November 6th, 2023

November 5-11 is Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario. This week aims to:

  • Raise awareness about treaty rights and responsibilities
  • Build understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples

It was created in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action in 2016.

What Is A Treaty?

Treaties are the legally binding agreements that set out nation-to-nation rights, responsibilities and relationships including:

  • Indigenous Nations
  • Federal governments
  • Provincial governments

They provide a framework for living together in partnership and cooperation.

Treaty Rights

  • Are the specific rights embodied in the treaties that were entered into with the British government, and later Canada
  • Set aside reserved lands for the exclusive use of First Nations, and their rights to hunt, fish, and trap on provincial Crown lands
  • Are protected by subsection 35(1) of the Constitution Act,1982

Learn more about the History of treaties in Ontario.

By learning about Treaties, staff and students are able to better understand the relationship between Indigenous Nations and Canada. They also learn how First Nations continue to fight for those agreements to be honoured. Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) staff are being supported with a variety of resources and professional development opportunities from the Indigenous, Equity, and Human Rights Department. This is so they may better support students and the WRDSB community.

Educating ourselves on Canada’s reconciliation journey enables us to recognize the impact of:

  • Colonialism
  • Injustice
  • Inequality

Territorial Acknowledgement

Consider using this territorial acknowledgement in presentations or through digital communication:

I acknowledge that the land on which WRDSB sites are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Chonnonton people. I also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous people with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Join the Conversation

What have you learned during Treaties Recognition Week? Share what you’re learning on social media and be sure to use the hashtag #IndigenousWRDSB.