Land Acknowledgement
Inspired by the 94 recommended calls to action contained in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (now known as the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, or NCTR), land acknowledgements are a necessary first step toward honouring the original occupants of a place. They also help Canadians recognize and respect Indigenous peoples’ inherent kinship beliefs when it comes to the land, especially since those beliefs were restricted for so long.
GSU’s Regina office is on the traditional lands referred to as Treaty 4 territory, the original lands of the Cree, Ojibwe (OJIB-WĒ), Saulteaux (SO-TO), Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.
We further acknowledge that colonization is a present and ongoing process and that there is an urgent need for settlers to recognize relationships with and obligations to Indigenous Peoples and the land. This includes helping to reconcile and implement the true spirit and intent of Treaty-based on Indigenous ways of knowing.
We respect and honour the Treaties that were made on all territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we are committed to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous Nations in the spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.