We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Mr. Vernon White

Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

During his long and distinguished career as a law enforcement officer, Vernon White held positions with a number of services across Canada. After serving in the ranks of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 24 years, White was named Chief of the Durham Regional Police Service in 2005. In 2007 he became Chief of the Ottawa Police Service. Throughout his career, he made numerous important contributions to modernize and enhance policing operations nationally and internationally.

In 2012, White was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.