HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 2, 2023
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Minutes/Meeting Summary
Pickering Anti-Black Racism Taskforce
March 2, 2023
Electronic Meeting
7:00 pm
Attendees: Z. Adatia
E. Gittens
O. Grignon
K. Hanson
F. Heath
K. Lopez
C. Addo-Bekoe, Manager, People and Culture, Pickering Public Library (Staff
Liaison)
J. San Antonio, Senior Advisor, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (Staff Liaison)
D. YewWoon, Community Engagement Coordinator, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
A. MacGillivray, Committee Coordinator (Recording Secretary)
Absent: J. Heath
N. Hepburn
A. Fraser
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
1. Welcome and Call to Order
O. Grignon welcomed everyone to the meeting and
called the meeting to order.
2. Review and Approval of Agenda
J. San Antonio informed the Taskforce that Mayor
Ashe sends his regrets and has provided recorded
video remarks to be played prior to General
Business.
Moved by K. Hanson
Seconded by Z. Adatia
That the March 2, 2023 Meeting agenda of the
Pickering Anti-Black Racism Taskforce be
approved, as amended.
Carried
3. Disclosure of Interest
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
No disclosures of interest were noted.
4. Approval of Minutes
Moved by Z. Adatia
Seconded by C. Farihna
That the February 9, 2023 Meeting Minutes of the
Pickering Anti-Black Racism Taskforce be
approved.
Carried
5. Presentations
There were no delegations.
6. Delegations
There were no delegations.
7. General Business
Video remarks from Mayor Ashe were played.
Mayor Ashe highlighted key initiatives undertaken
by the Taskforce during the term and thanked the
Taskforce for their leadership, dedication, and
service over their term.
7.1 Work Plan Update
O. Grignon provided an overview of the 2022 Year
End Report and Proposed 2023 Work Plan.
O. Grignon spoke to the proposed funding of some
initiatives that the Taskforce committed to in early
2023. The proposal included:
• $1,000.00 to support the 16th Annual Black
History Celebration with Cultural
Expressions;
• No more than $500.00 to support the Durham
Black Community Collective Symposium with
the Durham Anti-Racism Taskforce;
• $3,000.00 to support the International Decade
for People of African Descent Identifier
Initiative with the Pickering Library Anti-Racism
Working Group.
Moved by Z. Adatia
Seconded By K. Hanson
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
That the Pickering Anti-Black Racism Taskforce
approve the support of the following initiatives, with
financial support not to exceed $4,500.00:
a) the 16th Annual Black History Celebration
with Cultural Expressions;
b) Durham Black Community Collective
Symposium with the Durham Anti-Racism
Taskforce;
c) the International Decade for People of
African Descent Identifier Initiative with the
Pickering Library Anti-Racism Working
Group.
Carried
O. Grignon briefly spoke to the proposed budget
allocations for community partnerships, events,
resources, consultation, and contingency identified
in the Work Plan, and that the Work Plan has been
approved by Council at the February 27, 2023
Council Meeting.
7.2 ADM 040 Recommendations
J. San Antonio provided an overview of the ADM
040 Policy Review and recommendations gathered
by Taskforce Members that will be brought forward
to Council via Memo.
J. SanAntonio provided an overview of issues
brought forward to date including:
• the definition of Taskforce;
• concerns around quorum and the number of
Members that constitute a meeting;
• concerns around submitting individual
reports to Council for events;
• whether the City is championing anti-Black
racism in other ways, other than the PABRT;
• concerns around communication; and,
• the need for more City staff dedicated to EDI
and the Taskforce.
J. San Antonio committed to
preparing a Memo to present
the Taskforce’s feedback
and recommendations to
Council at the March 27,
2023 Council Meeting.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
Discussion ensued with Taskforce Members
discussing:
• concerns around open meetings hindering the
ability for vulnerable and fulsome discussions
by the Taskforce;
• the Taskforce needing the ability to meet all
together in private, not to make a decision, but
to formulate ideas prior to bringing them to a
public forum;
• the volunteer nature of the Taskforce and
whether quorum provision is appropriate for this
type of body;
• the time constraints on the Taskforce when
discussions are confined to monthly public
meetings;
• past issues the Taskforce experienced meeting
quorum and during turnover of membership;
• whether the City can share information on other
initiatives that they may be undertaking to
combat anti-Black racism;
• whether the City could dedicate more resources
and staff support to EDI to support various
communities;
• whether a portion of the City’s communication’s
portfolio could be dedicated to EDI;
• whether the City can consider a Coordinator for
Project Manager role to help with the work of
the Taskforce;
• concerns around delegates being restricted to
joining meetings by phone;
• whether the City could consider waiving permit
fees so that the Taskforces budget is not
impacted;
• whether the orientation of the new Taskforce
Members could include a workshop around
working with the public on a community
engagement level;
• whether the City’s payment policies and
processes for vendors can be restructured;
• concerns around organizational requirements
and constraints, and that the Taskforce
consider a community-led model/strategy; and,
• concerns around the transition into the new
term of the Taskforce.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
J. San Antonio provided an overview of the
recruitment process for the new term of the
Taskforce including the way in which the vacancies
were advertised, the screening process, the
community panel and roundtable interview stage,
and the Council decision process.
Discussion ensued with Taskforce members
discussing:
• whether a transitional sub-committee can be
struck to include former members in the
transition;
• opportunities for involvement of former
Members in an upcoming orientation
session in the new term; and,
• what would happen if not enough
applications were received for the new term
of the Taskforce.
8. Correspondence
There were no items of correspondence.
9. Other Business
J. San Antonio, C. Addo-Bekoe, and Taskforce
Members provided closing remarks reflecting on the
concluding term of the Taskforce.
10. Next Meeting
J. San Antonio explained that Meetings will resume in
May 2023.
11. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned.
Meeting Adjourned: 8:27 pm