Land Acknowledgement

We are gathered on the unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory and acknowledge that the Anishinaabe Nation have lived here for millennia.

We consider how we can contribute to reconciliation. We look to the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report in our daily practices as professionals, creators and advocates in the built environment to take concrete steps towards reconciliation.

Call 7: “We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.”

As professionals, we should commit to removing barriers for Indigenous people who are seeking employment within the profession or choose to pursue an education in fields in the built environment. 

Call 84, ii & Call 92, ii

“Increasing equitable access for Aboriginal peoples to jobs, leadership positions, and professional development opportunities within the organization.”

“Ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector…”

We should provide an inclusive and accessible environment within the profession. This includes equitable access to employment for Indigenous people and professional development opportunities to learn about Indigenous people, cultures, and perspectives.

Call 92, i, ii

“We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:

  1. Commit to meaningful consultation, building respectful relationships, and obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples before proceeding with economic development projects.
  2. Ensure that…Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from economic development projects.”

As professionals responsible for protecting the public interest, we should include protecting the interest of Indigenous communities when designing/building with them.