Hastings County Council will be asked to acknowledge traditional Native Territory at the beginning of each of its meetings.
The county’s Finance Committee is making the recommendation, following its meeting Tuesday.
Mayor of Tweed Joanne Albert told the meeting that it’s something “everyone should be doing.”
“It’s something that I know I’m going to do at my council meeting. I have forwarded this to them. I don’t know we’ll do this exact one but I do believe we should be, everyone should be doing land acknowledgement.”
A land acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the relationship between Indigenous people and the traditional territories.
County council is expected to consider the recommendation at its meeting later this month.
The Land Acknowledgement being recommended to Hastings County Council by the Finance, Property and Personnel Committee:
Hastings County Land Acknowledgement
We are meeting today on the traditional territory of many nations including the Huron-Wendat, Anishnaabe, and the Haudenosaunee peoples. Hastings County Council acknowledges our shared obligation to respect, honour and sustain these lands and the natural resources contained within. We honour their cultures and celebrate their commitment to this land. We would also like to acknowledge the Mohawk and Algonquin nations whose traditional and unceded territory we are gathered upon today. Hastings County is situated on treaty land that is steeped in rich Indigenous history and home to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.”
