- by Cody Hawes

A lot of people find it easy to disconnect themselves from the actions of their settler ancestors and the role played in colonization. Most of my ancestors arrived on this land between 130 and 200 years ago. Those of us who have had family here for so long feel a connection to "Canada and being Canadian". We are still settlers. When I did my own DNA testing, my results came back as British and European, not Canadian.

The picture here is a document that details the purchase of the east one half of lot number 7, in concession 17, in Keppel township by my ancestor, William David Mole. The document lists the sale for $25. From what I can understand deciphering this historic document, the land my ancestor purchased was Chippewas of Saugeen treaty land purchased for such little money. The fact that purchasing this land was so easy for William David Mole that didn't even belong to Britain in the first place shows how motivated the British government was to colonize Indigenous land. As settlers, we feel so entitled to land that isn't ours. When we talk about white privilege and settler privilege, we become afraid that our power will be taken away. I see the purchase of this land by my ancestor as theft encouraged and enabled by the British Government. This was stolen land that I continue to benefit from.

Part of reconciliation is for each of us to face our own complicity and involvement in colonization and that is why I'm sharing this. I found this document on the Canada National Archives and it's helped me understand the role that I play in colonization. My personal action and accountability plan is to take the University of Alberta Indigenous Canada course (this is a 12 week free course online) and to make regular reparations payments to the Chippewas of Saugeen, Chippewas of Nawash, and other Indigenous-run organizations. I am open to discussion, dialogue, and feedback about this as well.

Stolen land, stolen children, this is what Canada Day is celebrating. We can't just pretend that July 1st is all of a sudden going to create opportunity to educate about genocide and colonization.

City of Owen Sound ,Where were the fireworks for Indigenous People's Day? Cancel the fireworks for Canada Day. This is not a celebration and it is not appropriate to celebrate at a time that there is so much grief and mourning.