Champlain Township is taking steps towards reconciliation and understanding with Indigenous people.
On August 28 Mayor Normand Riopel met with the Algonquins of Ontario Representative, Jim Meness, to talk about the history of the area, some of the big projects in Champlain Township, and the current work being done by the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan (Golden Lake) in Eastern Ontario.
The Township has prepared a land acknowledgment statement to recognize the history of the Algonquins. The statement will be used to preface any reference to the community’s history, in the Township’s Official Plan and other key planning documents and the community’s municipal Website.
“The Township of Champlain is rich in land and cultural history. It is important for us to recognize that our history also includes those of the Anishinaabe Algonquin People who are the traditional stewards of this land,” commented Riopel.
The Township would like to thank Jim Meness of the Algonquins of Ontario for taking the time to come visit and start an important conversation about our past and our future.
