Halifax councillors are looking to create a designated Mi’kmaw council seat, allowing permanent residents to vote in municipal elections and other changes to legislative amendments. 

During the city’s executive standing committee meeting on Monday, councillors discussed a report that looks at electoral reforms that require legislative amendments. 

The report to council asks that the Chief Administrative Officer include “designated or protected seats for specific groups (African Nova Scotian, Francophonie, Indigenous representation).” 

During the meeting, Coun. Waye Mason said, “what we heard, over and over again, was 'we think there should be a Mi'kmaw seat in Halifax.’”

The report also asks that permanent residents have the right to vote in municipal elections. 

“I have met residents in district 12 that have their permanent status that have jobs here, buy houses here and help our economy,” Coun. Iona Stoddard said. “They pay taxes and should be able to have a say in who their municipal councillor is.”

Coun. Paul Russell asked that the vote on permanent residents and Mi’kmaw council seat be done separately. 

“I am in complete support of the idea of permanent residents being able to vote,” Russell said.

But Russell said while he sat on the Halifax school board 20 years, having a designated seat brought “challenges.” Russell said this system can cause the designated seat to take on the role of a more vocal advocate for their population, rather than the whole region. 

“What would happen if we have someone in that role who is more of an activist instead of a representative of equal voices across the municipality,” Russell said. 

Coun. Patty Cuttell said that could happen with any representative, not just the Mi’kmaw community. 

“I do think that having that voice as part of our discussions and deliberations is an important one,” Cuttell said.

Both recommendations will come before the regional council at a later date.

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