Region of Waterloo appoints first-ever Truth and Reconciliation Director
The Region of Waterloo has appointed Paula Whitlow, a resident of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, as the regions first-ever Truth and Reconciliation Director.
The appointment to the position makes her the newest addition to the Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team in the CAO’s Office.
“I am delighted to be joining the Region of Waterloo, and I look forward to working with everyone,” said Whitlow. “This important work cannot be overstated. I applaud the region for taking this bold but necessary step. I am anxious to work with the Indigenous community and the many other stakeholders.”
The Region of Waterloo said Whitlow is from the wolf clan of the Mohawk Nation and a resident of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, and has lived her entire life within the Haldimand Tract. She has traced her ancestry back to the original Haudenosaunee homelands of Upper New York State before the American Revolution.
The creation of the position comes follows recommendations from the Region of Waterloo’s anti-racism advisory working group to address the issues Indigenous community members face in the region.
Whitlow joins the Region of Waterloo from the Native Women’s Centre in Hamilton, where she served as executive director. She previously served as director of the Woodland Cultural Centre.
Whitlow sat down with CTV’s Tony Grace on Friday as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Special. With her entire career centered on Indigenous communities, Whitlow said she took on this new role to further delve into reconciliation and to listen to and learn from the communities in the Waterloo region.
“The first place I wanted to begin with, which is my priority, is getting out and meeting the Indigenous community here because I’m from Six Nations and not yet familiar with the local community.”
Education and action are two areas in which Whitlow would like to address.
“It’s a combination of both. The active listening and there’s always those teachable moments in there. Acknowledging and learning to do things differently the next time around.”
Whitlow hopes to see attitudes and perceptions change during her time as Truth and Reconciliation Director. She has already taken note of growing participation in reconciliation efforts among the younger generation.
“When I saw all the school children going to Victoria Park for the Every Child Matters event, that was something you didn’t see when I was growing up. Now to know that my grandchildren are going to be involved in that movement and then moving forward then their grandchildren will be more involved as well.”
The Region of Waterloo said it is grateful to the Indigenous leaders who helped in the creation of this role and the process to hire the first Truth and Reconciliation Director.
“The Truth and Reconciliation Director is a critical part of the senior leadership team at the Region of Waterloo,” said Bruce Lauckner, the Region of Waterloo CAO, in a media release. “In this new role, Paula will work closely with the community as we continue to build our Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan, implement anti-racist and anti-oppressive policies and practices in our organization, and advise the region’s response to the calls to action in the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. I look forward to working with Paula as we continue to listen, learn, build trust and engage in and advance Truth and Reconciliation in our community.”
Whitlow began her new role with the region on Aug. 29.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.