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Home My WebLink About2021-03-25 If this information is required in an alternate format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext 2131 Clarington Diversity Advisory Committee Thursday, March 25, 2021, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Teleconference: 1-289-274-8255 Canada, Oshawa Phone Conference ID: 855 880 93# Agenda Item Speaker Time allotted 1. Land Acknowledgement Statement Meera McDonald 2 minutes 2. Review and approval of Agenda Meera McDonald 2 minutes 3. Review and approval of previous meeting minutes Meera McDonald 5 minutes 4. Communications – receive for information Durham Region Transit Commission – Social Equity Policy Their Opportunity – Hear My Voice Erica Mittag 5 minutes 5. Council & Community updates Councillor Hooper / Erica Mittag 10 minutes 6. Faith Days and Scheduling of Meetings Continued Discussion Erica Mittag 10 minutes 7. Update on Anti-Black Racism Subcommittee Discussion re: new Chair Request to include section on Engage Clarington Diversity Page re: Anti-Black Racism Subcommittee work Questions for Virtual Event panelists Meera McDonald 10 minutes 8. Symbols of Hate Working Group Update - proposal Meera McDonald 15 minutes 9. Ideas for 2021 workplan Meera McDonald 15 minutes 10. Other Business All Next meeting: Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. - Via Microsoft Teams Page | 1 Clarington Diversity Advisory Committee Thursday, February 25, 2021 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Microsoft Teams If this information is required in an alternate format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext 2131 Present: Councillor Ron Hooper Sajida Kadri Meera McDonald Lyndsay Riddoch Rajeshwari Saharan Laila Shafi Yasmin Shafi Dione Valentine Also Present: Erica Mittag – Community Development Coordinator Regrets: Rachel Traore The meeting called to order at 7:02 p.m. 1. Land Acknowledgement Statement Meera McDonald read the Land Acknowledgement Statement 2. Review and Approval of Agenda Moved by Laila Shafi, seconded by Sajida Kadri That the agenda of the meeting of February 25, 2021 be approved Carried 3. Review and Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes Moved by Dione Valentine, seconded by Lyndsay Riddoch That the minutes of the meeting of January 28, 2021 be approved Carried Page | 2 4. Communications – received for information Community Development Council of Durham – Durham Black Community Lens Erica Mittag shared the Durham Black Community Lens as coordinated by the Community Development Council of Durham. This is the fifth lens put out that includes statistics for Durham Region’s Black communities. Committee to review and any questions can be provided to Erica who can reach out to council for more info. Black History Month Proclamation The Municipality of Clarington proclaimed February as Black History Month. Social media activities have been launched for the community. For internal staff, there was an internal website complete with information, resources and details on virtual community activities. High engagement has been reported. 5. Council and Community Updates Council Ron Hooper shared: Budget approved 2021. 2.04% tax levy. Focus is minimum spending and make every dollar count which is tied to the rate of inflation. As of January 18, 2021, a reminder that the Municipal Administrative Centre (Town Hall) remains open by appointment only, as we continue to follow the provincial stay at home orders. COVID-19 vaccine clinic will be held at Garnet B. Rickard Complex. There will be 8 sites across Durham Region, but they will take several weeks to months to get started. There is a 3-phase distribution plan for the vaccine that is mandated by the provincial government and we are still in phase 1 of the plan. Reminder to keep eyes open and for further information go to COVID-19 Community Resources - Region of Durham. Volunteer Appreciation week to be held April 18 – 24 and virtual event to be held Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Community organizations are asked to submit up to 5 volunteer names to be considered. For more information, go to Volunteer - Clarington. Clarington Action Climate Change targets to reduce regional emissions. 70 Clarington staff identified climate change risk and mitigation plans that had impact to these services. Regional meeting was held February 26 and property taxes were assessed at approximately $55 net increase based on an average property value of $483,000. Region of Durham announced the appointment of Allison Hector-Alexander as the new Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Regional Municipality of Durham; she will begin March 15, 2021. Her background is senior director, advocate, and policy professional who has worked in human rights, equity, anti- racism training, anti-discrimination/oppression, and accessibility organizations— within the not-for-profit and education sector—for more than 20 years. Erica Mittag mentioned that Alison will be leading a virtual event as a Diversity Advocate at the Clarington Library March 31, 2021. Page | 3 Erica Mittag shared: Recreation activities are slowly reopening with a press release scheduled for Friday, February 28, 2021. Public and lane swimming, and spring programming re-opening will be communicated. 6. Faith Days and Scheduling of Meetings The Committee received a request from Clarington’s Legislative Services Clerk’s Division to review a calendar of Faith Days and Observances to ensure Clarington’s Council and Committee meeting calendar does not conflict with any days of special recognition. In some cases, it may be possible for a resident to attend to their matter on an alternate day, but not necessarily in every case. Members were asked to review a calendar and identify any additional days that should be included, recommend any other changes to the list and share suggestions on how conflicts could be handled. A list of Faith Days will be shared with the minutes and the Members will continue the discussion at the next meeting. 7. Update on Anti-Black Racism Subcommittee Meera has been acting as Chair of the Anti-Black Racism Subcommittee. Per the terms of reference, the Chair should be a member of the Diversity Advisory Committee. As Meera is now the Chair of the Diversity Advisory Committee, she is wondering if another Member would be interested in taking on the role of Subcommittee Chair. Erica will share background information of the Subcommittee with Members to provide some background and context to determine if it is something they would like to be involved as. Members who are interested can connect with Erica and Meera 8. Statement on symbols of hate Erica Mittag provided an overview of the history of this issue to date. Members reviewed a draft motion from Council that would direct the Diversity Advisory Committee to develop some recommended action items that could be considered to provide weight to any proposed joint statement. This motion will be ratified at Council on Monday, March 1, 2021. It was suggested by Meera that a working group be formed to form a list of recommendations and bring back to the Diversity Advisory Committee’s next meeting for review and approval. These could then be shared with Council for consideration. That a working group be formed to develop some recommended action items and report back to the Diversity Advisory Committee at the March 25, 2021 meeting. These action items would then be shared with Council through a Staff Report at the April 19, 2021 General Government Committee Meeting. Page | 4 Moved by Laila Shafi, seconded by Lyndsay Riddoch Carried 9. Ideas for 2021 Workplan Members reviewed a draft workplan for 2021 to 2022. Draft Work Plan has been updated with discussion comments and is attached to the minutes. Erica to share information and City of Ottawa example of Diversity Lens with new Members to provide background. Erica to share a draft Diversity Lens document with all in advance of next meeting. Members can review draft workplan and bring ideas to next meeting. 10. Other Business – No other business updates That the meeting be adjourned at 8:47 p.m. Moved by Yasmin Shafi, seconded by Rajeshwari Saharan Carried Next meeting: Thursday, March 25, 7:00 PM Virtually – via Microsoft Teams