FORT FRANCES – A Fort Frances councillor has abruptly resigned from her post.
In a message posted to Facebook, Mandi Olson-Walton says it wasn’t an easy decision to make, but after last Tuesday’s council meeting, she doesn’t believe it’s a system she can continue to involve herself in and maintain her integrity.
Olson-Walton said she is leaving her post because of concerns with the town’s Indigenous Relations Advisory Committee, which she sat on, after failing to convince mayor and council about the current policy.
“Overall, I found it to be outdated, noting there were significant inequities between committees, and many committees were purposeless as the mandate wasn’t followed or are unnecessary with the newly implemented governance changes,” Olson-Walton writes.
During the Oct. 15 meeting, Olson-Walton says she was encouraged to discuss recommendations she had provided to council and administration, including the importance of language and the use of Aboriginal instead of Indigenous, the importance of remuneration such as tobacco and a gift, and the fact the committee appeared to be too top heavy with a notable power imbalance in the room.
“As I neared the end of the exhaustive list, I spoke of reconciliation, and this practice needing to inform all policies, not just a policy on reconciliation,” she said.
Olson-Walton said at that point she asked the mayor, Andrew Hallikas, how council defines reconciliation, but was rebuffed and told that for the purpose of the meeting it would not be addressed and that the committee could determine it.
“I must be honest in saying that for the first time, I cried at the council table … It is now apparent that my intention of having robust and meaningful discussions are not welcome at this table. I am not welcome at this table. This meeting validated for me that conversations of relevance or intent are to be surface level and quick. Discussion and/or healthy debate does not happen at this table,” Olson-Walton said.
The now-former councillor said she was also concerned during the most recent budget process that taxpayer dollars were to be used to sponsor litigation in the Agency One/Point Park land dispute, calling the amount “astronomical.”
“It was never addressed at the council table,” Olson-Walton said, encouraging the public to ask council how much has been spent thus far on litigation in the matter.
Agency One, a First Nations community in the Fort Frances area, has laid claim to Point Park and has asked the town to recognize their ownership of the lands, while working together to manage the park and share the operating costs.
Olson-Walton was a first elected in 2022.
