My Land Acknowledgement

My ancestors arrived in Canada from northern Scotland just over 200 years ago, before Canada was a nation, and originally settled in Nova Scotia before migrating to Ontario in the early 1900s. The first of the McKerlie clan to settle in Ontario settled on land that was originally part of the traditional territory of various Indigenous peoples including Chippewas of the Thames First Nation; Oneida Nation of the Thames; and the Munsee-Delaware Nation who all continue to live as sovereign Nations with individual and unique languages, cultures and customs.

Today I work at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario which is situated on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabeg nations, within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement, and is currently home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island.

My goal today as an individual is to acknowledge those who have lived on and cared for the land from time immemorial. To express my gratitude to those who reside here, and to honour the Indigenous people who have lived and worked on and cared for this land historically and presently.

My goal today as Mohawk’s President is to ensure we do all that we can as a College to embrace the reality of our shared and checkered history and to support the recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation report. In doing so, we work to build an environment of trust and respect and to make our college a place of welcome for all people.

Ron McKerlie, Mohawk College President (2014-2024)

My Land Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabeg Nations within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement, which is still home to many Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island. As a visitor on this land, I recognize how incredibly grateful I am to be here. I am committed to pushing for systemic changes and decolonization to support our indigenous learners and community. I believe we all have a responsibility to not only acknowledge the grounds on which we are privileged to live and work, but to continue to grow our learning of Indigenous histories and realities to meaningful move towards Reconciliation.

Krista Welsh, Registrar & Senior Director, Strategic Enrolment Management

My Land Acknowledgement

We are on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabek nations.

I am a settler with ancestral ties to continental Europe.

My ancestors came to these lands three and four hundred years ago.

Their survival was dependent on the support of Indigenous peoples.

In return, they signed many treaties and agreements across this land that were never honoured. Indigenous nations were decimated with the diseases brought to this land.

Canada’s Indian Act of 1876 was designed to oppress and control all aspects of the lives of Indigenous people in this land.

Through the church my ancestors imposed their faith on Indigenous children, families and communities, without ever considering Indigenous spirituality.

They built a residential school system to “take the Indian out of the child”. Thousands of Indigenous children suffered abuse and death for more than 150 years. And the abuse continues to this day, through our criminal justice and child welfare systems.

My ancestors did not settle well on this land. The vast majority still struggle to acknowledge the truth of our colonial history.

However, the tide seems to be turning. There is an awakening underway.

Land claims are being settled. Indigenous voices are growing in strength. And a new generation of youth has been inspired to take on leadership roles in Canada.

I was initially inspired to research the truth of our history by Murray Sinclair and his leadership of the 2016 Truth & Reconciliation Commission. And its 94 Calls to Action.

I continue to learn from Indigenous writers and storytellers, and my colleagues here at Mohawk College.

And I seek to live on this land as the settler that I am, side by side, arm in arm with its Indigenous peoples.

Bryan Webber, Senior Development Officer Mohawk College Foundation (2018-2022)