Our Mission
Our focus with Brantford Brant We Care is the protection of water, farmland, wetlands, forests, natural features and green spaces, clean air, local food and our democracy. We advocate for better decisions and policies, for building and strengthening relationships with Indigenous nations and our neighbouring communities. Our efforts in Brantford, the County of Brant and the Grand River Watershed always consider our children and future generations to come. We are non-partisan and welcome everyone who shares our concerns to join us.
We care deeply about the future – we want this to be an amazing place with a brilliant sustainable future for everyone, for our children, and for all future generations.
We are all connected
We love the Grand River and we know that what happens throughout the watershed – upstream and downstream, along the tributaries, in the moraines and aquifers, on the farmland, and in our communities impacts us. The actions of the various levels of government (municipal, provincial and federal governments) have impacts on us as well.
We want to build relationships, strengthen these connections, share our stories and find ways to work together in a good way.
We acknowledge that this land is the traditional territory of the Neutrals (Attawandaron/Chonnonton), Anishnaabeg and Haudenosaunee Nations and that these Nations have been the caretakers of this land since time immemorial. This territory is within the lands protected by a number of treaties. We encourage you to learn more about these treaties and to read and consider the words of The Thanksgiving Address. We strive to listen and learn, and we aim to adhere to the principles of two-eyed seeing (etuaptmumk).
The Dish with One Spoon wampum is an agreement made between the Haudenosaunee and the Anishnaabe in the late 1700’s. It was designed to create peaceful relations and it extends to all those who arrive to the area around the Great Lakes region and along the St. Lawrence River. The Dish With One Spoon wampum belt uses symbols to describe how we should live. When we all share from one dish, we never take more than we need, and we always make sure there is something left for the next person and that the bowl remains clean. The spoon was chosen to mean we avoid sharp instruments such as a knife, because they can cause harm. The use of sharp instruments, or sharp words is prohibited.
The Two Row Wampum is an agreement reached in 1609 with some of the earliest European settlers after the Haudenosaunee found Dutch settlers (with language and culture different from their own) entering Haudenosaunee territory, clearing the land and building homes. The Two Row Wampum belt has two equal sized, parallel lines of purple beads with three rows of white beads one on either side and between the purple lines. This depicts this agreement as two boats (purple), each navigating the river of life (white) without either attempting to steer the other and never merging. This is a mutual commitment to peace between nations, a friendship that will last ‘as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, as long as the rivers run downhill, and as long as the grass grows green.’
Parts of Brantford and the County of Brant are also within the Haldimand Tract, the land described by Haldimand Proclamation of 1784, between the Crown and the Haudenosaunee of Six Nations. The Haldimand Tract was described as ‘the Banks of the River commonly called Ouse or Grand River, running into Lake Erie … six miles deep from each side of the river beginning at Lake Erie and extending in that proportion to the head of the said river, which them and their posterity are to enjoy for ever’. This land was purchased by the Crown in consideration of the the loss of their land in the American States, sustained when Six Nations supported the British during the Revolutionary War. In the original agreement 950,000 acres were set aside for the Haldimand Tract. Approximately 48,000 acres remain today.
Our Story
We began our local efforts as a few individuals who, with the help and support of the Greenbelt West Coalition, organized a rally in Brantford in the late fall of 2022 to oppose the harmful changes imposed by the province through Bill 23 (now known as the More Homes Built Faster Act 2022 – passed very quickly without the legally required Indigenous consultation, ignoring input from the province’s own experts, the public and municipalities) and the carving out of Greenbelt lands for development. With only a few days to get organized, and very limited ability to promote the event, we had a good turnout of 35-40 people. The province remained determined to hold course, and also rapidly passed Bill 39 (Better Municipal Governance Act 2022), which includes anti-democratic proposals such as ‘Strong Mayors’. We quickly discovered there are many more people locally who shared our concerns, and as the group grew, we got more organized. We held a second Brantford rally about 3 weeks after the first in early December. Despite absolutely terrible weather, more than 70 people participated, including 5 municipal councillors from the County of Brant and Brantford. Mary Lou Knechtel, one of the founders of Brantford Brant We Care kicked off the rally and greeted everyone at Harmony Square. Rally goers brought tons of energy, and some amazing signs, and we all enjoyed some appropriate music. As we walked together through downtown Brantford we had lots of support – cars tooted their horns and passersby waved and cheered us on. We met outside MPP Will Bouma’s office (which was closed) and speakers addressed everyone gathered. We heard from Theresa McLenaghan, Executive Director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) and John Bell, County of Brant Councillor for Ward 3 and Joan Faux, another of the founders of Brantford Brant We Care. We were delighted that The Paris Independent featured our rally with a headline and photo on the front page and great articles in their December 10, 2022 issue. We appreciate being able to share the amazing photos of the rally taken by Steve Howes, County of Brant Councillor for Ward 2.
Our Plan
Brantford Brant We Care will continue to organize events and raise awareness about issues that concern us. Here we will share news, events, information and resources. Please share your suggestions, ideas, news, questions and concerns with us.