Land Acknowledgement
We Acknowledge the Land
We honour and give thanks to the Indigenous Peoples who have cared for these lands since time immemorial. Hard Hats United recognizes that the places where we learn, train, work, and gather sit on the traditional territories of many Nations across what is now called Canada.
We are grateful for the generations of Indigenous stewards — their knowledge, culture, and deep relationship with the land and we acknowledge the ongoing presence of Indigenous peoples in our communities.
As an organization working in the skilled trades, we arrive as learners, we listen, we reflect on our place, and we commit to showing respect in word and action.
Committed to Reconciliation and Meaningful Partnership
Acknowledgement is only the beginning. Hard Hats United is committed to building honest, respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and to taking concrete steps that remove barriers and create opportunities in the trades.
That means collaborating with Indigenous-led organizations, centering Indigenous voices in our programs and events, supporting Indigenous youth who are exploring trades careers, and continually educating ourselves and our partners about the histories and realities that shape today’s workplace.
We understand this work is ongoing, messy at times, always important, and we will show up with humility, accountability, and the intention to support justice, equity, and cultural resilience.
Standing Together in Respect and Responsibility
We recognize that words must be matched with action. At Hard Hats United, we pledge to listen to Indigenous communities, learn from their leadership, and make space for their perspectives in everything we do, from program design to hiring, procurement, and event planning. We will work to remove practical barriers to participation in the trades, offer mentorship and training opportunities where we can, and hold ourselves accountable through ongoing dialogue and shared decision-making. This work is personal for us; it’s about treating people with dignity, repairing harm where it exists, and building a future where everyone who wants to work in the skilled trades can do so with pride and belonging.
Brock University
African Canadian Ancestral Acknowledgement
Full version
We acknowledge the ancestors of African-descended peoples who were forcibly and violently displaced and brought to these lands through the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement. From 1501 – 1873, their stolen labour, lives, and knowledge were exploited as part of the foundation of colonial wealth and systems that continue to shape our present.
We recognize that people of African, Black, and Caribbean descent hold a unique and complex relationship to these lands. Many were brought here involuntarily through enslavement and forced displacement, while others arrived through later migrations. Across
generations, several have and continue to contribute profoundly to the fabric of our societies through their cultural knowledge, labour, leadership, creativity, and ongoing struggles for justice and liberation.
In this region, we honour the legacies of Black Freedom Seekers who came to Niagara via the Underground Railroad, and the generations of Black communities, farmers, and workers who have shaped and sustained these lands. We also acknowledge the contemporary challenges faced by Black Canadians, including anti-Black racism, systemic inequities, and ongoing forms of displacement and exploitation.
We affirm the enduring resistance, resilience, and brilliance of all African-diasporic peoples. Their struggles for freedom, equity, and belonging continue to inspire and guide efforts to dismantle oppressive systems and to build a more inclusive, just, and liberated future for all.