TORONTO — Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs, issued the following statement to mark the beginning of Treaties Recognition Week: “This week, Ontario recognizes Treaties Recognition Week, an annual opportunity to reflect on the importance of the more than 40 treaties and other agreements covering this province, outlining the rights, responsibilities and relationships between Indigenous peoples and the provincial and federal governments.
“Since 2016, Ontario has acknowledged Treaties Recognition Week as the first full week of November following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. A critical step on the path to reconciliation involves education, and the Ontario government is working with Indigenous and education partners to promote treaty awareness events in schools and public libraries across the province and continuing to expand the teaching and learning resources to support businesses, organizations and all people in Ontario. I encourage everyone to learn and deepen our understanding of the role treaties play in our province, our lives and relationships with each other, bringing us all closer to our goal of achieving meaningful reconciliation.”