Town Of Essex Council Adds Land Acknowledgement Statement To Meetings

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Town of Essex Council has started using a land acknowledgment statement recognizing the traditional territory of the Indigenous people who called the land home before the arrival of settlers at their meetings.

The town says that the reading of the statement is an act of reconciliation and part of ongoing nation-wide efforts to acknowledge the traditional or treaty territories of Indigenous peoples as well as to recognize the healing required as a result of the history and ongoing impacts of Canada’s colonialism.

The statement reads:

“We acknowledge that this land is the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations (comprised of the Ojibway, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi Peoples), and of the Huron-Wendat Peoples. We value the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.”

“There is no way to undo the harm that has been done to Indigenous culture and the people who lived on this land long before Europeans arrived,” said Mayor Larry Snively. “This is just one small step towards acknowledging the truth of our country’s history to ensure it never happens again.”

The land acknowledgment statement will be read during Regular Council Meetings and special events for a six-month trial period to provide an opportunity for community feedback. Submissions can be made via email to [email protected] or by phone at 519-7736-7336 ext 1101.