Statement regarding column by Chief Laurie Carr

The following statement is issued by the City of Peterborough regarding Hiawatha First Nation Chief Laurie Carr’s column in the Peterborough Examiner on Friday, September 19, 2025: 

The City of Peterborough takes extremely seriously the comments by Hiawatha First Nation Chief Laurie Carr in a column in The Examiner that she has experienced racism by City employees. The City welcomes an opportunity to meet with Chief Carr. Chief Carr shared the important message that calling out racism is a first step. The City will be following up with Chief Carr to get specifics of these allegations so that each matter can be investigated and appropriate action taken. 

Racism is expressly prohibited through the Code of Conduct for City employees and will not be accepted. Anyone who experiences a Code of Conduct violation by a City employee can submit a complaint directly to the City or anonymously to a third-party service provided by the City at https://www.peterborough.ca/council-city-hall/plans-and-policies/employee-code-of-conduct/. The City’s employees represent the City and are held to that standard. 

On the broader message of moving forward in a systemic way, the City’s Indigenous Relations Advisor, Shelley Knott, is scheduled to present an update to a City Council General Committee meeting in October to share information on action to date by the organization and future direction. The City is committed to building strong relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities and reflecting the principles of truth and reconciliation.