Queen’s has become one of two Canadian universities to sign the Commonwealth Sport Lək̓ʷəŋən Declaration on Reconciliation and Partnership with Indigenous Peoples.
The University received confirmation of its official signatory status after the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games concluded on Aug. 2. The Board of Trustees approved Deane’s signature in May 2026.
The Commonwealth Games are an international sporting competition held every four years, bringing together athletes from Commonwealth nations and territories. Commonwealth sport oversees the games and the declaration.
In an interview with The Journal, Ava Hill, co-chair of the declaration’s International Working Group and a member of Commonwealth Sport Canada’s Board of Directors, said Principal Patrick Deane signed the declaration electronically this summer.
Ratified in November 2023, the declaration outlines 10 actions focused on areas including inclusion, education, health, development, and peace. These include supporting and investing in sport development for Indigenous Peoples and celebrating Indigenous athletes and coaches.
While signatories can choose which actions to prioritize, they’re expected to develop pathways to promote Indigenous rights and opportunities and report annually on their progress.
According to Hill, there is currently no formal assessment report for signatories. She said the University of Victoria is working to develop a monitoring system, noting that Queen’s and the University of Victoria are currently the only Canadian universities to have signed the declaration.
The declaration does not require signatories to provide funding when they sign, Hill said. However, institutions may need to allocate resources to implement its commitments.
Hill described the contract as a “living document,” with no set implementation timeline.
According to an Oct. 21 Queen’s Gazette article, signing the declaration supports a recommendation from the Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Task Force, and advances several university strategies.
READ MORE: Principal Patrick Deane shares vision for University’s 200th birthday
“By signing, Queen’s commits to strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities and working to ensure that our athletics and recreational spaces reflect a commitment to truth and reconciliation,” Deane said in the Gazette article.
Deane also told Senate on Sept. 24 that Queen’s Indigenous Council supported the signing.
READ MORE: Senate opens academic year with OSAP, climate, AI discussions
According to the Gazette article, some initiatives of the declaration are underway through Queen’s Athletics & Recreation (A&R).
This spring, A&R started developing an Indigenous ‘Q’ logo representing Indigenous students, student-athletes, coaches, staff, and communities. Indigenous artist Kory Parkin is designing the logo, which is expected to be unveiled in early 2027.
The University plans to hold an official signing ceremony alongside the logo’s unveiling.
Queen’s women’s basketball team has also partnered with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives to support the Kanyen’kehá pride basketball camp. Coaches and team members have led clinics and spoken to students about opportunities in post-secondary sports at Quinte Mohawk School.
Asked which actions are most relevant to Queen’s, Hill pointed to the University’s existing sports programs and the declaration’s fourth action, which focuses on research and education related to Indigenous Peoples, cultures, histories, and sports.
“The more we learn about each other, maybe we can start to eliminate some of the discrimination and racism that exists in the world today,” Hill said.
For Hill, successful implementation of the declaration means ensuring Indigenous Peoples have the same opportunities and access to the same sources of inspiration as others.
Tags
commonwealth games, Indigenous commonwealth declaration, Reconciliation
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to eic@queensjournal.ca.