Page 3 of 10: Internal guidance for land acknowledgments at Unity Health

Land acknowledgments have become increasingly familiar since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015. But as they’ve become more familiar, they’ve also sometimes become performative in their application, depending on the context.

To support Unity Health staff, physicians, learners and leaders with meaningful land acknowledgments, the Office of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships (OWIRP) has developed a new internand aal guidance document. This document is intended to help staff consider the history, purpose and creation of land acknowledgments, to deliver meaningful statements that center on personal reflection.

The guide also includes a new corporate land acknowledgement for Unity Health, however, delivery of this acknowledgment should be accompanied by a personal reflection on the speaker’s relationship to the land they’re on, Indigenous peoples and a broader understanding of reconciliation as it relates to health. Land acknowledgments are deeply personal statements and should be treated as such.

The internal guidance document can be found on the new Office of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships page on UnityNet. Please note that this document was created for internal use only and should not be shared or distributed without permission.

If you have any questions, please email Roberta Pike, Director of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships at Unity Health.