Thinking about running for Mayor, Council or School Board Trustee? Get the information you need before you file your nomination.

Join the Municipality of Chatham-Kent's Clerk, Judy Shantz, for our Municipal 2026 Election Candidate Information Session:

April 16 at 6:00 PM

Council Chambers, Chatham Civic Centre

Register by emailing ckelection@chatham-kent.ca

No fee.

This session will cover responsibilities, expectations, timelines, and what to know before filing your nomination.

Learn more about 2026 municipal elections:

Municipality of Chatham-Kent 2026 election webpage

Municipality of Chatham-Kent - Running for Municipal Office

Resources for Running for Municipal Council - includes resources for several equity-deserving communities

Nominations are Now Open and Tickets are For Sale!

The Chatham-Kent Black Excellence Awards & Gala returns on April 18, 2026 at the Everest Convention Centre.

Wat Raeng Ngan Thai Samakkee warmly invites community to join their Merit-Making Ceremony in celebration of the Songkran Festival.

This special event is an opportunity to come together as a community, preserve Thai cultural traditions, and participate in meaningful merit-making activities.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: Wat Raeng Ngan Thai Samakkee, 2 Le Muel St., Thamesville, Ontario N0P2K0

For more information contact +1 226-345-0839.

Building Stronger Teams: Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Immigrant Talent

April 21, 2026, 12:00 - 1:00, Virtual

Register on Eventbrite

Learn how to:

• attract and connect with skilled immigrant talent
• reduce barriers in hiring and onboarding
• strengthen employee retention and workplace culture
• build inclusive practices that support team performance

Whether you are looking to diversify your workforce, address labour shortages, or strengthen retention, this webinar will equip you with actionable strategies and real-world insights to support your organization's success.

Presented in partnership with the Chatham-Kent Local Immigration Partnership, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, and WILL Immploy.

Creating Cultural Safety within the Low German-speaking Community

Friday, April 24, 2026, 9:30 - 11:30 AM

Virtual Event

$45 registration

Explore the concept of creating cultural safety within Low German-Speaking Mennonite communities focusing on strategies to build respectful and inclusive spaces where individuals can express their identities and experiences without fear of discrimination. The webinar will delve into the unique cultural dynamics of these communities, highlighting the importance of understanding historical contexts, navigating language barriers and addressing cultural sensitivities. The session will offer practical guidance on fostering open dialogue, promoting empathy and implementing policies that support both cultural preservation and the safety of marginalized voices within these communities.

Facilitate by Perter Dyck through the Mennonite Central Committee.

Learn more or register: Creating Cultural Safety: A Webinar for Service Providers | Mennonite Central Committee

April is Sikh Heritage Month!

This month, we celebrate Sikh culture and heritage and honour the important contributions of Sikh community members to our social, economic, political and cultural lives.

Sikhism is one of the world’s youngest religions but is the fifth largest religion in the world. The first wave of settlers who were Sikh arrived in Canada in the early 1900s. Today, Canada has the second largest diaspora of people who are Sikh in the World!

Sikh Heritage Month was first established in Ontario in 2013 and then in Canada in 2019. April was chosen because it is the time that Sikh people observe Vaisakhi, which commemorates the creation of the Khalsa and Sikh articles of faith. Vaisakhi (sometimes spelt Baisakhi) may also be called Khalsa Sanja Diwas.

Happy Vaisakhi to community members honouring this important time in Chatham-Kent!

Learn More:

Find information about local ethno-cultural communities on the Living CK website.

Learn about the history of Sikhs in Canada from:

Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada

Sikh Research Institute

Early Concepts (resources for educators)

Sikh National Archives of Canada

Learn about Sikhism and other religions in the workplace from Encounter World Religions.

Sikhism in Canada from Wikipedia

Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives (PAMA)

Thank you to members of the Sikh Cultural Society Chatham-Kent for reviewing the contents of this post.

Learning about and appreciating cultures different from our own helps us promote understanding and respect for each other. As Cinco de Mayo approaches, we recognize it as an important day in Mexican history. Any activities or events connected to this day should focus on respect and appreciation.

To learn more about the meaning of Cinco de Mayo and how to honour it respectfully, please visit the full document on our Let’s Talk page.

Have feedback or ideas to share? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us at DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca.

May 5th is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People (MMIWG2S), also known as Red Dress Day. In honour of this day, several events will be held in Chatham-Kent. Scroll down to learn about the day and events.

All events listed are open to everyone.

Please contact us DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca if you would like to add other events.

Note: it is appropriate to wear red pins, ties, coats, shirts, to show support on May 5th and around the year. Read more about the purpose of the red dress below.

About The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People

Also called Red Dress Day, the day honours and brings awareness to the disproportionate violence that Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people face in Canada.

The red dress was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project, in which she hung empty, red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people found that, in Canada:

• Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit people are 12x more likely to go missing or be murdered than all other women, and 16x more likely than Caucasian women.
• In the last 30 years, more than 4000 Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit people have gone missing or been murdered. That’s about 133 a year or 3 a week.
• Because of persistent forms of oppression (racism, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism), complaints about missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Women, are less likely to be taken seriously or followed up.

The National Inquiry led to 231 Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Canadians.

Local Events

Tuesday, May 5, 4:00 - 6:30 PM

Deshkan Ziibi, 495 King Street West, Chatham

Co-sponsored by: Ska:Na Family Learning Centre; The Bleak House; 7 Generations Indigenous Cultural Friendship Centre; Maawnjidimi Indigenous Network Social Planning and Action Network Member Table; and Women's Equity Business.

Everyone is welcome.

More information: May 5 2026: MMIWG Vigil & GINDAASDAA Circle | Chatham-Kent's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Strategy | Let's Talk Chatham-Kent

Supports

This day may be triggering for some people. Help is available.

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people toll-free support phone line (24/7) 1-844-413-6649

Hope for Wellness Help Line (24/7) 1-855-242-3310

Manitoba MMIWG2S Self-Help Resources

Chatham-Kent Victim's Services

Learn More

Read the final report and Calls for Justice from the MMIWG2S+ National Inquiry on the National Inquiry website

Visit the National Family and Survivors Circle website

Visit the Amnesty International No More Stolen Sisters website

Find book, video and podcast recommendations on Simon Fraser University’s website

Listen to the local Ode'mini Giizis podcast on Spotify or YouTube

May 5, 2026 Starting at 4:00PM

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Awareness Vigil

495 King Street West, Chatham (Deshkan Ziibi)

4:00 Vigil opening and drumming

4:10 Giving of Tobacco

4:30 Sharing Circle (Open Sharing)

5:00 Vigil Closing & Drumming

5:15 Taking down of the Red Dresses

5:30 - 6:30 Pot Luck meal

6:30 - 8:00 GINDAASDAA Circle (Book Club)

GINDAASDAA Circle (Book Club)

Everyone welcome!

In-person at 495 King Stret West, Chatham (Deshkan Ziibi) or Zoom if you can't make it in-person

Contact Naomi naomi@skanaflc.com to RSVP and/or to get the Zoom link.

Book: Odagahodhes: Reflecting on Our Journeys by Gae Ho Hwako Norma Jacobs (Author), The Circles of Odagahodhes (Author), and Timothy B. Leduc (Editor).

Meet the Author! Norma Jacobs will be at Deshkan Ziibi for the Vigil and the evening at the GINDAASDAA Circle.

Please shop local and check out the bookstores in your local area for availability.

The book follows a series of Indigenous sharing circles, relaying teachings by Gae Ho Hwako and the responses of participants - scholars, authors, and community activists - who bring their diverse experiences and knowledge into reflective relation with the teachings. Through this practice, the book itself resembles a teaching circle and illustrates the important ways tradition and culture are passed down by Elders and Knowledge Keepers. The aim of this process is to bring clarity to the challenges of truth and reconciliation. Each circle ends by inviting the reader into this sacred space of Odahahodhes to reflect on personal experiences, stories, knowledge, gifts, and responsibilities.

GINSAASDAA (Ghin-daahs-daah) means 'looking at something together and learning from it in the Ojibwe language. The GINDAASDAA Circle is a book club focusing on Indigenous authors who've written about Indigenous Knowledge, Reconciliation and Worldviews. A book will be chosen for everyone to read, review, and discuss at the bi-monthly GINDAASDAA Circle meetings. Suggestions are always welcomed.