East Gwillimbury Council Adopts UN Declaration as Framework for Reconciliation

As part of the Town of East Gwillimbury’s (EG) reconciliation journey, Council adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) at the September 9, 2026, Council meeting.

The UN Declaration is an international human rights instrument that establishes minimum standards for the survival, dignity, well-being, and rights of Indigenous Peoples. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 and includes 46 articles addressing the collective and individual rights of Indigenous Peoples. Adoption of the Declaration responds directly to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 43, which calls upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the UN Declaration as the framework for reconciliation.

EG is the first municipality in York Region to adopt the UN Declaration and is among the municipalities leading this work across Canada. The adoption will be highlighted at the Town’s flag ceremony on September 29, 2026, as part of the Town’s observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) and Orange Shirt Day. The media are welcome to join Council, residents, and members of the Georgina Island First Nation at the ceremony.

While the Town does already have established practices for upholding Treaty Rights, the Declaration provides a clear and consistent standard for meaningfully consulting with Indigenous Peoples. Meaningful consultation will be at the heart of implementation. The Town is currently developing an Indigenous Consultation Framework in consultation with the Williams Treaties First Nations. The Framework will be informed by the UN Declaration principle of Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC), which means engaging earlier, providing sufficient time and information, listening to feedback, being transparent about how that feedback influenced decisions, and consulting in good faith with the aim of achieving agreement. The Framework will take a rights-based and distinctions-based approach to ensure consultation with relevant Indigenous communities.

Adopting the UN Declaration will not give Indigenous Peoples a new, blanket veto over Town decisions, nor will it remove Council’s authority. FPIC will guide the Town toward meaningful, good-faith consultation and working toward agreement. The specific legal requirements will continue to depend on the rights involved and the circumstances of each decision.

“Reconciliation is an ongoing journey grounded in listening, learning and action. By adopting the UN Declaration, we are strengthening our commitment to continue building respectful and reciprocal relationships with the Williams Treaties First Nations and to work together in a way that honours Indigenous rights, knowledge and perspectives,” said Mayor Virginia Hackson.

“On behalf of MSIFN Council, I would like to commend the Town of East Gwillimbury for taking the meaningful step of adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). This commitment sets a foundation for a constructive path forward and we look forward to growing and continuing our relationship through government-to-government collaboration,” said Kelly LaRocca, Chief of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

The Town’s Truth and Reconciliation Working Group played an important role in achieving the adoption of the UN Declaration and will continue to guide how it will be meaningfully implemented in EG. The Working Group comprises staff and community members, including members of the Williams Treaties First Nations and urban Indigenous Peoples. Convening the Working Group to address the UN Declaration and other Calls to Action and Justice was one of the 73 initiatives included in the Town’s 2024-2027 Indigeneity, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IIDEA) Action Plan.