Dr. Madigan is a settler who works and lives on the territory of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. Dr. Madigan and the members of Determinants of Child Development Lab (DCDL) respectfully acknowledge that we reside on the historical and current territory of the peoples of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, land of the Siksika (Blackfoot), Piikani (Peigan), Kainai (Blood), Tsuut’ina (Sarcee) and Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley) First Nations. The city of Calgary also resides on the land of Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. Calgary is situated where the Bow River and the Elbow River meet and the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is “Moh'kins'tsis”.

The members of the DCDL, individually and collectively, are committed to reflecting on and supporting Indigenous Peoples’ rights and activities to achieve community wellness and self-determination. To start, we recognize the importance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s calls to action, which have inspired us to continue to seek opportunities to learn about the different histories and contemporary perspectives of Indigenous peoples living in Canada. In doing so, we also hope to identify the various mechanisms in the university context and beyond in which we are immersed that can allow us to advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives and participation in policies, programs and other forms of social and cultural exchanges. We recognize that this land acknowledgement alone will not achieve reconciliation and commit to continued actions and learnings to support Indigenous Peoples and their communities.