First Nations leaders are calling for a formal investigation into Sarnia, Ontario, Councillor Bill Dennis following comments he made about a new Indigenous mural at city hall. The chiefs from Kettle and Stony Point, Chippewas of the Thames, Walpole Island, and Caldwell First Nation filed complaints with the city’s integrity commissioner after the councillor criticized the artwork on social media. The dispute began after the city unveiled the mural on March 18, 2026, which was created to represent local history and partnerships with Indigenous communities.
Councillor Dennis described the $8,452 mural by Haudenosaunee artist Kennady Osborne as “woke art” and “virtue signalling” in a post on Facebook. While the councillor questioned the use of what he believed was nearly $5,000 in tax dollars, the actual total project costs reached approximately $12,500. He also stated that he would “tear up” a partnership involving the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) if he were elected mayor and used dismissive language toward the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Sarnia City Council held a special meeting on March 24, 2026, and passed motions requiring the councillor to provide written apologies to the artist, Aamjiwnaang Chief Janelle Nahmabin, and Kettle and Stony Point Chief Kimberly Bressette. Councillor Dennis refused to apologize, stating there was a better chance of the “Leafs winning the Stanley Cup this year” than him doing so. He also claimed that city staff “baited” him into making the remarks during the online discussion.
The councillor is currently barred from entering city hall and restricted to attending council meetings virtually following a January 2025 investigation that found he breached workplace harassment and discrimination rules. Leaders from the affected First Nations expressed that his recent threats to end community partnerships go beyond being offensive and impact the formal relationships built over several years. The mural, which depicts the Council of Three Fires Confederacy, remains on display in the lobby of city hall.
