The mayor of Montréal, Valérie Plante, presents the city's new commissioner of Indigenous affairs

MONTRÉAL, Feb. 9, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - It is with great pride that the mayor of Montréal, Ms. Valérie Plante, introduces the new commissioner of Indigenous affairs, Ms. Marie-Ève Bordeleau. The new commissioner will lead the development of Montréal's reconciliation strategy, and will pioneer a training program for city employees. This announcement was made along with Mr. Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL), and with Ms. Christine Zachary-Deom, Chief of Council of Kahnawake.

"I would like to congratulate Ms. Bordeleau for her new position and to offer her my full cooperation. In recognizing her appointment, we are opening the way for Indigenous nations to acknowledge their history, both past, present and future, on our territory. We are thus also creating the opportunity for them to fully experience and develop their cultures, languages and business opportunities. The city continues to be committed to its reconciliation process by developing a concrete, sustainable and cross-cutting strategy, in close cooperation with various levels of Indigenous government. This measure is undertaken as a result of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls to action and of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples", said Ms. Valérie Plante, mayor of Montréal.

"On behalf of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Marie-Ève Bordeleau from the Eeyou Nation (Cree) who will successfully lead the city's actions towards reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples, and will take on this challenge with great pride. The AFNQL will continue to work closely with Montréal, in a spirit of convergence and collaboration. Ms. Bordeleau's appointment as commissioner confirms the city's commitment to our people, and we certainly hope that other cities in Quebec will follow suit", said Mr. Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec.

Marie-Ève Bordeleau will take on an historic role, as consultant to the city in matters of Indigenous affairs. Montréal thus follows in the footsteps of Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg. The commissioner will work as part of the Bureau des relations gouvernementales et municipales, as it is through government-to-government dialogue that the city will be developing its reconciliation strategy.  

"It is with deep honor and humility that I take on this important mandate with the city. I would like to thank the mayor of Montréal, and to affirm my commitment to developing the city's reconciliation strategy by shifting the paradigm and integrating an "Indigenous component" to the city's policies and action plans. I am also committed to developing a training program meant to educate city employees on the history and reality of Indigenous peoples", added Ms. Marie-Ève Bordeleau.

This appointment is part of the city's Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The objective of this strategy is to recognize the history of the territory on which Montréal was built, and which dates back thousands of years.

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Cabinet de la mairesse et du comité exécutif

Source: Youssef Amane, Attaché de presse du comité exécutif, Cabinet de la mairesse et du comité exécutif, 438 832-1221; Information: Camille Bégin, Relationniste, Division des relations médias, 438 874-8588