Beyond Land Acknowledgements: From Words to Transformative Change
Land acknowledgements have become a common starting point across Canada, but what comes next?
Join respected Indigenous rights lawyer and author John A. Olthuis for a candid and thoughtprovoking conversation about moving beyond symbolic gestures toward real, systemic change.
Drawing on decades of legal advocacy and insights from his book, this event will explore what it actually means to dismantle settler colonial systems and build more just relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
This is not just a conversation about reconciliation. It’s about responsibility, action and rethinking how our institutions share power, land and decision-making. This event is made possible thanks to a partnership between the City, the Joint Truth and Reconciliation Action Group and Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest.
When and where?
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at The Spire, second floor (82 Sydenham St.)
Event registration
Registration is free, but tickets are limited; please register in advance to reserve your spot.
Transportation
Downtown parking is available on many streets and in nearby municipal lots and garages.
Learn more about parking at The Spire.
Taking transit? Use the Kingston Transit Trip Planner or the Transit app to plan your travel to the venue. The Downtown Transfer Point is approximately a five-minute walk to The Spire.
The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.
Today, the City is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.
Learn more about the City's reconciliation initiatives.
