I am Miranda Jimmy and am a member of Thunderchild First Nation. I have lived in Edmonton for more than half my life. I am here to speak with you as a First Nations resident of Edmonton who accesses, appreciates, and advocates for the river valley on a daily basis.
More importantly, I am here to speak with you today because my ancestors have been here since time immemorial. My relatives have been accessing the river, surrounding valley, and the connected ravines and watershed since long before this place was referred to as Edmonton, before Alberta or the nation state known as Canada existed. My ancestors visited here, held ceremonies, gathered medicines, and most importantly, stewarded the Land and water in a way that allowed for us all to benefit today. They knew, just as we know, that the river is what sustains all life for the two-legged, the four-legged, the winged, the finned, the rooted, and the flowing relatives that surround us and provide for our well-being.
I am also here on behalf of future generations. I am thinking about those who will come after us and the legacy of stewardship we are leaving for them. I am worried about how our decisions today will impact their ability to access and appreciate all the gifts the river valley has to offer.
At the start of the week when we collectively recognize the 149th anniversary of Treaty No. 6, I carry the weight of the past, present, and future as I speak before you today.
(Photo courtesy of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations)
In 2021, the City of Edmonton launched the Indigenous Framework to all City Staff. At the same time, City staff were already working on engagement for the River Valley Planning Modernization Project, the result of that work is before you today. I had hoped that because these two important projects had launched around the same time, Indigenous involvement in river valley planning would be different than it had been in the past. That is not the case.
Commitment one of the City’s Indigenous Framework is: “Support the journey of Reconciliation by applying the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action, the 231 Calls for Justice from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry, and the 46 articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a foundation for the Indigenous Framework.”
The City of Edmonton recently released its annual update on the Indigenous Framework publicly. What this report and the City has failed to do is be accountable to this first commitment in practical ways, like demonstrating changes to decision making processes that implement the UN Declaration and the TRC’s Principles of Reconciliation.
The basis for the UN Declaration is free, prior, informed consent. In simple terms this means that Indigenous Peoples as Rights Holders to the Land in their territory must be involved in and consent to every decision made that impacts their peoples and Lands. Every parcel of Land you call Edmonton is the traditional and Treaty Land of First Nations Peoples, most of which the City has a formal partnership agreement with. In those agreements, the significance of the Land is acknowledged, specifically the importance of and relationship to the river and its surrounding valley.
The City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Framework is not a document, it is the work of reconciliation that is given life each time Council and Administration chose to ensure it has a place in their actions and decisions. City Council, please ask Administration and yourselves today – has the City of Edmonton reached the threshold of free, prior, informed consent with the more than two dozen Indigenous Rights Holders whose traditional territory will be impacted by this plan. I am challenging you as the City of Edmonton’s decision makers and as Treaty People to be accountable to your own Indigenous Framework, the MOUs you have in place with Indigenous Nations, and to Treaty No. 6.
In my opinion, the ARP and bylaws before you today do not meet the threshold of free, prior, and informed consent – the basis of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the TRC’s Principles of Reconciliation. The plan also does not include a requirement for Indigenous consent on future decisions made under these updated rules.
Indigenous engagement does not equal consultation. And Rights Holder consultation does not equal consent. The invitation to engage is not free, prior, informed consent.
I am not asking you to follow my advice. I am asking for follow through on the promises you have already made and are accountable to in the City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Framework.
You can demonstrate your commitment to the Framework today by requiring the articles of UNDRIP through free, prior, informed consent by Indigenous Peoples be the foundation of planning for the river valley now and into the future. You acknowledge Indigenous Peoples and Land at the start of every meeting. It’s time you begin to meaningfully honour the spirit and intent of Treaty No. 6 in your decision making.
Thank you on behalf of all my relations.
The preceding speech was shared at a City of Edmonton Public Hearing on August 18, 2025 in opposition of Bylaw 20996 – To adopt a new North Saskatchewan River Valley Area Redevelopment Plan . A video recording of the proceedings can be found online here.