JUNE 30, 2025

WHEREAS, the City of Thunder Bay is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe peoples of Fort William First Nation – Anemki Wajiw, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850, and recognizes the enduring presence, knowledge, and cultural contributions of Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples; and

WHEREAS, the City of Thunder Bay acknowledges the profound and ongoing impacts of colonization, forced assimilation, and systemic discrimination - driven by colonial policies mandated in Ontario - on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities across Canada, including the intergenerational trauma resulting from residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, the Millennium Scoop, and birth alerts; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous Survivors’ Day, observed annually on June 30, is an opportunity to honour the strength, courage, and resilience of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit survivors, and to recognize the richness and endurance of their cultures, languages, and communities despite generations of systemic oppression; and

WHEREAS, by proclaiming June 30 as Indigenous Survivors’ Day, the City of Thunder Bay seeks to create a meaningful platform for healing, education, and dialogue through community-led initiatives such as traditional blanket ceremonies, storytelling, cultural performances, workshops, and gatherings -raising awareness of the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous survivors and their families, celebrating their resilience, and fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and reconciled city for all; and

WHEREAS, the City of Thunder Bay reaffirms its dedication to reconciliation, respect, and inclusion, and remains committed to the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the Anti-Racism and Inclusion Accord - while working to meaningfully integrate Indigenous knowledge, voices, and leadership into the City’s programs, services, strategies, and public spaces;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Ken Boshcoff, Mayor of the City of Thunder Bay, in the Province of Ontario, do hereby proclaim June 30, 2025, as:

INDIGENOUS SURVIVORS’ DAY

in the City of Thunder Bay and encourage all citizens to observe this day with reflection, respect, and a deep acknowledgment of its lasting significance to our shared history and future.

 

For more information please contact The City of Thunder Bay, Indigenous Relations

807-630-8278

tanis.thompson@thunderbay.ca

www.thunderbay.ca