On Thursday, June 17, 2021, Margaret Sault, Director of the Land, Membership and Research Department of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation provided “An Introduction to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation” to close to 50 members of Redeemer. The evening with Margaret Sault was the first in a series of events called Land and Memory. This program is the Indigenous Solidarity Working Group’s contribution to the Sesquicentennial.
The event opened with our Incumbent, the Reverend Canon Steven Mackison who welcomed everyone and offered a prayer and an acknowledgement of the Indigenous people who have for centuries called this land home, a home we have known as Toronto. This territorial acknowledgement recognized and included the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
Margaret’s presentation and her commentary took us on a journey of Toronto from the perspective of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who have a vastly different memory of this land than those of us who are descendants of settlers or who are newcomers.
A few highlights from her presentation include the following:
- Too often negotiations between Indigenous people and the Crown have not been carried out in good faith by the Crown. When treaties were negotiated, the terms of the treaties have not been respected by the Crown (as was the case with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation).
- A reminder that Avenue Road and Bloor Street (and a good portion of Toronto) was part of the Toronto Purchase or Treaty 13 in 1805.
- Land claims take a long time to negotiate and finalize. In the case of the Mississaugas of the Credit,the claim was initiated in 1986. An agreement with the Crown (Canada) was reached in January 2010 and was approved by members of the Mississaugas of the Credit in May
- The Mississaugas of the Credit held its first pow wow in 1987, and while none have been held during the pandemic, it is with great anticipation that the next one will occur in 2022 and hopes abound that members of the Church of the Redeemer will join them in this celebration.
Please take some time to watch the presentation which was recorded with the permission of all who attended. It is thought-provoking, engaging and much history and knowledge was shared.
The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation have also produced a 13-minute video called A Sacred Trust which can be viewed at http://mncfn.ca/culture-history/a-sacred-trust/
Our deepest thanks to Margaret Sault.
Full video:
