

Delivering his first speech as Edmonton’s 36th mayor, Sohi said this new and diverse council marks the beginning of Edmonton’s next chapter and will better reflect the city for which they were elected.

“Today I am moved. Edmonton, look what you’ve chosen. A phenomenal and diverse group of people, including eight women, ”he said, pointing to the 12 councilors who were sitting next to him. “This is what he has already accomplished by choosing an Edmonton for all of us. Be proud of what you have done. Look. This is Edmonton. “

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It didn’t take long for the new council to get to work in its inaugural meeting with Sohi filing a motion asking the city to develop a comprehensive anti-racism strategy with actionable elements to address hate-based violence and champion the fight against racism and initiatives against violence. As promised throughout his campaign, Sohi said this was a top priority for him after a series of hate-based attacks over the past year in Edmonton, so he filed the motion notice at the earliest opportunity. to start work. The motion will not be voted on until the council’s first regular meeting, scheduled for November 22.

“We have seen incidents in general on the rise and that is why it is important to me, to this council and to the people of Edmonton that we build a society, build a city where everyone can feel safe and everyone feels they can walk free from harassment and free from racism in our city. That is something that I am deeply passionate about and committed to, ”he said.

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If passed, the motion would ask city staff to work with the anti-racism advisory committee and the BIPOC community to work on the comprehensive strategy that would offer support to communities experiencing hatred and violence, and amplify anti-racist educational initiatives.

The composition of the council was not the only difference in this swearing-in ceremony, which was more subdued as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 33 percent capacity restriction at city hall. Only members of the immediate family of elected and city officials attended, as many others tuned in to the live broadcast. Don Iveson was present when he passed the mayor’s torch to Sohi, receiving a standing ovation from the incoming council for his 14 years of service on the city council.

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After submitting her notice of motion, Sohi said it is the first of many actions she hopes the council will take in the coming months. The council’s first meeting on Nov. 22 will be devoted largely to deliberations on the 2022 budget, which Sohi said he asked for more time to devote, as well as a public hearing to hear from residents on Nov. 29. set the 2022 tax levy, currently set at 1.8 percent, but the city faces a projected revenue shortfall of $ 75 million as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new meeting schedule was also approved on Tuesday, but no emergency advisory committee meetings were added to publicly discuss the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With tough challenges ahead, Sohi said she believes the new council is ready to go to work.

“We are ready to roll up our sleeves,” Sohi said. “We are ready to build an Edmonton for all of us.”

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