Manitoba indigenous leaders are rallying for change and a Winnipeg mall is answering.
Community leaders gathered at Portage Place Shopping Centre for a pipe ceremony, discussion, and round dance.
It follows a plan from the mall to become more inclusive, welcoming and culturally sensitive.
The mall faced criticism and protests after it ejected aboriginal war veteran Joseph Meconse in February.
At the time, a mall policy required anyone who had not purchased food in 30 minutes to exit the food court.
The rule is no longer in place.
Now, leaders are outlining short-term and long-term goals for inclusion.
"When we say we're all treaty people, indeed we are, because we’re sharing the land and the resource wealth with our non-indigenous brothers and sisters,” said Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.
“And when we talk about treaties and the treaty relationship, we always talk about peaceful co-existence and mutual respect between our peoples."
Portage Place plans to hold an indigenous concert series in the spring or early summer, one of the many steps they say they're making towards inclusion.
