Live Work Well Research Centre
Live Work Well Research Centre
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Month: June 2021

Land Acknowledgements Part Two: Can We Celebrate Canada Day Respectfully?

On June 21st Canada celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day as a way to honour the heritage, customs and contributions of Indigenous people’s native to these lands. However, fast forward 10 days and you will find a day dedicated to commemorating Canadian confederation and patriotism. Canada Day (July 1st) is a statutory holiday that is rooted in and often ignores the colonialization of the very peoples and cultures that were celebrated only 10 days prior.

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Land Acknowledgements Part One: Your Responsibility to Treaty

Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released their Final Report in 2015, institutions such as the University of Guelph have started to incorporate land acknowledgements into their practices, such as at the beginning of meetings or presentations. Individuals might include an acknowledgment in their email signature or at the beginning of a class they are teaching. Acknowledging the traditional territory we are on is important and can be a good step in learning about the history of the region. However, land acknowledgements run the risk of being insincere if no action is taken or if people aren’t speaking from an informed place, especially if they don’t acknowledge or do anything about their ongoing contributions towards land theft and erasure.

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Nothing Without Us: Disability Inclusion and the Pandemic Recovery // Rien sans nous: Inclusion des personnes en situation de handicap et relance après la pandémie – June 17 2021

The disability community in Canada and internationally has continually called upon all levels of government to include persons with disabilities in its management of the current pandemic and recovery efforts. This side event would focus on how countries can take an overarching “Nothing without us” approach to the pandemic recovery and ensure full social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Read more about "Nothing Without Us: Disability Inclusion and the Pandemic Recovery // Rien sans nous: Inclusion des personnes en situation de handicap et relance après la pandémie – June 17 2021"