Refreshed Territorial Acknowledgement for the City of Guelph, included in the report titled Refreshed Territorial Acknowledgement, dated September 6 2023, be approved.

57:45for the City of Guelph for your approval.

57:51Over the past year, we have worked together internally

57:53across departments and with external partners

57:56to bring this presentation to you today.

57:59This year long journey we undertook

58:01was just as important as the final words

58:03that we are presenting to you today

58:04in our Refresh Territorial Acknowledgement.

58:07Today we hope to take you on a condensed version

58:09of this journey.

58:11The city's territorial acknowledgement is established

58:14with different intent than the traditional custom

58:16of many First Nations, as we described in the report.

58:20What we present today acknowledges

58:23that the lands where Guelph is situated

58:24had a rich history, culture and governance structure,

58:28which existed long before settler contact.

58:31We began this process thinking it was a relatively simple task

58:35of adjusting a few phrases to improve

58:36the historical accuracy and recognition.

58:39Through input and consultation, we quickly realized

58:42that there was much more depth and importance

58:44to the words that we bring before you today.

58:46And as we move through our journey,

58:48we listened, reflected, unlearned and reflected some more.

58:52We opened our hearts and mind, and I can say with certainty

58:55that each of us involved in this process

58:57felt a roller coaster of emotions.

59:01There is a heaviness of responsibility

59:03and also the satisfaction of having started the journey

59:05of learning and relationship building.

59:08Each word we have included is significant and intentional,

59:12reflecting our commitment to building

59:14and strengthening relationships

59:16and moving forward on the journey of reconciliation.

59:31So the museum is entrusted to represent

59:34the full and truthful stories of our community

59:36from perspectives as plentiful and diverse

59:39as the community itself, and to amplify voices

59:42that have traditionally been underrepresented.

59:45As such, the museum had a role to play in the process

59:48that led to the city's 2016 territory acknowledgement.

59:53The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report

59:55and the 94 Calls to Action released in 2015

59:59ignited action within the museum and the city

1:00:02to extend deep in and make new relationships

1:00:06with the local indigenous community,

1:00:09and to set our commitment to learning

1:00:11and sharing all historical truths

1:00:13of the place we call Guelph.

1:00:15The Calls to Action centered the importance

1:00:18of collaboration with indigenous peoples and communities.

1:00:22The museum hosted a blanket exercise

1:00:24for city staff and council created

1:00:26by the Aboriginal Rights Coalition.

1:00:29The blanket exercise uses indigenous methodologies

1:00:32to help rather to build understanding

1:00:35about our shared history as indigenous

1:00:37and non-indigenous peoples in Canada

1:00:40by walking participants through the experience

1:00:43of pre-contact, treaty making, colonization,

1:00:47and resistance.

1:00:49The blanket exercise centers truth before reconciliation.

1:00:54As colleagues in this work, Guelph museums

1:00:57and the city of Guelph understood

1:00:59that the 2016 territorial acknowledgement

1:01:02was one part of a continuous journey toward reconciliation.

1:01:07Centered in truth and an ongoing commitment

1:01:10to nurturing relationships,

1:01:12both with the people and the land,

1:01:15in the place we call Guelph.

1:01:23The 2016 territorial acknowledgement

1:01:25was the first iteration of where the city understood itself

1:01:28to be in its understanding of reconciliation.

1:01:36As I stepped into my new role as senior advisor,

1:01:39I had received a letter from Six Nations of the Grand River

1:01:42that highlighted the historical complexity of this region

1:01:45and the complexity of our relationships

1:01:47with indigenous communities.

1:01:49This was the start of my personal learning journey

1:01:51around the importance of the territorial acknowledgement

1:01:54and the history of the place we now call Guelph.

1:01:58Even before engagement for the refresh had started,

1:02:02we heard from the community

1:02:03that our territorial acknowledgement

1:02:04and related information on the website

1:02:07held in historical inaccuracies through omission.

1:02:11We also heard that the words felt sterile

1:02:13and lacked any real emotion

1:02:14and that the acknowledgement felt more like a checkbox exercise

1:02:18rather than holding any true meaning.

1:02:20And so together with my colleagues,

1:02:21we initiated the first of many engagement sessions

1:02:24to address what we had heard.

1:02:26We received input from those you can see listed on the slide.

1:02:30Above, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation

1:02:33and Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council

1:02:35provided us with an overview

1:02:36of the complex history of this region.

1:02:39And we learned about the rich culture and legacy

1:02:41of the many nations they call this region home.

1:02:45We took a day to visit Ekina Magaya-Gamik,

1:02:48the Lodge of Learning,

1:02:49to learn more about history and governance.

1:02:52And we spoke to local community members

1:02:54for the need for accuracy and representation

1:02:57of those who continue to call this place home

1:03:00and those whose personal journeys brought them here

1:03:02from other places.

1:03:04Mostly we learned that we have much more listening,

1:03:06understanding and learning to do in order to move forward

1:03:10and that that responsibility was ours.

1:03:19With this guidance in hand,

1:03:20we took the time to listen, reflect and learn.

1:03:23Dr. Waykamp at the University of Guelph

1:03:25was most gracious in getting us started

1:03:27with resources to read and watch,

1:03:29which led to more reading questions and reflections.

1:03:32Some of those documents and articles are listed here,

1:03:35which I encourage you to read in your time.

1:03:38We also contacted surrounding municipalities

1:03:40and the universities and asked local organizations

1:03:43about their engagement and processes

1:03:45to ensure we were using best practices.

1:03:52Through this process, we took the time

1:03:54to understand the complex histories

1:03:55and relationships between nations,

1:03:58to learn the meanings of the terms we used

1:04:00and to ensure we use them correctly.

1:04:02We took note that First Nations did not just exist

1:04:05in some distance past, but are very much present

1:04:07and an important part of the future.

1:04:10We noted that pronunciation matters

1:04:12as does language and grammar.

1:04:14Through this entire process,

1:04:16we also took the time to step back and reflect,

1:04:18to further our knowledge based on the information

1:04:20and inputs we gathered

1:04:22and to understand how to best proceed.

1:04:29Most significantly, we learned about the importance

1:04:31of being personally involved

1:04:33and connected to the words spoken and acknowledgement.

1:04:36We asked ourselves questions like,

1:04:38what is our relationship to the land as individuals,

1:04:41staff members, and as a city?

1:04:43How do we benefit from this relationship

1:04:45and where are we in the journey to reconciliation?

1:04:48And even before we put a single word to paper,

1:04:50we reflected deeply on these questions.

1:04:52And so partway through the journey we pivoted

1:04:55and we realized the end goal was not just

1:04:56a refreshed territorial acknowledgement,

1:04:58but this was part of a journey towards reconciliation.

1:05:02And so what did we learn and where did this take us?

1:05:05We now have a better understanding

1:05:07of how important learning and education is

1:05:09for the city to move forward

1:05:10and incorporating reconciliation in our daily work.

1:05:14We have arrived at strengthened relationships,

1:05:17building, relationship building through engagement.

1:05:20It is important to clarify that obtaining full support

1:05:22from indigenous communities was not the intention

1:05:25or outcome we sought.

1:05:26We focused however on strong collaboration

1:05:29and gathering inputs from both our treaty partners

1:05:31and indigenous natives.

1:05:33These relationships are of vital importance

1:05:35as we advance reconciliation.

1:05:37It is important to remember that the territorial acknowledgement

1:05:39was created for the city and is used by the city

1:05:42as a way to acknowledge the history

1:05:44and traditional uses of this land.

1:05:47And finally, as we present the territorial acknowledgement

1:05:49today, we want to make sure we can reflect

1:05:51the evolution of guide direction

1:05:54by ensuring this remains a living process

1:05:56open for reflection and revisions.

1:06:06And so now we would just like to take a pause

1:06:09with the meeting and allow for each of you

1:06:11to read and reflect on the refresh territorial acknowledgement

1:06:14that you have in front of you.

1:06:16I encourage each of you to read the words with intention,

1:06:19acknowledging their purpose, their meaning, and their impact.

1:06:50The acknowledgement you just read

1:06:52represents phase one of our process.

1:06:55It's intended to be used in formal settings

1:06:57such as these as we're here today

1:06:59where decisions are being made.

1:07:01We are also committed to establishing

1:07:03a second phase to this process.

1:07:06This additional phase will provide an opportunity

1:07:08to speak about a more personal connection land.

1:07:11This more personal version would be used

1:07:13in more informal settings,

1:07:15such as being out in the community

1:07:16where no decisions are being made.

1:07:18Phase two will also be accompanied by training,

1:07:21learning, and guidance to support staff and council

1:07:24when using this extended option.

1:07:31Reconciliation is both an ongoing and non-linear process

1:07:35with no defined end.

1:07:37The city is committed to reconciliation

1:07:40and continues to advance initiatives

1:07:42such as the selection of the sacred fire site

1:07:44in Royal City Park,

1:07:46hosting sharing circles with indigenous communities,

1:07:49and now with the process

1:07:50to refresh the territorial acknowledgement.

1:07:53While these initiatives show progress

1:07:55and a commitment to working together,

1:07:57our journey must continue forwards.

1:07:59And that's why on September 20th,

1:08:01staff in partnership with the organization Kairos

1:08:04will be facilitating a blanket exercise workshop

1:08:07with council.

1:08:08Just as Dawn spoke about the museum's experience

1:08:11with the blanket exercise,

1:08:13this will be an important and immersive hands-on experience

1:08:17to help build knowledge and understanding

1:08:20of indigenous histories and current experiences.

1:08:24Given the city's desire to continue advancing reconciliation

1:08:28through learning, knowledge, and understanding,

1:08:30we are also in the process of initiating the city's

1:08:33indigenous relations framework

1:08:35to guide the next chapter in our journey.

1:08:42The indigenous relations framework

1:08:44will be undertaken with the guidance of a consultant

1:08:46and the input and collaboration

1:08:48from our indigenous treaty partners,

1:08:50neighbors, and community members.

1:08:53The framework will provide guidance and structure

1:08:55to the city to improve indigenous relations

1:08:57and reconciliation as part of an organization-wide effort.

1:09:01It also creates the foundation for the city to adopt actions

1:09:05from international and national documents

1:09:07such as the Truth in Reconciliation calls to action

1:09:10and the United Nations Declaration

1:09:12on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

1:09:14This framework will help identify where Guelph

1:09:16can adopt changes or take action to work towards achieving

1:09:20a shared vision for the city's indigenous relations.

1:09:23Currently, we are forecasted to be able to share

1:09:25this framework with you in 2024,

1:09:27in time for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

1:09:31in September.

1:09:33Now, before we turn this back over to all of you

1:09:35for further discussion,

1:09:36we wanted to close this presentation

1:09:38with a quote from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

1:09:40of Canada, which you can see on the slide here.

1:09:43It helps to remind us why we're all here today

1:09:46and why we must continue and are committed

1:09:49to continue on the journey ahead.

1:09:51Thank you.

1:09:54Thank you so much to staff and all the partners involved

1:10:00in this refresh.

1:10:01I'm sure I speak on behalf of council

1:10:03that we appreciate the work that's gone into this.

1:10:07So thank you very much.

1:10:09I'm just gonna look to vice chair of governance,

1:10:13would you be willing to move the recommendation?

1:10:15So Councillor Bousintil will move it

1:10:18with someone who will be willing to second it.

1:10:19Thank you, Councillor Klassen.

1:10:22Is there any questions at all?

1:10:25Question, I'm gonna go to Gibson, Karan and then O'Rourke.

1:10:29Thank you.

1:10:31Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:10:32Question for the presenter.

1:10:34Just the territorial acknowledgement.

1:10:37I understand the sensitivities of the topic we're discussing

1:10:40and I know means, I'm asking this from a place

1:10:44of wanting more knowledge.

1:10:47The term, we are guests here.

1:10:50Can I ask for some clarity?

1:10:52Simply because I know there will be many people

1:10:55in this city that call this place home

1:10:58and acknowledge this place as multi-generational home

1:11:01for them and their families.

1:11:04How does this message resonate with generations of people

1:11:09that would consider a wealth their home?

1:11:11And now we're being told we're guests.

1:11:17Yeah, through the mayor to Councillor Gibson,

1:11:20thank you for that question.

1:11:21And as we said, each and every word,

1:11:24we thought about this with great intent

1:11:27and thought process put into this.

1:11:30And as we learned more about the Indigenous ways of learning

1:11:33and being, their concept of ownership

1:11:36and not taking more than they need from the land

1:11:41was very much in the fore.

1:11:43And with that concept, and given the current state

1:11:48of our environment, we thought it was important

1:11:51to try to make that come through,

1:11:54that we are all guests on the land

1:11:57and that we need to treat it in the manner

1:11:59as you would a guest in somebody else's home.

1:12:02So regardless of whether you build your home here

1:12:05or multi-generational generations,

1:12:06I myself have four generations of families

1:12:10for over 30 years now.

1:12:12So that comment resonates with me as well.

1:12:17And I do consider this my home,

1:12:18but as such, I also would like to treat it

1:12:22with that same propriety in knowing

1:12:25that we preserve it for our future generations.

1:12:28Thank you. That's a great response.

1:12:31That's a great answer.

1:12:32I guess my follow-up question is,

1:12:34at the outset of the statement,

1:12:36we are recognizing that we collectively

1:12:39are meeting on historical Indigenous land.

1:12:44So we are acknowledging that we are settlers,

1:12:46we collectively are settlers

1:12:48and we're meeting on Indigenous land.

1:12:51It's a difficult transition to then say collectively

1:12:54all of society are guests here

1:12:56because I think we're insinuating that we are acknowledging

1:13:04we're meeting on traditional land,

1:13:05but then we as in all of society are guests to the land.

1:13:10Is there a way to create that distinction

1:13:13where the we, the second time we use we,

1:13:16is a much more inclusive of all people,

1:13:19our guests on the land,

1:13:20not just what many people will interpret

1:13:23to be newcomers to the land.

1:13:34Thanks through the mayor to Councillor Gibson.

1:13:36Yeah.

1:13:38So I think certainly this is the city's territorial

1:13:42acknowledgement and the person who is reading it

1:13:44gives this as they speak for themselves

1:13:47and the group they are gathered with.

1:13:49That's why you'll see the territorial acknowledgement

1:13:52has this potential to be extended

1:13:55in more less formal circumstances, frankly,

1:13:59where you can speak to your connection to the land

1:14:01and to the community if you have an Indigenous connection

1:14:05that is meaningful and you want to share it

1:14:07as part of the land, the territorial acknowledgement,

1:14:12that's perfectly fine.

1:14:14And so I think that's why we've found it appropriate

1:14:17to do sort of a phase one

1:14:19that we've worked carefully with our partners

1:14:22to ensure is respectful and appropriate

1:14:24for where we are right now

1:14:26and then leave some room for a more personal reflection

1:14:29of your connection to the land and the community.

1:14:36Okay.

1:14:37Maybe I'll just, my comments for the record,

1:14:39I would have preferred it to say we are all guests here.

1:14:43All members of society are guests on the land

1:14:45rather than what I believe seems to be an insinuation

1:14:49that only some of us are guests here.

1:14:51I'll leave it at that.

1:14:53I won't be voting against,

1:14:54but I would have preferred it to be a bit more

1:14:57of an inclusive comment that all members of society

1:15:00are guests on the land.

1:15:01But those are just my comments.

1:15:03Thank you.

1:15:06Thanks and through the mayor,

1:15:07we'll certainly take that away between here

1:15:08in the end of the month.

1:15:12Okay. Thank you so much.

1:15:15I believe Councillor Kerrion was next please.

1:15:20I appreciate the question and the any answer

1:15:22to the question that was just posed

1:15:24because I think it speaks to the reality

1:15:27that when we each use the acknowledgement.

1:15:32Councillor Kerrion, I'm so sorry to interrupt you.

1:15:34We're just having trouble hearing you in here.

1:15:36And I don't think it's you.

1:15:38I think it's been some audio issues already today

1:15:42a little bit.

1:15:43So maybe could you try moving a bit closer

1:15:45and just to see if you can speak up a bit more?

1:15:49Again, I'm sorry to ask you of that

1:15:50because I don't think it's you.

1:15:51There's been other audio things happening

1:15:53in the meeting here,

1:15:54but go ahead, I'll turn it back over to you.

1:15:56Sure. I'm actually right in front of my microphone and camera.

1:16:00So I'm not sure how much closer I can go.

1:16:05I can try turning off my video.

1:16:08No, you've already increased volume by about 25% there.

1:16:13So keep going. You're great.

1:16:14Okay. Great.

1:16:16I just want to thank our staff

1:16:18for the answer to previous Councillor's question

1:16:21because what it underlines to me

1:16:24is that the interpretation of our words

1:16:27is very personal and very intentional.

1:16:29And so this is leading to a question.

1:16:32I know that I have some Métis background in my family,

1:16:37but I was not raised in an Indigenous culture.

1:16:41So I don't feel that I can speak

1:16:43or reflect any Indigenous knowledge in my role

1:16:47as a Councillor or as a member of society.

1:16:50But what I do do is I phrase my words

1:16:55so that it is understood.

1:16:56And I certainly have always felt

1:16:58that even though 400 years later,

1:17:01I'm still a guest on this land

1:17:04and that I'm only here for, you know, God willing,

1:17:07I'm only here for 80 years.

1:17:08So I'm a temporary guest on this planet.

1:17:12And so I will speak words that allude to that relationship.

1:17:18So my question is along those lines

1:17:21is that this is an evolving process

1:17:23and my nature would have been to actually wordsmith

1:17:26the territorial knowledge

1:17:28to change all the we shoulds, to let S's

1:17:30and change some words.

1:17:31And then I stopped myself and said, no,

1:17:33no, this is a city acknowledgement.

1:17:35And some really great work by our staff

1:17:38is reflected in this recommendation

1:17:39and I'm not going to change a single word.

1:17:42But the staff have alluded to an evolutionary process

1:17:47and a process where there will be changes

1:17:50as we move forward for different types of events.

1:17:53And I'm just wondering now that this phase is complete,

1:17:57when is the timing for that next phase?

1:18:00When will phase three occur

1:18:02and how often will the acknowledgement be reviewed?

1:18:09Through you, Mr. Mayor and to Councillor Caron.

1:18:12In terms of timing for our second phase

1:18:14of the acknowledgement process

1:18:16that speaks more to the person's actions,

1:18:18we would be looking to really begin that phase

1:18:20with the blanket exercise on September 20th.

1:18:23So the workshop with really be able to kick off

1:18:26that secondary phase to enable us to undertake that learning,

1:18:32that training and that guidance

1:18:34to really start the process on that second piece.

1:18:37Okay, that's great.

1:18:38We enthusiastically supporting this recommendation.

1:18:43Great, thank you, Councillor.

1:18:47I believe my next Councillor on the list is O'Rourke.

1:18:52Thank you, Mayor Guthrie.

1:18:52I have a very straightforward question.

1:18:55I'm just looking at the slide that talks about engagement.

1:18:58Sorry, it's jumping around here.

1:19:00And I don't see the Grand River Metis Council.

1:19:04And I'm just wondering if they've been engaged,

1:19:06like we do the little flag raising,

1:19:09they were amazing at the end of June

1:19:13at the First Nations celebration.

1:19:15And so we see them fairly regularly.

1:19:17And I'm just wondering what the level of engagement

1:19:19was with the Metis.

1:19:22Through the Mayor to Councillor O'Rourke,

1:19:24we did reach out to the Metis Council

1:19:26in our original round of engagements

1:19:29in September and October of 2022.

1:19:34At that time, they were going through elections

1:19:36and asked us to reach back out

1:19:37just to make sure we were speaking to the same council

1:19:41and elected folks.

1:19:43After that, we were not able to connect with them

1:19:45for a number of reasons on there.

1:19:48And there was some health issues

1:19:51or something else that went on.

1:19:53I did leave a number of emails with them.

1:19:55And so we do have a number of outreach attempts.

1:20:00But I have heard through others that they did read

1:20:04and received the emails that we did send them.

1:20:09Through you, Mr. Mayor, and to Councillor O'Rourke,

1:20:11we also had some engagement with the Metis Council

1:20:15in prior experiences, like Sara had described.

1:20:18And one of the pieces of feedback

1:20:20that we did receive from them is that

1:20:21while they enjoy being included,

1:20:24number of the different engagements we do

1:20:25on Indigenous relations,

1:20:27when it comes to the territorial acknowledgement,

1:20:29they don't have any land rights or land claims

1:20:32here in Ontario in this situation,

1:20:34and therefore did not feel like they should be included

1:20:37in the territorial acknowledgement specifically.

1:20:40Okay.

1:20:41So through you, Mayor Gathrop,

1:20:42they will be involved in other dimensions

1:20:44of our Indigenous framework.

1:20:46That's correct, yes.

1:20:47Thanks very much.

1:20:48Okay, and Claeson, please.

1:20:51Thank you, and through you, Mr. Mayor, to staff.

1:20:54Thank you for this work.

1:20:55This is hard, challenging work,

1:20:58and I often find myself confronted with it

1:21:01when making decisions here around the horseshoe,

1:21:03so I appreciate it.

1:21:05In the spirit of keeping it short,

1:21:09maybe this is a question to take away,

1:21:10but as a council, as we move forward

1:21:14towards reconciliation as a staff

1:21:16and with the territorial acknowledgement,

1:21:18and also the blanket exercise,

1:21:21my question is how else can we support?

1:21:24How else as a council can we support you,

1:21:28but also be more active in our role in reconciliation?

1:21:37Through Mayor Gathrop to Councillor Klassen,

1:21:39thank you very much for the support,

1:21:41and for your comments.

1:21:42We'll certainly be able to engage Council in a fulsome way

1:21:45as we work through the Indigenous relations framework,

1:21:47and our community celebrates many important days

1:21:52with the Indigenous community,

1:21:53one of which is at the end of this month,

1:21:55and so we'll make a point of sharing with you

1:21:58some opportunities to engage with our community

1:22:00and better understand from them and with them

1:22:03how they wish to be recognized,

1:22:05but certainly the Indigenous relations framework

1:22:07is another important milestone

1:22:09in working with our colleagues in human resources.

1:22:11We'll also look for training beyond the blanket exercise

1:22:14to continue to bring to council on this topic.

1:22:18Thank you, it's appreciated.

1:22:21Any resources to be shared, I think would be very helpful.

1:22:25Thank you.

1:22:27Great, thank you.

1:22:28Seeing nothing further off questions,

1:22:31would it be okay for me to call the vote,

1:22:35or would anyone like to say something before?

1:22:38It looks like I can call the vote.

1:22:39Oh, Erin, I'm sorry, Councillor Katelyn, sorry,

1:22:41go right ahead.

1:22:43No worries, through you to staff.

1:22:44I just wanted to say thank you very much.

1:22:46It was really great work.

1:22:47And I think it's important to recognize

1:22:50as non-Indigenous people,

1:22:52if that is your personal situation,

1:22:54that our feelings are not the important ones right now,

1:23:01and that centering the Indigenous community

1:23:03is the point of reconciliation.

1:23:06So I'm really glad that you did that,

1:23:08and I appreciate all of the hard work that went into it.

1:23:11Thank you.

1:23:13Thank you so much.

1:23:15Okay, I'll call the vote then.

1:23:16Is anyone against the refresh

1:23:19of this territorial acknowledgement?

1:23:22That is nobody, that is unanimous.

1:23:24Again, Ditto, thank you so much to everyone involved,

1:23:28we really appreciate it.

1:23:30Okay, I don't think I have any other

1:23:33further announcements at this time.

1:23:37Actually, yeah, I am gonna do a quick announcement