Starting with today’s issue, The Times will be including for the first time in its history a land acknowledgement that recognizes the real history of this region, including the long presence of the Anishinaabe people and the treaty relationship that still shapes our local life.
You will find it in our publisher’s block on the leftmost column of page A4, where we list our formal publishing information.
Crafted with the gracious assistance of local educator, writer and Times contributor Robert Animiiki Horton — Manidoo Baawitigong Anishinaabe and member of the Rainy River First Nations — our land acknowledgement is, in his words, “phrased is a very inclusive way where if someone is curious of the history, it gives them the tools” to explore further.
The acknowledgement reads: The Fort Frances Times recognizes and acknowledges Manidoo Mazina’igan (Treaty #3), our special relationship with one another, our shared treaty territory and the contributions of all who have made our beautiful region their home.
This recognition is not political. It’s not forced. It’s not “woke,” to use that dreadful and dehumanizing term thrown around by some to define whatever doesn’t fit their narrow comfort zone. It simply recognizes the legal and historical foundation of our community.
Fort Frances stands on Treaty #3 territory and acknowledging that truth is part of telling the full story of where we live. The Town of Fort Frances may not technically be a signatory to the treaty, but it exists entirely because of it and sits on land the Anishinaabe agreed to share with settlers in 1873.
This land acknowledgement reflects the reality of our community: many of our friends, readers, neighbours, and leaders are Anishinaabe and Métis, and their relationship to this land is foundational. It is one small way to honour the people who have cared for this land since long before Fort Frances existed.
And it costs us nothing to recognize the strength and resilience of the Indigenous communities whose presence defines this territory and honour the elders, knowledge keepers and community members who continue to shape this region.
A significant portion of our readership is Indigenous. Their history is not a sidebar to this region—it’s the foundation of it. The Rainy River district’s story begins long before the town’s founding in the river routes, the fishing grounds, the teachings tied to this land. The more we embrace that deeper story, the richer we are for it.
There’s a point to reconciliation. It’s about repairing trust, restoring relationships and building a future in this region where Indigenous and non‑Indigenous people stand on equal footing, with truth and respect at the centre.
Like most newspapers of its era, The Times once reflected the attitudes and assumptions of the day — attitudes that often ignored, minimized or mocked Indigenous voices. A look through our early archives shows a paper that, like many of its time, rarely included those voices except in moments of conflict or crisis.
The gaps in our historical coverage are real. They reflect a time when Indigenous people were spoken about but seldom spoken with. We acknowledge that our pages have not always reflected the full community we serve. A land acknowledgement is one step toward doing better. This region’s Indigenous history is thousands of years old. Our coverage of it is not. That imbalance is something we can address, starting now.
Indigenous communities are major contributors to the region’s economy, governance and social services. They are not peripheral, but central to how this region functions. The Indigenous community today maintains a living relationship with the land and water, one that continues to guide how this region understands itself.
