We would like to begin with an acknowledgment of the land on which we work, study and live.
We recognize that many Indigenous nations have long-standing relationships with the land upon which the work of the University of Toronto's Department of Medicine is conducted. We acknowledge our presence on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Today, this land is home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples and we are grateful to have the opportunity to live, work and gather on these territories.
Land Acknowledgements are only a starting point for larger conversations. More concrete acts of restitution and transformation are needed to address underlying inequities and blatant discrimination in the distribution of resources between Canada’s first peoples and settlers.
Members of the Department of Medicine are encouraged to include a land acknowledgement at the beginning of all educational events, meetings, presentations or other gatherings. The above text was written by Umberin Najeeb, Faculty Lead, Equity, and can be used for this purpose by any member of the department.
