Kingston to welcome John A. Olthuis, Indigenous rights lawyer and Member of the Order of Canada, for an event about advancing true reconciliation

Land acknowledgements have become a common starting point for reconciliation efforts across Canada, but what comes next?

Join renowned Indigenous rights lawyer and author John A. Olthuis on Sunday, Sept. 27 at The Spire for Beyond Land Acknowledgements: From Words to Transformative Change, a candid and thought-provoking 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 means to dismantle settler-colonial systems and build more just relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

“With National Day for Truth and Reconciliation around the corner, this event is an opportunity to meaningfully engage,” says Amber Bryant-Peller, Manager of Indigenous Initiatives at the City of Kingston. “We are so fortunate that John will be visiting Kingston and that we have this chance to learn from his extraordinary life and career, one dedicated to Indigenous justice. I know this will be a thought-provoking conversation that will grow our knowledge as a community and move our understanding of truth and reconciliation to the next level.”

Olthuis is a Member of the Order of Canada and co-founder of Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, Canada’s largest law firm solely dedicated to representing and providing access to justice for Indigenous Peoples. He has spent over five decades seeking justice for Indigenous Peoples across Canada. He is also the author of ‘On Dismantling Settler Colonialism: An Insider’s Perspective on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples’.

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.

Register for the event

Registration is free, but tickets are limited; those interested in attending are encouraged to register in advance through Eventbrite. The author’s book will also be available for purchase at the event.

Learn about other event opportunities during John A. Olthuis’ tour in Kingston.

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.