Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

The Township of Woolwich Council adopted the inclusion of a territorial acknowledgement statement to be read at all Council Meetings and Committees of Council Meetings.

While offering a territorial acknowledgement is important, we remain mindful it is a starting place on a journey toward reconciliation. It requires that we engage in further learning, conversation and action or we risk simply reciting empty words. The following statement can be used as a model in the creation of your land acknowledgement.  

"We want to acknowledge the land on which we live has been here from time immemorial, and that indigenous people have lived here from time immemorial. We thank:

• The Chononton (Chi-nawn-ton) also called Attawandaron (Add-a-won-da-run),
• The Anishnaabe (Ah-nish-naw-bay) and 
• The Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-oh-show-nee) People

Who have lived here and cared for this land and who continue to share and steward this land with us. May we together learn to care for each other, our flora and fauna and the land that sustains us."

The Reconciliation Action Partnership is a region-wide collaboration between the Region and all area municipalities, to address key themes of concerns expressed by local Indigenous communities, see meaningful relationships enhanced between settlers and Indigenous people, and to uphold our commitments made to respond to the Calls to Action laid out by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This approach will support the many voices of the local Indigenous communities to address the systemic issues and barriers for Indigenous peoples that are inherent in municipal processes, services, programs, and spaces in Waterloo Region. Embarking on the development of a region-wide Reconciliation Action Partnership in collaboration with local Indigenous communities is an important next step in the Region’s journey toward truth and reconciliation.

As we continue this journey of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are learning along the way. We recognize the importance of being open, transparent, and accountable for the Reconciliation Action Plan and all subsequent actions.

It was quickly identified that a siloed approach to reconciliation initiatives will not benefit the Indigenous communities that we serve. A Reconciliation Action Partnership (RAP) consisting of staff from the Region and all area municipalities was formed to work closely with Indigenous communities to advance reconciliation, including working collaboratively on the development of a municipal Reconciliation Action Plan.

Through the RAP, municipal partners provide support and leadership to move the work forward within their respective municipality consistently and collaboratively. Within the working group, several sub-committees have been established to support this work. The themes explored by the subcommittees impact every part of the organization. To further advance this work, staff from the Region and area municipalities have formed six (6) subcommittees to lead work in specific areas of focus as outlined in the figure below.

September 30th is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In previous years, this date has been recognized as Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters, a day to witness and honour the healing journey of residential school survivors and their families. For the second year in a row, municipalities across Waterloo Region will be commemorating September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.

Orange shirts commemorate the story of Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor who was stripped of her new orange shirt when she attended residential school as a six-year-old child. In Phyllis’ words, “The color orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing.”

Indigenous communities have called upon non-Indigenous people to be accountable for their own learning as an important part of the Truth and Reconciliation process, and the enclosed kit includes a list of events and ideas for learning on September 30th and beyond.

While September 30th is an important moment to stop, reflect, learn and act, we would like to make clear that this is a year round process and continual journey forward.

Indigenous Education

Many resources were made available to Township staff to educate themselves on the legacy impacts of the Residential School System, and the overall history of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The following list of materials provide an opportunity to watch, read and listen.

Watch

Below are a number of videos to choose from for a valuable learning experience.

Read

Below is a list of reading materials to help broaden your knowledge of Indigenous History in Canada and the Residential School System.  

If possible, purchases can be made from an Indigenous book seller such as GoodMinds.

Listen

Below are a number of podcasts available on multiple platforms to hear from subject matter experts on Indigenous matters.

Learning

Below are different ways to incorporate learning for teams, families or individuals.

Team Learning

Below are several Team Learning Ideas, which can be used for group learning.

• Purchase orange shirts from an Indigenous organization (see resource list) or wear your own orange shirts
• Watch a video together and discuss as a team (see resource list)
• Sign up for a Woodland Cultural Centre virtual tour
• Make a team donation to the Woodland Cultural Centre or to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation or its affiliated funds
• Make plans to visit the Huron Natural Area in Kitchener to view Indigenous murals  
• Book a KAIROS Blanket Exercise (virtual or in-person depending upon availability after November 15)
• Start a book club (see resource list) and commit to regular group discussions
• Sign up for an open online course like Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta) or Aboriginal World views and Education (University of Toronto), and start a discussion group to share reflections 
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation will be hosting series of five virtual lunch and learn sessions, from September 25 to September 28, 2023. Find more information on their page and register here.

Family Learning

 Below are several Family Learning ideas that can assist you and your family as a group.

• Read Spirit Bear’s Guide to the Calls to Action and visit the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society website for kid-friendly resources
• Learn how to talk with kids about residential schools
• Help get youth from kindergarten to grade 12 involved in Imagine a Canada
• Choose an action to take from the list of 150 Acts of Reconciliation

Individual Learning

Below are several individual learning ideas that can assist with you on your path of learning.

• Purchase an orange shirt from an Indigenous organization (see resource list) or wear your own orange shirt
• Using your personal social media accounts, begin following Indigenous accounts (see resource list)
•  Sign up for the TRC newsletter
• Check out resources provided by local public libraries, including book recommendations, programs and more resources 
• Listen to a podcast or watch a video (see resource list)
• Commit to reading Indigenous books, websites and reports (see resource list)
• Make a donation to the Woodland Cultural Centre or to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation or its affiliated funds
• Sign up for an open online course like Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta) or Aboriginal World Views and Education (University of Toronto)  

Additional Resources

Orange Shirt retailers - Note that due to high demand, there is limited availability. 

• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
• Healing of the Seven Generations
• Orange Shirt Day 
• ORANGE SHIRT PRODUCTS – Turtle Lodge Trading Post Inc

Websites 

• Orange Shirt Day– website of the Orange Shirt Society
• Summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
  • Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Final Report.
  • Or listen to it Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Final Report.
  • Read the 94 Calls to Action.
  • Purchase the 94 Calls to Action booklet.

• An Overview of the Indian Residential School System– a resource by the Union of Ontario Indians/Anishinabek Nation
• Reports of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  
• Beyond 94: Truth and Reconciliation in Canada 
• Interactive map of residential schools 
• 21 things you may not know about the Indian Act
• Chanie Wenjack
• Subscribe - The Turtle Island News

Social Media Accounts

Below are a number of social media accounts that you can choose to follow:

Facebook

• Woodland Cultural Centre
• National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation
• CBCIndigenous
• Ontario Federation ofIndigenous FriendshipCentres
• The Healing of The SevenGenerations
• Southwest OntarioAboriginal Health AccessCentre
• White Owl NativeAncestryAssociation
• Anishnabeg Outreach
• KW Urban Native Wigwam Project

Instagram

• WoodlandCulturalCentre
• National Centre forTruth&ReconciliationEducation Centre
• CBC Indigenous
• ConnectRReconciliation
• MississaugasoftheCredit FN
• PasstheFeatherIndigenous
• NishnawbeAskiNation
• Sheis Indigenous
• I AM Kitchener

TikTok (via app only)

• Indigenous TikTok @Indigenous.tiktok
• Shina Nova @shinanova
• Michelle Chubb @indigenous_baddie
• James Jones @notoriouscree
• WabKinew @wabkinew
• PamPalmater@pp2cool
• 1752TreatyRightsHolder @mikmakinews
• KendraRosychuk @kendrajessie
•  ATribeCalledRed @atribecalledred
• BrandonJoseph @anish_no_bae
• @casper_19692.0 (exampleofoutspoken allyship)
• Vanessa @resilientinuk
• Scott Wabano @scottwabano
• KairynPotts@ohkairyn

Twitter

• Jorge Barrera
• Cindy Blackstock
• Dr. Sheila Cote- Meek
• Russ Diabo
• Haden King
• Pam Palmater
• Suzanne Stewart
• Darren Thomas
• Eve Tuck

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation will be hosting series of five virtual lunch and learn sessions, from September 23 to September 27, 2024. Find more information on their page and register here.

For more information on upcoming community events, check the RAP website Reconciliation Action Partnership (rapwr.ca)