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Raptors, Maple Leafs add Indigenous land acknowledgement to pre-game proceedings

An arena with several seats and a court with colours of beige and red.
The Maple Leafs and Raptors will have Indigenous land acknowledgements added to pre-game proceedings for each home game at Scotiabank Arena this season. Photo courtesy of Scotiabank Arena's Twitter account.
Daniel Centeno - CJRU - Toronto • ON | 08-10-2021
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The Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs announced this week that both teams will acknowledge that their home arena, the Scotiabank Arena, is built on native Indigenous lands during pre-game proceedings this season.

These acknowledgements began during the Maple Leafs and Raptors’ preseason home games starting on Oct. 7, and will continue throughout the regular season.

Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), owners of both teams, wrote on its website a statement acknowledging the traditional territory that both the teams and the organization occupy. Along with the Scotiabank Arena, the MLSE head office is located on the tradtional territory of the Mississauga.

"We wish to express gratitude to Mother Earth for her bounty and to honour all the original peoples starting with the Anishinaabe, and the Wendat, and including, in more recent times, the Haudenosaunee, Métis and Inuit people who have been living on these lands since time immemorial," the statement reads. "This land has been governed by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt for a thousand years and in recent times by the Williams Treaty and Treaty 13."

The adoption of the land acknowledgment follows both teams honouring National Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30 with the campaign: Every Child Matters.

The Maple Leafs tweeted out,“Reflect, learn & remember. Today & every day #EveryChildMatters The Toronto Maple Leafs are committed to utilizing our platform to honour the lost children & survivors of Canadian Residential Schools, their families & communities.”

Further, the team released a short video narrated by Leafs Captain John Tavares outlining the importance of National Truth and Reconciliation Day, as well as the tragic history of Canada’s residential schools system.

The Raptors posted several tweets and Instagram photos in support of the Truth and Reconciliation as well, including acknowledgement and direction from Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor.

Both teams wore orange for team practices, and changed all media platforms to orange as well for the day.

The Maple Leafs will play their season opener at Scotiabank Arena on Oct.13 against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Raptors will play the Washington Wizards on Oct. 20 at Scotiabank Arena to start their season.

Listen to the CJRU News update here: 

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