From homelessness to reconciliation, Timmins Mayor George Pirie’s inaugural speech touched on the difficult issues facing the new council in the next four years.
Pirie and councillors took the oath of office and were sworn in by Justice Martin Lambert at the inaugural meeting of the 2018-2022 council.
In the audience, three past mayors of the city — Vic Power, Tom Laughren and Steve Black — watched, along with family and friends of council members.
In Pirie’s address, he said there are immediate issues for the city to deal with.
“We know we have a homelessness problem, some would say crisis, in the city. Within that issue is the need to put…a warming shelter in place to provide a safe environment for those most at risk,” he said.
He is calling for a task force to be created with the mandate of providing a solution.
When it comes to the city’s aging infrastructure, problems with the Porcupine sewage treatment system, debt threat, declining population, and levels of taxation, he said the voters have spoken.
“They want action, they want solutions, they want and deserve a council that will examine the status quo and make the necessary changes to our way of doing business to charter the course to ensure our future for generations to come,” said Pirie.
That future, he said, starts with looking at the past, though.
At city hall, he talked about the images of a “proud frontier town carved out of the wilderness, built by incredible individuals with an unlimited supply of fortitude and belief in their future and the future of the Porcupine camp.”
“What these images do not show is any evidence of what and who was here prior to the discovery of this gold. There is no recognition of the Indigenous population that lived here for thousands of years,” he said.
To achieve the full potential in the area, he said it must be done partnership with Indigenous people.
“There is a larger vision to be a part of, and it is the vision of reconciliation. We must education, engage and enlist our children and ourselves in this process,” he said.
Because of the location of Timmins, Pirie said there is a unique opportunity here.
“Together we can build a model of governance with other municipalities in this region and the Indigenous communities that will, sitting together, addressing our mutual issues side-by-side have the rest of Ontario and Canada coming here to ask us ‘how did you get this done?’,” he said.
There are also a couple of new groups that he touched on.
One would look at maximizing the economic potential of the airport, with the committee looking at expanding partnerships in that sector.
He also wants to see the formation of the Timmins Youth Advisory Council.
Improving the way that residents are given information is a priority as well. He said Service Timmins is an 'excellent start' and that the city will continually improve its communications.
