Pjila’si Welcome

The Land We Are On

The Gottingen Street Neighbourhood Shop and Every One Every Day Kjipuktuk-Halifax (Every One Every Day) exists in Halifax North, which is situated on Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. Oral histories, supported by written evidence and artifacts, tell us that the Mi’kmaq have occupied this territory for over 13,000 years.

Mi’kma’ki is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, which the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqey, and Peskotomuhkatiyik Peoples first signed with the British in 1726. These treaties did not implicate or affirm the surrender or transfer of lands and resources to the British but recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey title and set the rules for what was to be a long-standing relationship between nations, initially preventing war and facilitating trade.

For the Mi’kmaq, these treaties are revered as legal covenants. These sacred pacts are the foundation of Mi’kmaq—Euro-Canadian government relations and we all, as Treaty people, must recognize and appreciate their legitimacy if we are to truly acknowledge the presence of the Mi’kmaq, both in the past and the present. This land acknowledgement is a commitment to build upon as we recognize that such statements are inconsequential without meaningful action toward reconciliation. Through a process of reflection and unlearning, we continue to educate ourselves on the legacies of colonialism, now and moving forward, with an unbiased and concrete understanding of our shared history and of the culture and traditions of the First Peoples of the stolen lands we are operating on.

THE SPIRIT OF RECONCILIATION IS IN RELATIONSHIPS. WE MUST NURTURE THE SPIRIT.

Msit no’kmaq is a Mi’kmaw term meaning, “All my relations”. It signifies a respect for the interconnectedness that exists among ourselves, with our surrounding environment, and with the sacredness of Mother Earth and all of Creator’s gifts.

We invite all of our partners and contributors to consider Msit no’kmaq as we move forward together in creating healthy and sustainable communities that support an ecosystem of participation, and mutual respect and understanding.

Contents

A Thousand....................................................................... 2 Pjila’si Welcome............................................................... 3 The Ambition.................................................................... 4 Building Participation Culture ...................................... 6 Integrating Learning ....................................................... 8 Neighbourhood Shop ...................................................10 Circle of Change.............................................................14 Evaluation Approach.....................................................19 2022 Overview..............................................................20 Resident Experience & Impact...................................23 Truth and Reconciliation..............................................29 Adaptability of the Approach.....................................33 Sustainability and Scale...............................................37 Closing Statement.........................................................40 Acknowledgements.......................................................41