Page 49 - Six Nations Community Plan 2019

COMMUNITY: WHAT WE HEARD AROUND THE TABLE…

Where we have come from:

Community is the invisible fabric that weaves us together. In the past, we gathered more as families, clans and friendship
groups for sports, games, and to engage on matters that affect our nations. Kinship within the community kept it safe, stable,
enjoyable and peaceful; people had relationships with one another that they had to respect.

Where we are today:

We have a wealth of celebrations and events to bring people together, and a lot of young people taking on leadership roles.
We have a growing number of sports and recreation options, and our athletes are leaders in their disciplines. Our fire and
emergency services have come a long way in recent years which protects our safety and gives us a chance to be helped by our
fellow community members.
As we have grown to be the largest Indigenous community in Canada, we have also grown apart from one another.
Disconnection and isolation allow more issues such as crime and drugs to enter our community and cause safety problems.
A lack of mental, spiritual and emotional wellbeing causes safety challenges within the community. We hunger for more
opportunities to come together to discuss matters, have fun, and celebrate Six Nations.

There is a gap in how we come together for planning and political engagement. We care strongly about our community, but
we don’t always have the opportunity to communicate it clearly. Sometimes this leads to disruption and political fractures
which can put safety at risk. Our organizations are working hard to better plan, communicate and coordinate with each other
so our resources can be used more wisely.

How we will move into the future:

We will rebuild families and relationships to strengthen the fabric that makes up community. We will encourage and support
people’s passion for their community and help them channel their ideas and energy to create positive change. As we provide
more opportunities to heal as a community, and better plan our programs and services, safety will be less reactionary – instead
it will be something we maintain and uphold through our responsibilities to each other.

Our Vision for the future is that…

“Six Nations is a safe place with strong families –
participation and collaboration create a fabric that
weaves us together to be a unique community.”

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