Watch our Through Ruff Times Documentary

On October 18, we were pleased to officially launch a 20 minute documentary about our program, Through Ruff Times. This documentary was made by two very talented friends of our organization, Arlene Moscovitch and David Atkin. The film explores the what, hows, and whys of our program, which is dedicated to supporting and honoring the relationship between people and their pets.

Through Ruff Times Shorts

Hello! Ahnee! Sgé:no! Wachiya! Tansi!

We first recognize and respect all Indigenous peoples of the many different nations here on Turtle Island whose land is a part of Mother Earth. Despite hundreds of years of colonization, this land still receives the collective burden of human suffering, and we are humbled by the opportunity to live and work here.

Breakaway Community Services is located in Tkaronto, Ontario on both the traditional and treaty land of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation whose land is recognized under treaty 13 (link to https://mncfn.ca/the-toronto-purchase-treaty-no-13-1805/). Historically, and in the present day, these lands continue to be the Mississaugas, part of the Anishinaabe Nation, whose territory encompasses 3.9 million acres of southern Ontario.

We honour the Haudenosaunee, the Chippewa, and the Huron-Wendat peoples who lived on these traditional territories and continue to have presence here.

As settlers on this land, we understand that our being here is founded upon a history of colonization and violent genocide of many generations of Indigenous peoples and their children in Canadian residential schools. It is important to remember that as an organization that supports harm reduction, we still have so much to learn and reconcile with about the harm endured by Indigenous peoples on these traditional lands. We may also consider that Breakaway’s aim is to provide wellness supports to remedy the many harms of the war on drugs, which was and continues to be a direct result of colonization.

As an organization that understands the sacred relationship after death, we honour all Indigenous ancestors who guard this land. We further recognize that we are all caretakers of this land, and that reconciliation requires non-Indigenous people fulfill our responsibilities of land stewardship.

In this land acknowledgment, we want to highlight some real ways we are putting into action our efforts to reconcile relationships with Indigenous peoples as a harm reduction agency:

• Have more representations of Indigenous peoples in our staff and community services.
• Breakaway will engage with a network of Indigenous community members, traditional knowledge keepers, Elders, and healers to gain feedback into the development and delivery of programs and services.
• Create an environment where all First Nations, Inuit and Métis staff feel safe at work.
• All staff including leadership receive Indigenous Cultural Training to benefit serving Indigenous clients. Ensure that all Breakaway staff have a clear understanding of how the legacy of colonialism, as well as resiliency, impacts mental health and substance use, and recognize their duty to actively and daily carry out the work of reconciliation. Ensure all First Nations, Inuit and Métis clients receive safe and effective services.
• Breakaway acknowledges the right of Indigenous people to practice Indigenous traditions and the burning of sacred medicines as part of harm reduction services.
• Acknowledging the importance of preserving, revitalizing and strengthening Indigenous languages. If requested, Breakaway staff will make every effort possible to provide services in the language requested by the client.
• Publicly support Indigenous peoples and anti-colonial struggles through all our communication channels and use these channels to condemn anti-Indigenous racism. We as an organization, both officially and publicly support the people of Grassy Narrows in their movement of resistance against the destruction of their land, reviving their culture, re-occupying their lands, fighting for control over their lands and self-determination.

There are no specific First Nations located within Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area, however, the closest Indigenous Communities include:

• • The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
  • Six Nations of the Grand River; 
  • Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council; 
  • Métis Nation of Ontario;
  • Credit River Métis Council; 

We hope that our efforts towards the spirit of reconciliation are felt by Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks. It is our belief that reconciliation starts with truth. And truth starts with acknowledging the past and the present. Though there have been efforts to erase the past and present, the land and Indigenous peoples remember it all.

N’iin, Miigwetch, Mia:wen thank you,

Breakaway Community Services