A senior Canadian politician has become the target of widespread online ridicule after delivering an extensive land acknowledgement at the start of a crucial budget meeting.
A 'Good Way' to Start Draws Criticism
Toronto Budget Chief and City Councillor Shelley Carroll, 68, opened Wednesday's Budget Committee session with what she described as beginning 'in a good way'. She proceeded to explain that the land where Toronto City Hall stands was traditionally the territory of Indigenous nations and was allegedly stolen.
Carroll listed specific nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. She stated the area is now home to many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and noted Toronto is covered by Treaty 13.
Her statement extended beyond Indigenous recognition. 'I'm also going to make our African ancestral acknowledgement,' Carroll said, paying tribute to 'those ancestors of African origin or descent,' particularly those brought involuntarily to the land through the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Social Media Erupts in Mockery and Anger
A clip of the nearly five-minute introduction quickly circulated online, triggering a torrent of criticism. Commenters on X (formerly Twitter) branded the moment as 'quite scary' and evidence that 'Canada is a mess!!!'.
Other reactions were even more scathing. One user declared the display 'Absolutely nuts. Certifiable.', while another quipped, 'Toronto, good luck on this.' A recurring theme was the perceived irrelevance of the gesture to the city's pressing issues.
'It apparently now takes about 5 mins of self flagellation before they get down to the business of wrecking the city,' one critic wrote. Another bluntly stated: 'These people are woke nuts.' and 'They have gone batsh** crazy.'
A Common Yet Controversial Practice
Land acknowledgements, while not mandatory in Canada, have become customary practice at public events, particularly in liberal urban centres like Toronto. Councillor Carroll, a council member since 2003, is known for incorporating them.
In a 2021 post on her website, she recounted becoming emotional while delivering a land acknowledgement at a National Congress of Chinese Canadians (NCCC) Canada Day event. She linked the practice to reflecting on the tragic history of residential schools and the need for meaningful reconciliation.
This incident is not isolated. In November last year, travellers expressed fury after Air Canada and Via Rail displayed similar acknowledgements. Signs on an Air Canada flight and taxpayer-funded Via Rail trains recognised the 'ancestral and traditional indigenous territories' they overfly or operate on, leading to accusations of 'state-sponsored insanity' and companies 'going woke'.
The debate highlights a deep cultural divide, pitting gestures of historical recognition and reconciliation against perceptions of performative activism that detract from contemporary governance.
