Proclamation - Black History Month - February 2023

WHEREAS, On December 14, 1995, Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, requested and received the unanimous agreement of the House of Commons on her motion to declare February Black History Month in Canada; and 

WHEREAS, Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of the Black community, to honour the important contributions made by the Black community in the settlement, growth and development of all sectors of society and to recognize its importance to the history of this Country; and 

WHEREAS, Collingwood has a long and rich Black history and wants to recognize and celebrate the vital role our Black community played in the growth and development of our Town; and

WHEREAS, Diversity and inclusion are priorities of this Council and we have committed to working with our residents to eradicate racism in all its forms and to promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #11, to be a community that is inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Yvonne Hamlin, Mayor of the Town of Collingwood,

DO HEREBY PROCLAIM     February 2023 as “Black History Month” in the 
Town of Collingwood.