Today, June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. 

In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, for National Aboriginal Day, now known as National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.'

In recognition of today, members of Council and City staff welcome Gwen Bridge who is leading us in learning about Ethical Space and Indigenous Engagement Preparation.

Gwen is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada, and works on developing relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples to support better natural resource management and indigenous equity.  We thank Gwen for joining us today.