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Honouring Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario

Body: 

Aanii, Hello, Bonjour,

At Laurentian University, when we begin a gathering or public meeting, we open with an acknowledgement of the land. Many of you have likely heard me make this acknowledgement before, and this week is an opportune time to better understand why this is so important to us.

November 2nd to 6th is Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario, an occasion to learn and reflect on the treaties which lay out how Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples share land and resources across the country. Treaties typically govern hunting, fishing and harvesting rights, reserve land and payment of annuities, among others. More recent treaties, notably those signed after 1975, include land use management, resource revenue sharing, and financial settlements.

Laurentian is grounded in Anishinaabe territory, particularly of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek. We also acknowledge Wahnapitae First Nation, on whose territory N’swakamok (Sudbury) partially sits. As settlers of this land, our relationship with Indigenous communities is governed by the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850, the 170-year old agreement between the British Crown and the Anishinaabe of Lake Huron, which grant settlement and mining rights, and provide the 21 First Nations included in the treaty with annuities for the land, as well as harvesting, hunting and fishing rights. 

Understanding treaties and how they impact our communities is critical to reconciliation, fostering greater insight into the histories of what are today known as Ontario and Canada, and building stronger, equitable nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous peoples. Understanding treaties can further have positive impacts on our own relationship to land, water and natural resources, and cultivate a greater appreciation of how we sustainably and collectively manage those resources for the benefit of all. 

Laurentian honors the treaty in word and action. Our own path to reconciliation and recognition of the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850 is rooted in deep respect for Anishinaabe culture and the Anishinaabemowin language. It is also grounded in an appreciation of the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities who have gathered on these traditional territories and who every day contribute to building stronger, more resilient and vibrant communities.

Learn more and engage:

Miigwech, Thank you, Merci,

 

Robert Haché, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor