10/18/2024
A statement of accountability/apology:
A few weeks ago I was notified by mail about a municipal shelter being planned for a long empty house near my home. Several neighbours and I tried to find information about the proposal and learned that this was a project by CreateTO and 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations. Overall we were optimistic and wanted to understand more about the scope of the project. We were unable to find much information.
A few neighbours suggested that we could ask questions about the proposed variants as a way to get this information. This seemed reasonable to me. A letter was written which I hastily signed. I did not pay close enough attention to what I was signing and assumed it was a letter that would result in more information about the project and would not build a case against the project. This was a harmful and careless act on my part. I should have absolutely considered more closely what I was signing.
I did not realize it was a letter of opposition as that was not noted on the draft that I had read. Last night this was brought to my attention and my partner and I immediately wrote a letter of support that I sent in last night and which is on public record as of 9:30am today. As of this evening my letter can be found near the bottom of page 2 of supporting documentation. Following that, my family have submitted a request to remove our names from the letter of opposition. I will do everything I can to gain support for this project among our neighbours.
By signing this letter I have caused harm to people in our community, which directly opposes the values that I aim to live in alignment with. I am deeply sorry.
We are enthusiastic about transitional housing for 2 Spirited Indigenous Youth, and believe it is a wonderful use for the empty building which has been sitting there for many years. We’re excited that this project can lead to sustainable solutions to empower these folks. As of today we have become monthly donors to 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations and specifically to this project and look forward to watching it develop and become a part of our community.
