Some voters told Taproot that reconciliation with Indigenous nations matters for their vote
The growing responses to Taproot's listening work in the lead up to the municipal election on Oct. 20 reveal that some voters expect results rather than rhetoric when it comes to how the city reconciles with Indigenous nations and peoples.
Edmonton and its residents are all treaty people because the city resides on Treaty 6 land. The city, province, and Canada itself were built atop Indigenous territory in ways that led to significant harm. In Edmonton, the damaging legacies include the Camsell Hospital, which housed Indigenous people from across Canada for tuberculosis treatment, often against their will, the large number of residential schools in Alberta, and the forced removal of the Papaschase people from what's now partially Mill Woods.
Earlier this year, Taproot launched our listening campaign at several in-person and virtual events, and we posted a 2025 election question on our site. We have been gathering responses ever since, and at last count, more than 925 people have provided them. The listening was built around a simple question: "What issues do you care about as you consider who to vote for in the 2025 municipal election, and why?"
Roughly 20 people told Taproot that reconciliation with Indigenous nations and peoples will inform who they will vote for on Oct. 20. Many of these respondents tied reconciliation and Indigenous peoples with other points, including being more critical of police funding, supporting cultural heritage, building appropriate housing, protecting Indigenous women and children, and supporting Indigenous leadership and indigeneity.
One respondent said they will vote for candidates who support "meaningful movement towards defunding the police, addressing anti-Blackness, Islamophobia, and Indigenous discrimination." They added that they want to see Edmonton "prioritizing Indigenous reconciliation in all policies."
Another said they will vote for candidates who support the city building diversified affordable housing. "We need to build affordable housing for larger and extended families that reflects their needs. This requires new approaches to housing that take into consideration the worldviews, architecture, and family structures of Indigenous and new settler communities."
When it comes to candidates, Indigenous reconciliation has not been a dominant talking point. Recently, Shani Gwin, founder and CEO of pipikwan pêhtâkwan, said in a post that mayoral candidates have mentioned Indigenous peoples, but have done so "usually in regards to overrepresentation in houselessness or when they discuss 'safer cities.'"
Gwin continued: "What has been disappointing to see is the lack of any Indigenous representation of community members in campaign photos or videos WITH the candidate. If there was, that may signal to me there's relationship building or investment … or that we are even an important community worth your campaign time … This is not enough."
Taproot has worked to explain where Edmonton is at when it comes to Indigenous reconciliation and its relationship with Indigenous peoples and nations.
