We All Belong Here: Standing Together Against Hate

The Region of Waterloo has launched the “We All Belong Here” anti-hate campaign to promote inclusion, raise awareness, and encourage reporting of hate incidents. This initiative is part of the Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan and responds to rising hate crimes in our region.

The campaign was led by the Combatting Hate Action Team (CHAT). The campaign features powerful messages like “We all belong here” and “Hate is not ok. Name it. Report it.” You’ll see these messages across the community, including on bus shelters, wrapped Grand River Transit bus and in schools, workplaces, and public spaces.

The Township of Woolwich is proud to partner and support this campaign by amplifying the messaging and working with community partners to ensure everyone feels safe, respected, and valued. Together, we can create a community where hate has no place.

Visit the We All Belong Here website to learn more about how to identify and report hate, and join us in building a more inclusive and welcoming Woolwich.

The Township of Woolwich celebrates Pride month each June, including our Pride flag-raising at the Woolwich Memorial Centre at the beginning of the month.

The Township is also pleased to support Woolwich Pride and their annual Pride Festival held in Elmira. This event brings our community together to honour 2SLGBTQ+ communities within Woolwich. Events like this allows us to reflect on key moments in the fight for 2SLGBTQ+ rights and to renew our personal and collective commitment to combating homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia wherever they occur.

Throughout the Township we are dedicated to supporting and welcoming all gender identities and expressions within our community We strive to address barriers, both visible and implicit, that may prevent individuals and employees from flourishing in ways that are true to who they are and what they aspire to become.

The Township of Woolwich has committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community for all residents and rejects all discrimination and hate directed towards any person or group of people.

In 2023, Woolwich Council appointed a 2SLGBTQ+ Ad-Hoc Committee in order to advise on making Woolwich more inclusive. The Ad-Hoc Committee made several recommendations aimed at supporting celebrating 2SLGBTQ+ people, friends, family and allies who live, work and play in the Township.

You can read the Final Report  or see below for the Ad-Hoc Committee recommendations and status.

The Township of Woolwich is fortunate to have some amazing volunteer based organizations doing great work around EDIB initiatives in our community! 

Hearts Open for Everyone

Hearts Open for Everyone (H.O.P.E.) is a not for profit organization whose vision is to foster a multicultural rural community where everyone can be truly authentic and welcome! HOPE creates a shared community experiences while promoting compassion, togetherness, and a deep sense of belonging.

H.O.P.E.'s programming includes workshops, local events and the Multicultural Festival of Elmira, held at Gibson Park, Elmira in September annually.

Woolwich Pride

Woolwich PRIDE is a local volunteer group that organizes the Township's PRIDE Festival taking place in Elmira in June annually.

Did you know that the Township has EDIB specific grants?  

Funding may be awarded to eligible individuals and organizations for initiatives, activities or events in the community that support equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. Check out our Grants and Special Assistance page for more information.

If you are organizing an event or initiative that aims to promote and advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility or have any questions, concerns or feedback regarding EDIB in the Woolwich Community please contact us!

The Township of Woolwich Council has adopted the practice of including a land acknowledgement statement at all Council and Committee of Council and other formal meetings.

While offering a land acknowledgement is a meaningful step, we recognize it as only the beginning of a larger journey toward reconciliation. True progress requires ongoing learning, dialogue, and action—without which a land acknowledgement risks becoming a symbolic gesture rather than a sincere commitment.

The following statement is provided as a model to guide the creation of your own land acknowledgement.

“We are grateful to the First Peoples who have lived on and cared for this land, and who continue to do so today. In particular, we recognize:

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

We honor their deep connection to this land, and we acknowledge their wisdom, resilience, and leadership. These communities have protected and cared for the land with respect, responsibility, and a sense of shared trust.

As we move forward, we hope to build a future based on mutual respect, shared responsibility, and stronger relationships with one another.

May we continue to learn together — to care for each other and to honor all who share this place with 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)