Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

Territorial Acknowledgement

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.

If you would like to use the statement that acknowledged at Council, it is available below.

"The land on which we meet has been here from time immemorial. People have inhabited southern Ontario for about 10,000 years and we acknowledge the Attawandaron, Anishinabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples who lived here when settlers arrived and who share this land with us. May we together learn to care for and respect each other, our flora and fauna, and the land we inhabit together."

Reconciliation Action Partnership

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.

Every Child Matters / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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

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.