Sarnia Drum Circle Responds to Councillor's Indigenous Mural Controversy

Members of an Aamjiwnaang First Nation drum circle performed outside Sarnia City Hall on March 24 as the controversy over Councillor Bill Dennis's social media attacks on a newly unveiled Indigenous mural boiled over into a packed special council meeting, a written apology demand, and a chorus of condemnation reaching from local First Nations to national Indigenous leadership.

The conflict erupted when Dennis made a post on his Facebook page with a photo of the new mural, which cost the city $8,452 according to a city spokesperson, plus $4,086 for a related project that involved updating a display of photos of Sarnia's mayors. On social media, Dennis wrote: "Do you feel that this is a smart way to spend almost $5,000 of your tax dollars? This in my opinion is nothing more than virtue signalling by woke politicians who are out of touch with the vast majority of Sarnians."

The mural at the centre of it all is worth understanding on its own terms. Created by Haudenosaunee artist Kennady Osborne, it highlights the unique relationship between Sarnia-Lambton and the Council of Three Fires Confederacy. Osborne said: "I hope this piece opens a conversation about the beauty of First Nations people; the people in our community." The work features three Elders, symbolizing each of the three fires, and each nation's responsibility in the Council of the Three Fires, with the centre Elder, a woman, celebrating women's roles as respected life givers, knowledge keepers, and the foundation of families. The mural is part of Sarnia's actions under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, federal legislation setting a national standard for reconciliation, which according to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities "fundamentally shifts how (municipalities) engage with Indigenous people, manage land use and deliver services."

Dennis did not stop at questioning the cost. In response to those defending the artwork, he wrote: "Screw calls to (the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's) action. Screw the UN. Canada is Not on Stolen Land…when I become mayor it will be taken down and replaced with a huge Canadian flag." The online exchange led First Nation leaders from Kettle and Stony Point, Chippewa of the Thames, Walpole Island, and the Caldwell First Nation to ask the city's Integrity Commissioner to investigate.

Council's special meeting packed chambers with about 70 people, and another 835 watched online, reflecting an unusually large amount of interest. Sarnia city councillors did their best to make amends for divisive and disrespectful online comments directed to Indigenous people by Councillor Bill Dennis, but several members of council said the damage is done and municipal councils do not have the tools to go further than demanding an apology. Mayor Mike Bradley, along with Councillors Adam Kilner and Anne Marie Gillis, said it is up to the province to provide municipalities with a process to remove politicians for Code of Conduct violations, noting that Ontario's Bill 9 has not been given Third Reading.

Councillors voted to ask Dennis to issue a written apology to Osborne, Aamjiwnaang Chief Janelle Nahmabin, and Kimberly Bressette, chief of the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point. The motion was put forward by Councillor Adam Kilner. "This is not why I want my city to be on national news," Kilner said, "not undermining historic relationships." Council requested the apology be delivered within 30 days.

Dennis, who was vacationing in Florida and did not attend the meeting, made his position clear. He told CBC News: "There's a better chance of the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup this year than me doing that."

Outside city hall, members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation drum circle performed. Drummer Alphonse Aquash said that if Dennis apologizes, it won't make a difference because it won't be sincere. Councillor Chrissy McRoberts, although she supported the motion for Dennis's apology, said she doesn't think it will be genuine: "I don't believe that Councillor Dennis believes he's done anything wrong, so an apology from him isn't actually going to be real." McRoberts noted Dennis has supported other arts and culture initiatives "but the moment it became something Indigenous, it was shot down."

Dennis is already banned from attending city council meetings in person after an independent investigation concluded in January of last year that he had breached the workplace harassment and discrimination provisions of the City of Sarnia's Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy and Program, and is currently banned from attending city hall except in limited circumstances without the express consent of council. For Kennady Osborne's drum-accompanied mural, the fight over its place on the wall of Sarnia City Hall is far from over.