Sioux Lookout council encouraged to be more 'culturally aware'

A town councillor says concerns that Sioux Lookout isn't supporting a national inquiry on missing and murdered Aboriginal women are premature.

This week, the town rejected a resolution calling for a national inquiry.

One critic said he hopes it's not a sign that Sioux Lookout lacks cultural awareness.

"My sincere hope is it's not a step back, but rather that we learn from it, and we learn from one another,” Garnet Angeconeb said.

“And, we need to do more work by creating awareness on particular issues."

Councillor Steven Forbes voted against the resolution.

He said he is sensitive to the issue, but feels an inquiry is the wrong way to go.

"Spending millions of dollars on lawyers and judges and university professors won't get us any closer to the solution. I think we know what the solution is. The system has to change.”

Issue expected to return to council

In October, Sioux Lookout council passed a resolution, supported by the Metis Nation, calling for an end to violence against aboriginal women - and also to support an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women.

Forbes added the mixed messages from council likely means the issue will come up again — as early as next month

"I fully expect that somebody on council will bring this issue back, maybe in December, maybe in January,” he said.

“And we'll be talking about it again. So, I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen."

Forbes said he has no problem sitting down with Angeconeb to discuss the issues at hand. He pointed to the Friendship Accord signed by Sioux Lookout and Lac Seul First Nation shows they are working together.

But the recent lack of council support has Angeconeb worried.

“I think it's indicative of the fact that we still have a lot of work to do in the area of bridge buildings,” he said."