Our Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation
Land Acknowledgment
The Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society acknowledges the territory on which it operates as the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Attawandaron peoples. We recognize the First Peoples’ continued stewardship of the land and water, and that this territory was subject to the Dish with One Spoon Wampum, under which multiple nations agreed to care for the land and resources located by the Great Lakes. We acknowledge and recognize the Upper Canada Treaties signed regarding this land, Treaty 29 (The Huron Tract) and Treaty 45.5 (The Saugeen Tract), and our roles as treaty people, committed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation, gratitude, and respect with all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people.
We acknowledge the racist and oppressive role that child welfare has played in the past, the impact of the Residential school system, and the impact they have had on Indigenous communities. We also acknowledge that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families have been particularly harmed by the actions of child welfare in the past, with legislation and practices that continue today.
The Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society is committed to the Truth and Reconciliation process and journey to support and promote Indigenous wellbeing. We commit to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, especially related to child welfare. We commit to ongoing action to reform our practice and support improved outcomes for Indigenous communities.
We must all remember our responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people as we are all Treaty Peoples. We dedicate ourselves to recognizing settler privilege and colonialism, disrupting these cycles, and respecting Indigenous rights to protect land, treaties, and communities.
Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society is committed to the Truth and Reconciliation process and journey to support and promote Indigenous wellbeing.
Our Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation
On June 6, 2017, the Ontario child welfare sector unanimously agreed to prioritize Reconciliation with Indigenous communities through nine key commitments. Each Children’s Aid Society (CAS) has committed to:
Reduce Children In Care
Reduce the number of Indigenous children in care.
Reduce the Number of Legal Files
Reduce the number of legal files involving Indigenous children and families.
Formal Customary Care Agreements
Increase the use of formal customary care* agreements.
Indigenous Representation and Involvement
Ensure Indigenous representation and involvement at the local Board of Directors.
Staff Training
Implement mandatory Indigenous training for staff.
Jordan’s Principle
Change their inter-agency protocol to include Jordan’s Principle** as a fundamental principle.
Develop a Unique Agency-Based Plan
In consultation with the Indigenous communities, develop a unique agency-based plan to better address the needs of the children and families from those communities.
Develop Relationships
Continue to develop relationships between their agency and the local Indigenous communities.
Historical Files
Assist those individuals wanting to see their historical files by accessing and providing the information they request.
*Customary care leaves the responsibility for the care of the child with the Indigenous community.
**Jordan’s Principle is a child-first principle aimed at ensuring that services to First Nations children are not denied, delayed, or disrupted due to jurisdictional disputes. The principle is named for Jordan River Anderson, a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. Learn more here.
Resources
To read more about Truth and Reconciliation and the child welfare sector, please see the following resources.