Indigenous Land Acknowledgement

A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the relationship between Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories. 

Background

In 2019 municipal staff conducted research and provided a report to Council on land acknowledgement statements for the Municipality. Staff learned that land acknowledgements are a small yet significant way to show respect and acknowledge the presence of Indigenous peoples past and present. Reciting a statement is just one step in the process of full acknowledgement of Indigenous land and peoples.

Our land acknowledgement statement

At the Municipality of Port Hope, we open our Council meetings and events with the following Land Acknowledgement:

"We acknowledge that this meeting / event is being held on the traditional territory of the Mississauga Nations."

This is our first step to bringing attention and showing respect to the Indigenous peoples who first lived – and currently live – on the land where we live and work.

Continuing education

Our efforts to reconcile with Canada's Indigenous people doesn’t stop with a statement. The Municipality is invested in educating Council and staff, which will begin this year and be an on-going program. We will continue to update our page with the steps that we’re taking toward continued education and understanding.

If you're interested in learning more, the University of Alberta offers a free online course called Indigenous Canada, which explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective highlighting national and local Indigenous-settler relations. 

Additional resources

The resource list below is not an exhaustive list. We will continue to add to the resources list over time. 

Hosting a public gathering?

Please consider opening your public meeting, presentation or event with this Land Acknowledgement. Contact us for questions about how to incorporate the acknowledgement in your virtual or in-person gathering.