The research team on this project wants to be held accountable for our work on the lands we work upon. First and foremost, we would like to acknowledge that the land we operate on has been a site for human activity for thousands of years. This land is the traditional territory of the Mississuagas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chipewas, the Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat people.
We understand the role that settler-colonialism has played and its lasting legacy, and this statement of acknowledging the history of this land cannot undo the violence and injustice against people who are indigenous to this land. However, in collaboration with Indigenous elders and organizations, we intend to work to dismantle the legacy of colonialism to the best of our ability. However, we would like to be held accountable for our work with immigrants and newcomers as potentially being a continuation of settler-colonial projects.
Many newcomers are unaware of the history of this land, however we would like to make a distinction between the contemporary settlement practices of newcomers and historical settler-colonial projects. Regardless, we intend to commit to listening to Indigenous communities and unlearn any biases, while simultaneously sharing knowledge through our research project within the settlement sector by acknowledging the pre-established nation that we occupy.
