Calgary Flames missing pre-game land acknowledgement

The Calgary Flames are the only Canadian team in the NHL that don’t include a land acknowledgement in their pre-game proceedings.

It’s something at least one Indigenous leader would like to see change.

Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot says he’s surprised that the Flames don’t do land acknowledgements before games.

“I don’t know why they’re not doing one. Maybe they’re not doing one because they don’t know the proper one to do,” Crowfoot says.

The long-form reading of the Treaty 7 territory land acknowledgement takes roughly 45 seconds. It’s a traditional custom of Indigenous people when welcoming outsiders onto their land or into their home.

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The Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers began land acknowledgments before games at the start of the 2021/22 season, while the Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators started land acknowledgements as early as 2019.

Crowfoot attributes the lack of land acknowledgements at Flames games to a lack of open dialogue between Indigenous peoples and the team.

“I think a lot of people, native and non-native, don’t fully understand and they don’t want to offend anybody so they’re afraid to ask certain questions,” he explains.

Crowfoot says he also plans on reaching out to the team.

“I have some contacts at the Flames and I want to be able to tell them ‘hey, why are you not doing a land acknowledgement?'” Crowfoot says.

CityNews has reached out to the Flames’ organization for comment.