Treaty, Truth and ReconciliACTION

The City of Leduc acknowledges we are situated within Treaty 6 Territory, comprised of the ancestral and modern-day territory of the Nêhiyaw (Cree), Dené, Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Anishinaabe, Nakota Isga (Nakota Sioux), as well as the Métis Peoples. We acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit, whose footsteps have marked these lands since time immemorial. We understand we are all Treaty people with shared responsibility to this land and to each other. At this time of truth and reconciliation, we welcome the opportunity to listen, learn and act.

The City’s approach to Treaty, Truth and ReconciliACTION lays out a 12-month cycle of humility and learning, recognizing that we cannot take meaningful action without deep understanding.

Through this cycle we will explore shared commitment and common investment into the future of Indigenous connections and inclusion for the City of Leduc. Taking time as an organization to understand Treaty, learn difficult Truths, invest in relationships with Indigenous neighbours is the foundation of this pathway towards Reconciliation. 

The 12-month cycle is built around five important dates.

Oct. 1: The City of Leduc’s Recommitment to ReconciliACTION 

This day is specific to Leduc and allows us to reflect on the meaning and learnings from Sept. 30, and to recommit to the process of reconciliation. It also provides a chance to review the City’s recent efforts to address the Truth and Reconciliation, and to identify the City’s path forward. Residents in our community are also encouraged to make a personal recommitment to reconciliation on Oct. 1 each year.

May 5: Red Dress Day

May 5 marks of day of awareness and remembrance for the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender diverse people across Canada; it encourages learning with the hopes of ending the violence. Red Dress Day is also knows as a National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People.

June and June 21: Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day 

In Canada, the month of June highlights National Indigenous History Month to recognize the significance of Indigenous history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across the nation. June 21 is also National Indigenous Peoples Day and presents the opportunity to keep a spotlight on the importance of Treaty, Truth and Reconciliation for our city and the region.

Aug. 23: Treaty 6 Day 

Treaty 6 Day provides an opportunity to reflect on what Treaty means to our community: to learn about historic and modern Treaties in Canada, to understand Treaty relationships and rights, and to recognize that we are all Treaty People. 

Treaty is a partnership between two nations to work and enjoy this land together.  Much of the land that we now call Canada is covered by treaties. Starting in 1701, the Crown signed Treaties that defined the respective rights of how Indigenous peoples and European newcomers could use North American lands, which Indigenous people traditionally occupied. The Treaty-making process was formally established by the Royal Proclamation of 1763.   

They are nation-to-nation agreements that established the terms for how sovereign entities would coexist peacefully while sharing the land. It is because of Treaty making that Canadians can enjoy the benefits of living on this continent. The federal government today recognizes 70 historic Treaties in Canada. This forms the basis of the relationship between the Crown and 364 First Nations.   

The City of Leduc is situated on Treaty 6 territory, the ancestral and traditional territory of the nêhiyaw (Cree), Dené, Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Anishinaabe (Saulteaux), Nakota Isga (Nakota Sioux), as well as the Métis people.  Treaty 6 was signed by Crown representatives and Cree, Assiniboine and Ojibwe leaders on Aug. 23, 1876 at Fort Carlton, Saskatchewan, and on Sept. 9, 1876, at Fort Pitt, Saskatchewan. The Treaty boundaries extend across central portions of present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan, which includes Leduc and Leduc County.

Sept. 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was first passed in June 2021 by the federal government as a day to remember the many First Nation, Inuit and Métis children who never returned home from residential schools. This day also gives us an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about the legacy of the residential school system, and to honour the survivors, as well as their families and communities.  

Sept. 30 also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which was founded by Phyllis Webstad in 2013 to raise awareness of the multi-generational trauma caused by the residential school system. Wearing an orange shirt on this day symbolizes your acknowledgement of this dark history and commitment to reconciliation. 

Learn about how the City will recognize Sept. 30 this year.

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