Mental Health & Youth Justice Services for Children, Youth & their Families

AYSP’s Land Acknowledgement

AYSP serves children, youth and families across the Peel, Halton, Dufferin and Toronto Regions situated on the territories of the Anishinabek (An-ishin-abek), Huron -Wendat (Her-on – Wen-dat), Haudenosaunee (Hoed-eno-show-nee), Ojibway (Oh-jibway)/ Chippewa (Chip-peh-wah), the Mississaugas of the Credit, Wendake- Nionwentsïo (When-dah-kee / Nye-on-went-see-oh), Attiwonderonk (At-ti-wan-da-ronk), and Tionontati (Tee-oh-nahn-tah-tee) peoples.

These areas are covered by Treaty 13: the Toronto Purchase Treaty, Treaty 19: the Ajetance Treaty, the Haldimand Deed of 1784, and Treaty 18: The Nottawasaga Purchase. Indigenous peoples in past and present generations have nurtured and cultivated this land, the land where we live and work.

We acknowledge our Canadian history as a part of Turtle Island involves settler colonialism and oppression of Indigenous peoples. Within the helping profession we acknowledge the specific impact of oppression of Indigenous children, youth and families in our regions and those that we service.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has published 94 calls to action to respond and to recognize the rights of the original and current Indigenous inhabitants of the land. We invite all to reflect on one’s personal accountability and how to engage in action towards the decolonizing of Indigenous peoples, communities and land.