This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum agreement. The treaty signified an understanding between nations that these lands were a shared resource and it was everyone’s responsibility to look after the shared ecology of southern Ontario.
When settlers arrived, this treaty was extended to include Euro-Canadians, and it was expected that settlers would respect the bounds of the “one dish” treaty, by sharing resources and living in peace, while respecting one another’s sovereignty and nationhood.
Today this gathering place is home to many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples and acknowledging reminds us that our great standard of living is directly related to the resources and friendship of Indigenous people.
We are grateful today to have the opportunity to work in the community and on this territory, and we strive to honour the principles of the “one dish” treaty through our stewardship and community initiatives, to protect the wellbeing of all living things on this land for generations to come.