Sumac Environmental Planning

It's been an exhilarating week for me! I made a delegation to the City of Windsor Heritage Standing Committee on their Archeological Master Plan. The goal was to bring it into better alignment with Caldwell First Nation's standard of archeology. Thanks to Zack Hamm the Manager of Environment and Consultation at Caldwell First Nation for his expertise as a P Licensed Archeologist. I also presented on the importance of consulting and engaging with Indigenous communities in the land use planning process at the Ontario Association of Committee of Adjustment Conference in Windsor as well. I was so heartened to see engagement from the people who came to hear me speak. They had wonderful questions that showed me they really want to learn and improve and they are simply struggling with the path to get there. It's so easy to let government bureaucracy make you think it isn't your job, but then whose job is it?

Read on to hear Natalya's reflections from attending the Cumulative Effects Assessment and Environmental Monitoring Conference this week.

On Monday Natalya Garrod (Owner and Principal Planner of Sumac EP) had the pleasure of attending the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Caldwell First Nation and Parks Canada at Point Pelee National Park. The MOU speaks to Caldwell's future role in the proposed National Ojibway Urban Park in Windsor & LaSalle in Southwestern Ontario. This was a very exciting day for Caldwell as they have spent the last year and a half working towards an MOU that establishes a strong relationship with Parks Canada and one that enables the nation to nation relationship build on the principles of mutual respect, shared decision-making, and recognition of Caldwell First Nation's inherent jurisdiction and authority. https://lnkd.in/ezvxrttJ Every word was carefully considered and reconsidered. It was not always a smooth process but when people came together to the table with the right intentions that is where progress was made. The key lessons Natalya learned throughout the process: 1. Interpersonal relationships move things along much faster than any tactic. 2. Set realistic expectations for what can be achieved. Small starts get the ball moving. 3. Show up to the table in person and share a meal. This allows for fulsome conversations that can't be had over an email. This is where true understanding occurs. 4. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. The strong spirit of Caldwell First Nation is what got them to this point in the process and they have so much more they are going to achieve.

Today and yesterday Natalya Garrod RPP, MCIP, Msc. attended the Two-Eyed Seeing and Ethical Space Training Conference at Six Nations of the Grand River. We had the opportunity to hear from Albert Marshall. There were so many beautiful things I heard and saw while attending the conference. I heard two phrases that really sat with me: 1. Nature has rights, humans have responsibilities. 2. We are the only species with options. Everyday we can choose to be a good force or a bad force everyday. While I was standing outside the conference building walking my dog a bald eagle flew right above my head. This place is special. There was a youth circle who took the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and identified an Indigenized goal for each one. Love it!

The facilitators of the IPCA Planning certificate do things differently. I can attest to this as being part of cohort two at VIU. I am almost half way through the certificate process and one of the biggest blessings in this program is my fellow students. I have learnt so much from people across Canada and how their experiences vary.