Welcome
A Land or Territorial Acknowledgement is a tradition that has dated back centuries for Indigenous people, but for many non-Indigenous Canadians, officially recognizing the territory or lands we stand on is a fairly new concept. Many Indigenous people say it marks a small but essential step toward reconciliation.
At our weekly Rotary club meetings, this Land Acknowledgement is read aloud. It is the same one used by our club's Indigenous Awareness Committee, and similar to the one read before Guelph City Council meetings.
As we gather, we are reminded that Guelph is situated on treaty land that is steeped in rich indigenous history and has been home to a variety of peoples over the millennia. Today, this area has become home to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people. As a community, we have a responsibility for the stewardship of the land on which we live and work. Today, we acknowledge the historic Mississaugas of the Credit, the First Nation people who were the treaty signatories of the territory on which we are meeting.