The Pas OCN Tourism Strategy acknowledges, respects and has the honour of working on lands in Treaty 5 Territory, a treaty that was first negotiated and entered into in 1875. Treaty 5 Territory is the traditional and ancestral lands for many Indigenous peoples who, prior to contact with Europeans, established and maintained important trade routes, connected with and lived off the land, and thrived in a culture that was celebrated through language, ceremony, tradition and a sustainable livelihood.
As we think about and acknowledge Treaty 5 Territory, and the Homeland of the Métis Nation, and as we move along the path of reconciliation it will be important to remember that we are on a journey of reconciliation because of a history, that until recently, hadn’t been told – the true history, a dark history of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. In the era of truth and reconciliation it will be important to ensure there is a dedicated commitment from individuals and institutions to the 94 Calls to Action outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the 46 articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the 231 Calls for Justice that came from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people.