Indigenous Relations, A Path to Reconciliation

National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQ+ People – May 5

The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQ+ People (MMIWG2S), also known as Red Dress Day is recognized across Canada on May 5. On Red Dress Day, we honour and bring awareness to the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ people.

The name “Red Dress Day” was inspired by Métis artist Jamie Black’s The REDress Project(external link). Jamie’s art installation hangs red dresses to represent the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ+ people who have gone missing or been murdered, and whose families have been left without answers.

In May of 2023, the House of Commons agreed to implement a National Alert System for MMIWG2S. Indigenous women are crucial contributors to Indigenous culture, maintaining roles as healers, knowledge keepers, elders, caregivers, parents and more. Targeted violence towards Indigenous women not only impacts victims and their loved ones but also entire communities.

To learn more, visit the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls website(external link).

National Indigenous History Month – June

Each June, we celebrate National Indigenous History Month to celebrate and honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous Peoples from coast to coast and across Turtle Island (now known as North America). National Indigenous History Month was created in 2009 in the House of Commons to highlight the achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples throughout Canada. This month celebrates Indigenous culture, recognizes the contributions made by Indigenous Peoples, and acknowledges the acts of revitalization and resurgence that are happening within Indigenous Communities. As illustrated in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report, celebrating Indigenous achievement is an important piece in Reconciliation.

Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – September 30

September 30, marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is a day for all Canadians to reflect on the history and legacy of the Residential School system, remember the victims and survivors, and honour the strength and resilience demonstrated by Indigenous Peoples and Communities across Canada.

Across Canada, there were 140 federally run Residential Schools that operated between 1867 to as recently as 1996. Residential schools were attended by over 150,000 children – many of whom were taken from their families and forced to endure horrific conditions. At least 10,000 children died while attending Residential Schools and the graves of many students are still unknown. Across the country, many communities and organizations honour the day by hosting events and memorials for survivors, families, and children who never made it home.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established in 2008 to document a historical record of the Canadian Residential School System. Members of the TRC travelled the country, hearing the stories of over 6,500 witnesses who provided their personal knowledge and information about the residential school system. In 2015, the TRC released its final report, including 94 Calls to Action calling upon Canadian governments, businesses, and citizens to advance the goals of Truth and Reconciliation.

On June 3, 2021, the Federal Government declared September 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day is not only a commemoration but also represents decades of Indigenous resiliency and advocacy and calls for concrete action to take place to reconcile with the wrongdoings of the past.

September 30 is marked as Orange Shirt Day because it is historically known as the time of year when children were taken from their homes to attend Residential Schools. The date also coincides with the beginning of the school year, where important conversations about anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion can take place with youth and educators across the country.

Orange Shirt Day originated from the story of Phyllis Webstad(YouTube video), a Northern Secwepemc Shuswap from Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. On her first day of Residential School the orange shirt she was wearing, a gift from her grandmother, was taken from her. Wearing orange is a symbol acknowledging how the culture, freedom and self-esteem of Indigenous children were stripped away for generations

Treaties Recognition Week

43. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation.

47. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous Peoples and lands, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, and to reform those laws, government policies, and litigation strategies that continue to rely on such concepts.

57. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal Peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.

The Town of Caledon recognizes its role and has begun the journey through the development and ongoing refinement of its Indigenous Community Engagement Protocol (IEP). The IEP is one of many ways to support meaningful engagement with Indigenous Communities in Caledon. On March 22, 2022 Council approved the IEP, to help guide engagement at the Town of Caledon. Please note the IEP is a living document and will be updated periodically.

One of the actions from the IEP was the creation of a Staff Working Group, started in the spring of 2022, to bring different groups together to understand the unique needs and opportunities for Indigenous engagement.

On October 28th, 2022 the leader of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) and the former mayor of Caledon came together to sign a historic agreement between the two communities. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizes the Town of Caledon's commitment to working collectively and in the spirit of reciprocity to advance  reconciliation. The Memorandum of Understanding is the first of its kind in the Peel Region. 

NEW: The Town of Caledon is working towards making all Town spaces more inclusive for Indigenous Peoples and the communities that support them. The Town is excited to launch a program to make Town owned facilities and spaces available at no charge for events that serve the Indigenous community, including Indigenous organizations, groups, families, or individuals. The space would be made available, at zero cost up to a maximum of $1,200 per year. Visit the Rental and Events Application page to submit your request. 

A territorial or land acknowledgement is an act of reconciliation that involves making a statement recognizing the treaty lands and traditional territory of the Indigenous Peoples who called the land home before the arrival of settlers, and in many cases still do call it home (CBC, 2017).

What is its purpose?

Providing an Indigenous land acknowledgement at the beginning of an event or meeting gives time for reflection and demonstrates recognition of Indigenous lands, treaties and Peoples. It involves thinking about what happened in the past and what changes can be made going forward in order to further the reconciliation process.

Indigenous land acknowledgements mark a small and important step in the process of reconciliation and building a positive relationship with Indigenous Peoples, a reminder that we are all accountable to these relationships.

By making an Indigenous land acknowledgement we are taking part in an act of reconciliation, honouring the land and enduring Indigenous presence which, in Caledon, dates back over 13,000 years.

What is the Town of Caledon’s Indigenous Land Acknowledgement?

Below is the Land Acknowledgement used by the Town of Caledon Staff and Council. This Land Acknowledgement was created in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) in January 2022.

Indigenous Peoples have unique and enduring relationships with the land.

Indigenous Peoples have lived on and cared for this land throughout the ages. We acknowledge this and we recognize the significance of the land on which we gather and call home.

We acknowledge the traditional Territory of the Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee Peoples, and the Anishnabek of the Williams Treaties.

This land is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

We honour and respect Indigenous heritage and the long-lasting history of the land and strive to protect the land, water, plants and animals that have inhabited this land for the generations yet to come.

Pronunciation

• Anishnabek: (ah-nish-naw-bek)

• Haudenosaunee: (hoodt-en-oh-show-nee)

Hosting a public gathering in the Town of Caledon?

Please consider opening your public meeting, presentation or event with this Land Acknowledgement above.

The Town of Caledon is continuously learning about the rich and complex histories of Indigenous Peoples in this area and is working to refine how the organization can better understand and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples, Nations and cultures.

The lands that now form Caledon were among those acquired by the British Crown from the Mississaugas of the Credit through Treaty 19, also known as the Ajetance Purchase, signed on October 28, 1818, by representatives of the Crown and Chief Ajetance.

Take time to learn more about Indigenous Peoples, their cultures, languages and experiences. Below is an ever evolving list of ways to educate yourself and your community about Indigenous Peoples. 

• We invite the public to engage with the Caledon Library's Indigenous education resources, many of which are carried in both print and digital format. These resources can be accessed with a library card by anyone who lives or works in Caledon.
• The Indigenous Network, formerly the Peel Aboriginal Network (PAN), is a community-based, non-profit, registered charity whose mission is to provide programs and services to address the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical needs of the Urban Indigenous population of Mississauga and neighbouring regions such as Caledon. To access the programs and learn more about their offerings visit https://theindigenousnetwork.com/ 
• For Peel District School Board students and families, the Centre for Indigenous Excellence and Land-Based Learning has opened. The space, residing in Caledon, will honour and uphold the rights of Indigenous people, continue PDSB’s treaty partnership and build relationships with the Indigenous community in Peel.
• In the Hills – Land Acknowledgements Decoded

• Shared Path
• Indigenous Canada is a free online course from the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
• To learn more about Orange Shirt Day, visit https://www.orangeshirtday.org/.

Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools or by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or online at www.hopeforwellness.ca.