Halifax council to consider designated Mi'kmaw seat

Halifax councillors will look at creating a designated Mi'kmaw council seat, and reviving the idea of allowing permanent residents to vote in municipal elections.

A report on what changes would be needed to bring in various electoral reforms came before the city's executive standing committee on Monday. It noted the municipality does not have the power on its own to establish designated districts for specific groups, like African Nova Scotian, Acadian, or Indigenous representation, without permission from the provincial government. 

Coun. Waye Mason of Halifax South Downtown said the timing is right, because a common theme emerged from Mi'kmaw groups during consultation on Halifax's new culture and heritage priorities plan.

"What we heard, over and over again, was 'we think there should be a Mi'kmaw seat in Halifax,'" Mason said during the meeting.

Mason said while any model would be created in discussion with Mi'kmaw representatives,  one option could be the former school board model. In that process, residents could opt to vote for people running for a designated seat.

But Coun. Paul Russell, representing Lower Sackville, said he sat on the Halifax school board 20 years ago, and that system brought "challenges." Russell said those in designated seats naturally have to become a more vocal advocate for their population, rather than the whole region.

"There are some who believe that this ultimately led to the demise of the school boards," Russell said.

"Consider very carefully what would happen if we have someone in that role who is more of an activist."

Coun. Patty Cuttell of Spryfield-Sambro Loop-Prospect Road said an activist could run for municipal office in any district now, and all councillors have a responsibility to act in the best interests of residents across Halifax.

"Having that voice as part of our discussions and deliberations is an important one, and it's also an important one in a step to reconciliation," Cuttell said.

Waverley, Fall River and Musquodoboit Valley Coun. Cathy Deagle Gammon, said she supported the idea, but had concerns about choosing one special interest group over others.

Cuttell said the Mi'kmaq are in a different situation than any other groups, because they are the original people of the land, and signed important Peace and Friendship Treaties with the governing British hundreds of years ago.

"It's about … how we work together moving forward," Cuttell said.

Designated seat available in legislature

Mason pointed out that there is "tremendous precedent" on the issue in Nova Scotia already, because the provincial legislature has had a seat for a Mi'kmaw representative since 1992 that has never been filled.

The standing committee eventually recommended that regional council should get the mayor and staff to ask the province for permission to consider a Mi'kmaw council seat.

It also recommended that council ask the province to revisit the topic of allowing permanent residents to vote

Halifax council has pushed for the change for years, requesting in 2014 that the province amend the Municipal Elections Act to extend voting rights to permanent residents in Nova Scotia.

Mayor Mike Savage raised it with the former Liberal government again in 2019, but it has never happened. On Monday, multiple councillors and Savage talked about the importance of giving the vote to people who've lived in Halifax for years, pay taxes, often own property, and use municipal services, but do not hold Canadian citizenship. 

"I just get a little frustrated that as a province we talk a lot about the importance of new Canadians … I think it's something we should be looking at," Savage said.

Both recommendations will come before regional council at a later date.