I am a sixth-generation Canadian, with heritage that includes English, Irish, Roma, and other backgrounds. While my family has been in Canada for a long time, they were early colonizers and not originally from this land. I acknowledge that many of my images have been taken on land where the original inhabitants were forcibly removed without consent. Beyond displacement, Indigenous peoples were persecuted, and Canada employed cultural genocide in attempts to erase their identities. Tragically, the original names of many of the mountains and places I photograph have been lost.
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, I honour and acknowledge this stolen land. I strive to engage in and demonstrate leadership toward reconciliation with the original inhabitants. One way I attempt this is by including the original names of the places I capture in the titles of my photographs, though this is not always possible. I see this as a small but meaningful step toward further reconciliation.