I will begin this journey by acknowledging that I am exploring on aboriginal land that has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples from the beginning. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here and thank all the generations of people who have taken care of this land - for thousands of years.
I acknowledge the aboriginal peoples, the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-in-a-bek), Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-no-show-nee), Lūnaapéewak (Len-ahpay- wuk) and Attawandaron (Add-a-won-da-run, who have been the guardians of this traditional territory now covered by the Upper Canada Treaties. We recognize and deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place. We also recognize the contributions that the Indigenous peoples have made, both in shaping and strengthening this community in particular, and our province and country as a whole.
As settlers, this recognition of the contributions and historic importance of Indigenous peoples must also be clearly and overtly connected to our collective commitment to make the promise and the challenge of Truth and Reconciliation real in our communities, and in particular to bring justice for murdered and missing indigenous women and girls across our country.