First Voice Urban Indigenous Coalition has formed a Joint Coordinating Committee on Indigenous Rights with the City of St. John’s.

The new committee will develop recommendations for implementing the capital city’s commitments that were outlined in a 2020 declaration and advance the urban Indigenous coalition’s 2023 Community Action Plan.

The committee will report directly to council and to the First Voice Partnership Table.

The committee will be co-chaired by Director of Advocacy with First Light, Justin Campbell and City Manager, Kevin Breen. The group will consist of an equal number of staff from the First Light St. John’s Friendship Centre and the city. Two First Voice Community Advocates will also participate.

Campbell says the new committee will create a formal process to ensure the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples are considered in all municipal policy-making.

He says the committee also represents and important milestone for urban Indigenous recognition in the province.