The Ontario Ombudsman’s work takes place on traditional Indigenous territories across the province we now call Ontario. The City of Toronto, where our office is located, is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We are thankful to be able to live and work on this land, and we acknowledge the many treaties that overlay it.
We believe in the significance of land acknowledgments as a way to recognize, respect and honour this territory, the treaties, the original occupants, their ancestors, and the historic connection they still have with this territory.
As part of our commitment to reconciliation, our focus in the next few years will be on:
-
Demonstrating our Office's dedication to serving the constitutionally recognized First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples recognized under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 in Ontario;
-
Providing educational opportunities for our staff to help them learn more about our shared history and the harms that have been inflicted on Indigenous peoples;
-
Working to establish mutually respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples across the province; and
-
Continuing to integrate recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls into our work.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work on this part of Turtle Island.