First Nations Voice

PAGE 6 • JUNE 2016 Over the past couple of years, Winnipeg's Mayor and the Winnipeg Police Board have sought out members of the Indigenous community to provide advice and guidance on matters affecting the City. In the case of the Mayor's Indigenous Advisory Circle, members from across the country were selected and they meet on a quarterly basis. The Winnipeg Police Board created the Indigenous Council on Policing and Crime Prevention. The members of this Council are from the Winnipeg area and have a wide variety of experience and expertise to help guide the Police Board in its work. The Winnipeg Police Service also recognizes the value of getting internal input and sought out a source of strength that to date had been untapped; the Indigenous employees of the City of Winnipeg organization itself. This group is collectively known as the Aboriginal Employees Group (AEG). In order to start harnessing their energy and knowledge, the WPS helped sponsor a one day gathering of the group on May 5th at the North Centennial Recreation Center. The day brought together almost 70 employees who were released from their regular duties. The event began with a message and prayer from an elder. This was followed by opening comments from Mayor Brian Bowman who reaffirmed this year as the year of reconciliation. This was followed by comments from Chief Administrative Officer Doug McNeil, Deputy Chief Danny Smyth, and then an honour song. After this portion, each employee was asked to state who they were and in which department they worked. The AEG has been in existence since 2002 and is composed of approximately 120 employees from almost every city department. Each of these members comes from different backgrounds, has different levels of experience, and ranged from front line employees all the way up to managers. In order to set the stage, they were given an overview of some important areas of the police service and the issues we regularly contend with. This included presentations on our work with victims of crime, how we coordinate our investigations involving missing persons, and Crime Prevention through Social Development. They were asked for their input on how the police service, the City of Winnipeg, and the Indigenous community itself can tackle some of the current tough community challenges we face. In addition, members of the Bear Clan Patrol and Chief Jim Bear of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation attended and provided their support for the collective work we were doing. One of the important points that was stressed during the day was that while we work for the City of Winnipeg, our interests don't just end at the Perimeter Highway. When it comes to the Indigenous community, it is important to think more globally and recognize that many people travel back and forth between Winnipeg and rural areas. This is important because it creates an understanding of how important it is to cooperate with other Indigenous communities in the Province and beyond. Also, it's easy to develop a mindset that since we live in the big city of Winnipeg, and we have a multitude of resources, that we know the best way to conduct business. The reality is that some of the most innovative ways of finding success is to look to see how smaller communities are doing it. This initial meeting day between the WPS and the AEG was successful for a number of reasons. First, it gave us an opportunity to formally recognize and seek out the assistance of the AEG, something that had not done before. Second, it allowed the members of the AEG to come together and develop a sense of cohesion for a common cause. Finally, it confirmed to us the potential impact this group could have in helping find solutions to some of the most difficult challenges our city faces. I'm confident the AEG has many of the answers we need. We just need to keep asking them the questions. Andy Golebioski is a Staff Sergeant in the Community Relations Unit of the Winnipeg Police Service THE POTENTIAL OF THE CITY OF WINNIPEG'S ABORIGINAL EMPLOYEES GROUP Andy Golebioski Be yourself and soar with us Your individuality is an asset Be distinct. Be original. Be yourself. Celebrate National Aboriginal Day on June 21. fcc.ca/Careers

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