A Winnipeg Landmark Rich in Symbolism Comes Under Indigenous Control

It was an extended and unhappy demise for the 600,000-square-foot retailer. Solely two of the white monolith’s six gross sales flooring have been nonetheless in use when its money registers lastly fell silent.

At the moment, the beginning of 2021, many had excessive hopes that the Bay’s retailer would keep away from the destiny of the neighboring Eaton’s outlet, which had been demolished to make approach for the Winnipeg Jets’ enviornment. However the property’s destiny was very unsure, with one actual property agency valuing the situation at $0 due to what a renovation or demolition would price.

Simply over per week in the past, nonetheless, the landmark’s future was secured — and more than likely not what number of had anticipated. The Bay introduced that it was giving the property and the constructing to Southern Chiefs’ Group, which represents 34 Manitoba First Nations. Having secured about 100 million Canadian {dollars} in funding, the bulk from the federal authorities, the Southern Chiefs have bold plans for the location: reasonably priced housing, assisted residing, a therapeutic heart, a day care, a museum, assembly areas and eating places, amongst different facilities. The plans additionally embrace a revival of the previous retailer’s Paddlewheel Restaurant, which many readers fondly recalled of their emails final 12 months.

Above all, the Bay’s determination at hand over its former headquarters to a First Nations group within the metropolis with Canada’s largest city Indigenous inhabitants is deeply symbolic. The Bay, greater than another group, was a driving drive behind the European colonization of Canada. The corporate was based in 1670 to use the fur commerce in Rupert’s Land, an space that makes up a few third of present-day Canada. King Charles II, with out consulting the Indigenous inhabitants, claimed the territory as England’s and gave it to his cousin. The corporate’s relationship with Indigenous folks from that time on was one largely of exploitation.

“It’s fairly correct that First Nations are being given this land again,” Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs’ Group informed me. “I believe it reveals that company Canada has an curiosity in taking an energetic function in form of rebuilding its relationship with Indigenous folks.”

Chief Daniels informed me that negotiations for the acquisition of the constructing went again not less than 18 months. Early on, Chief Daniels mentioned, he traveled to New York with, amongst others, Phil Fontaine, the previous nationwide chief of the Meeting of First Nations, to satisfy with Richard A. Baker, the true property magnate who owns the division retailer chain. He mentioned that along with agreeing to present the constructing to the group, Mr. Baker promised to work with the chiefs on its revival.

The plan for the renovation is in superior phases, Chief Daniels mentioned, although negotiations are nonetheless underway for extra funding of about 30 million Canadian {dollars}.

The customarily ill-defined idea of “land again” has turn into the main target of loads of Indigenous folks in recent times. Many Indigenous folks outline it as when governments return land — or crown land, as it’s generally known as — to the First Nations and different Indigenous teams. Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, the appearing head of the division of Indigenous research on the College of Manitoba, mentioned that the Bay challenge wouldn’t actually qualify as land again except the federal authorities formally acknowledged the shop as an city reserve, or sovereign Indigenous territory.

However he however praised the challenge, referred to as Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn, which he has not been concerned in.

“It’s a incredible initiative,” he mentioned. “Folks must be very proud.”

Professor Sinclair mentioned that the challenge would profit extra than simply Indigenous folks, arguing that it might even be a boon to Winnipeg and its struggling downtown.

“Indigenous peoples can be reoccupying an area that’s of vital historic worth to us,” he informed me, “however they may also be cleansing up a large number {that a} massive firm left behind.”

This week’s Trans Canada part was compiled by Vjosa Isai, a Canada information assistant at The New York Occasions.

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A local of Windsor, Ontario, Ian Austen was educated in Toronto, lives in Ottawa and has reported about Canada for The New York Occasions for the previous 16 years. Observe him on Twitter at @ianrausten.

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