Indigenous Reconciliation

The Township of Wellesley has adopted the practice of reading a territorial acknowledgement statement at all Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.

"We would like to begin by acknowledging the land on which we gather today is the land traditionally used by the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Chonnonton People. We acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today."

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.