Committee on Halifax’s commemorations of Edward Cornwallis holds first meeting

A committee that will examine how Halifax commemorates its controversial founder, Edward Cornwallis, met for the first time on Monday night — more than a year after council first proposed the idea.

The Special Advisory Committee on the Commemoration of Edward Cornwallis and the Recognition and Commemoration of Indigenous History told council on Monday that they want to change how they are governed so that they can be a partnership between two groups, rather than one tasked by the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

“Hopefully if council passes it, it will be a product of a true partnership between the Mi’kmaq and non-Mi’kmaq community in the HRM,” said Monica MacDonald, co-chair of the committee and manager of research at the Canadian Museum of Immigration.

READ MORE: Halifax sets stage for ‘groundbreaking’ review of Cornwallis commemorations

The proposal would see the committee’s budget be funded by the municipality and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs.

The partnership sentiment is echoed by fellow co-chair Chief Roderick Googoo of We’koqma’q First Nation.

“To make it more valid, it has to be seen that this committee is independent, at arm’s-length away from HRM,” said Googoo.

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“Otherwise, if we operate under their rules, then we’re still under their jurisdiction. We want to do this in a very objective way. …  We have to go at our own pace and I guess make up our rules on how we do things as we go forward.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Otherwise, if we operate under their rules, then we're still under their jurisdiction. We want to do this in a very objective way. …  We have to go at our own pace and I guess make up our rules on how we do things as we go forward."

The meeting between council and the committee was very short, lasting only a few minutes.

“I guarantee that will be the shortest meeting we will ever have,” MacDonald said.

Halifax Regional Council must now vote on the proposal before the committee can schedule its next meeting. Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 30 at the Harbourfront Marriott.

Both co-chairs say they hope to meet with the rest of the committee with the goal of meeting at least once a month.

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Other members of the committee include: author and advocate Daniel Paul; linguist and consultant Bernie Francis; Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre executive director Pam Glode-Desrochers; and writer and activist Jaime Battiste; former Halifax city councillor Sheila Fougere; history professor John Reid; former Parks Canada historian John Johnston; and Heather McNeill, a Dalhousie Legal Aid lawyer.

McNeil was appointed to replace Bernie Francis, an Anglican priest, after the latter was forced to back out due to work and travel committments.

A bronze statue of Cornwallis — which faced toward the mouth of Halifax Harbour since it was erected more than 85 years ago — was placed in storage in January, after council voted 12 to 4 to take the statue down until a permanent decision can be made.

Cornwallis is a disputed character, seen by some as a brave leader who founded Halifax, and by others as the impetus of the 1749 scalping proclamation against Mi’kmaq inhabitants.

With files from Jeremy Keefe and the Canadian Press