Hamilton councillors vote down Indigenous seat proposal

Advocates in Hamilton, led by the coalition Circle of Beads, are calling on elected officials to create a new council seat that would represent First Nations

Hamilton councillors have voted not to explore the addition of a new seat designated for a representative of the urban Indigenous population.

Advocates in Hamilton, led by the coalition Circle of Beads, are calling on elected officials to create a new council seat that would represent First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the city, a step that they said would be "extremely important" for better representation.

At council's general issues committee meeting Monday, councillors present were split on whether to explore the issue further, and with a 6-6 tie vote, the motion was therefore defeated.

A final vote will need to be ratified at the next council meeting, this Friday.