Reconciliation | City of Kingston

The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.

Today, we are committed to working with Indigenous Peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The day responds to Call 80 of the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Sept. 30 is a day to honour Survivors, their families and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

What is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Calls to Action?

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission took place between 2008 and 2015. It was an opportunity for survivors of residential schools to come forward and tell their stories. These histories were recorded and compiled, ensuring that the legacy of what the survivors experienced would not be forgotten.

Survivor stories represent the truth portion of the Commission. However, reconciliation is a much longer, much more involved process. It requires action at the individual, government and collective levels.

To help guide reconciliation and to set clear goals, the Commission identified 94 calls to action covering a wide range of Canadian society. As of the end of 2023, only 13 calls to action have been completed, and 0 were completed in 2023. Learn more about Calls to action accountability.

Learning resources and reports

Download the mobile app - Reconciliation: A Starting Point
Read the 231 calls to action in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Learn more about the National Centre for Truth and reconciliation reports related to residential schools, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Aboriginal Healing Reports, and more.
Learn about the Residential School timeline, developed by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
See how close you live or work to a former residential school site using an interactive map created by CBC.
Learn more about the Engage for Change Project, which seeks to re-frame the relationship between Indigenous/First Peoples and non-Indigenous people in Kingston.

Engage for Change project: #YGK reconciliation journey

The Engage for Change project, which began in 2015 as a three-phased program, aimed to transform the relationship between Indigenous First Peoples and non-Indigenous individuals in Kingston. The project focused on reshaping perspectives regarding history, knowledge and culture. It created space for learning and understanding between the two communities through inclusive dialogue, education, celebration and performance.

Phase I: 2016-2017

The first phase of work had four separate components: community-based talking circles, programming on reconciliation and residential schooling, support for public presentations and community events, and the creation of digital content.

This phase of work won the Award of Excellence, Cultural Events, from the Creative City Network of Canada.

Phase II: 2018-2019

The second phase built off the first phase and focused on working with Indigenous community members through a series of facilitated engagements to explore what a community cultural centre or space could look like in Kingston. These engagement sessions also considered how a related support council or advisory board could function in Kingston.

Phase III: 2020-2023

The third phase brought the outcomes of the first and second phases together. It included a number of recommendations that are now being implemented:

Support for an interim Indigenous community centre and gathering space.
Development of a relationship protocol between Host Nations and the City of Kingston.
Renaming and decorating a City Hall meeting space in consultation with the local Indigenous community.
Market Wing renovation at City Hall with an installation on local Indigenous culture and history led by an Indigenous curator.
Development of a policy on the use of traditional medicines on City-owned property.
Cultural awareness training for the community, Council and staff.
Creation of a community resources website and events calendar.
Ongoing support for community-led programming and events.

Actions in response to the legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald

Engage for Change project: #YGK Reconciliation Journey and Your Stories, Our Histories -a public engagement that concluded in 2019- also involved thinking about the history and impact of Sir John A. Macdonald. Since Kingston is where Macdonald lived, we want to look at our history locally and nationally and take actions to make our historical discussions more fair, diverse and inclusive. These actions celebrate the history of Indigenous Peoples and change how we talk about Kingston and the land it is on.

The actions included replacing existing plaques with notices for more inclusive histories, forming a diverse working group to address Sir John A. Macdonald's history, integrating a locally crafted land recognition statement and consultation that resulted in naming the Waaban Crossing to celebrate Indigenous contributions to Kingston.

Recognition Statement

On June 22, 2015, the City of Kingston approved for the first time a Recognition Statement to be read at the beginning of each Council Meeting and on other ceremonial occasions. This Recognition Statement was drafted in consultation with Indigenous communities. The statement is to be offered at the beginning of a gathering as a way of saying, “Welcome and thank you for coming”. It represents just one of a series of separate, yet related initiatives that have been pursued in recent years to acknowledge and strengthen relations with Indigenous Peoples at a local level.

She:kon [Say go: Mohawk word for hello]
Aanii [A knee: Algonquin word for hello]
Boozhoo [Boo ju: Ojibway word for hello]
Waychaya [Wa chay ya: Cree word for hello]
Kwey Kwey [Kway Kway: Oji-Cree word for hello]
Tawnshi [Tawn she: Métis word for hello]

“I offer these words in the spirit of this gathering. Let us bring our good minds and hearts together as one, to honour and celebrate these traditional lands as a gathering place of the Original Peoples and their Ancestors who were entrusted to care for Mother Earth since time immemorial. It is with deep humility that we acknowledge and offer our gratitude for their contributions to this community, having respect for all as we share this space now and walk side-by-side into the future.”