The Newcomer Legal Clinic is committed to building a relationship with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples based on the principles of mutual trust, respect, reciprocity, and collaboration in the spirit of reconciliation. We will share that commitment with the newcomers we serve.

We respectfully acknowledge that the Newcomer Legal Clinic does its work from the City of Thunder Bay, which is built on the traditional territory of the Fort William First Nation. Fort William First Nation is a signatory to the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850.

The Newcomer Legal Clinic serves communities throughout Northwestern Ontario. The region is subject to the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850, Treaty 3, Treaty 5, and Treaty 9. The Newcomer Legal Clinic acknowledges the history that many nations hold throughout Northwestern Ontario. 

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has issued Calls to Action to lead toward reconciliation. You can read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report by clicking here. Three of the Calls to Action are particularly relevant to newcomers: 

Call to Action 17: Allowing residential school survivors and their families to reclaim their Indigenous names on identity documents without charge for a period of five years. Read more about Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship’s response by clicking here. 

Call to Action 93: Revising the newcomer information kit and the Canadian citizenship test to reflect a more inclusive history of the diverse Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including the Treaties and the history of residential schools. Read more about this Call to Action by clicking here.

Call to Action 94: Revising the Oath of Citizenship to include a commitment to observing Treaties with Indigenous peoples. Read more about the new Oath by clicking here.