Transforming Educational Experiences through the

Five Rs: Recognition, Revitalization, Relevance,

Relationships and Reconciliation

Aboriginal Education Directorate

Manitoba Education and

Advanced Learning

2016

IN PROCESS OF REVISION

2016 - 2019 First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework

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Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning Cataloguing in Publication Data

First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework: Transforming Educational Experiences

Through the Five Rs: Recognition, Revitalization, Relevance, and Relationships and Reconciliation.

ISBN:

Copyright ©2016, the Government of Manitoba, represented by the Minister

of Education.

Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning

Aboriginal Education Directorate

Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning. Errors or omission will be corrected

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements of Contributions to the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy ....................... 4 A Note on the terms First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Aboriginal, and Indigenous peoples used in this document ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Voices of the Elders ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Mary Guilbault .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Garry Robson ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Murdo Scribe ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Vision for Indigenous Education ................................................................................................................... 6 Policy Statement ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Guiding Principles ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Context and Perspective ............................................................................................................................... 7 Wahbung – Our Tomorrows (1971) .............................................................................................................. 9 The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (1991) .......................................................................................................... 10 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) ....................................................................................... 10 The Manitoba Métis Federation and the Louis Riel Institute Act (1995).................................................... 11 National Strategy on Inuit Education (2006) .............................................................................................. 11 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015) ..................................................................... 12 Transforming Educational Experiences thru the five R’s ............................................................................ 13 Recognition ................................................................................................................................................. 13 Revitalization ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Relevance .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Relationships ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Reconciliation .............................................................................................................................................. 14 Activities and Initiatives in Support of the Manitoba First Nation, Métis and Inuit Framework 2016-2019 ..... 15 Summary and Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 16 Appendix A – Activities and Programs that Support the FNMI Policy Statements in Manitoba ................ 18 Appendix B – Reports and Initiatives - Full Listing of Recommendations Relating to Education ............... 22 Appendix C – Inuk/Inuit Timeline ............................................................................................................... 26 Appendix D - Legislation ............................................................................................................................. 30 Appendix E - Glossary of Key Terms ............................................................................................................ 32 Appendix F - Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 33 Contact Information .................................................................................................................................... 35

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Acknowledgements of Contributions to the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Initial writer Leona j. Daniels, drafted this document following an examination and analysis of existing policy documents. Collaboration and dialogue was held with First Nation, Métis and Inuit and education stakeholders, and partners in the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP) First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Councils who provided insights from their learned experiences in developing policy frameworks within their jurisdictions. Gichi Miigwech (A big Thank You) to those that shared their keen interest, encouragement, and determination in ensuring that First Nation, Métis and Inuit education is implemented in Manitoba with recognition, revitalization, relevance, relationships and reconciliation. Input was received from:

Elders The Aboriginal Education Directorate Advisory Council (AEDAC) The Advanced Education Training Literacy Aboriginal Advisory Council (AETLAAC) The Manitoba Education Senior Management Team First Nation, Métis and Inuit and allied partners Educational stakeholders Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP) FNMIED Councils

A Note on the terms First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Aboriginal, and Indigenous peoples used in this document

In this document, First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) have been used as the contemporary name of descendants of the original inhabitants of North America.

First Nations: includes Status and non-Status Indians (as per the Indian Act) living both on- and off-reserve. There are 634 First Nations in Canada, speaking more than 50 distinct languages. In Manitoba there are 63 First Nations speaking seven distinct languages.

Métis People: people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, and one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Inuit: an Aboriginal people, the majority of whom inhabit the northern regions of Canada. The Inuit homeland is known as the Inuit Nunangat, which refers to the land, water and ice in the Arctic region.

Due to copyright and historical context and precedence, Aboriginal is used where historically denoted and/or referenced to refer to the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 defines Aboriginal peoples to include First Nations (Indians), Métis and Inuit peoples. The Constitution does not define membership in First Nations (Indians), Métis and Inuit and groups. First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples have unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

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Indigenous peoples, which is also a term used in other parts of the world, refers to the first inhabitants of a given area. Voices of the Elders The messages embedded in this document are the voices and visions from the Aboriginal people who have learned to bridge the two worlds: Indigenous and Western. Their input, attained through a consultative process, teaches the revitalization of Aboriginal worldviews. Their input also describes how history has affected present-day educational experiences, giving recognition to the need for change and to create relevance in current programming initiatives in education ensuring that it is meaningful for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students in the relationships they have formed. Mary Guilbault In the development of this document, Elder Mary Guilbault talked about interrelationships, that “everything is interrelated and dependent on each other to survive”. One entity cannot survive without the other. Just as the sun rises, the moon falls; for a seed to grow, it needs rain. Mary further described how contemporary education places emphasis on compartmentalization and how this point of view does not show the relationship of interconnectedness. “There is emphasis on compartmentalization in the grading system, and the rules and policies of strict compartmentalization do not encourage interrelationships that are necessary for us to learn about ourselves and the world around us”, Mary explained. She stated that interrelationships and the practice of compartmentalization are two different worlds. It is these two worlds that Aboriginal people need to bridge in order to succeed in today’s society. Garry Robson Garry Robson spent over 30 years working in Aboriginal education as a member of the Aboriginal Education Directorate. He is seen by many as a traditional Knowledge Keeper and during his time at the Directorate Garry gave a teaching which has become a frame of reference for the work in Aboriginal education. It is the foundation for the Aboriginal Education Directorate Strategic Plan and remains an integral part of the vision for Aboriginal education in the province. Murdo Scribe The Aboriginal Education Directorate building is named in the honour of Murdock Murdo Scribe. In 1975, Murdo was appointed to coordinate the Traditional Individualized Education Program with the Native Education Branch of the Manitoba Department of Education. He remained in the field of Aboriginal Education until his passing on May 28, 1983. He was a Traditional Cree/Storyteller and a published author. In 1985, his publication “Murdo’s Story” was honoured with the Canadian Council Children’s Literature Prize. Murdo was born in Norway House, Manitoba on May 2, 1920. He received a grade school education at the United Church Indian Residential School, and then spent much of his teenage life on his father’s trap line where he became an ardent trapper and naturalist. Through his work at the Native Education Branch, Murdo will be remembered as a “Forerunner”. His advice to young people was “If you

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want to make it in life, get a plot of land, build a home, plant a garden, and raise some livestock.” “But, first and foremost, you need to learn mathematics.” Vision for Indigenous Education All Manitoba students and teachers will learn about First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples histories, cultures, traditional values and knowledge, and contemporary lifestyles. Students and teachers will have a foundation for understanding the contributions, issues, challenges and successes of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in Manitoba and Canada. This foundation will help to nurture respectful relationships, positive identities, supportive learning environments, and student academic success. First Nations, Métis and Inuit students will acquire the traditional and contemporary knowledge and skills to be able to walk in both western and Indigenous ways of life. This knowledge and skills will increase Indigenous student engagement, participation and educational attainment. Policy Statement The First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework set outs policy context, guiding principles and key activities that the Department of Education and Advanced Learning intends to undertake over the next three years to further the purpose of this Framework and Aboriginal Education. It outlines criteria for ensuring that the curriculum reflects the perspectives of First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples, actions to be taken that support the professional development of teachers and others who participate in classroom activities, and the identification of core indicators of overall impact and success of these activities. This Framework is enshrined the Education Administration Amendment Act. Guiding Principles The Framework is guided by the following principles:

Respectful of Manitoba’s diverse First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples and support the sharing of Indigenous knowledge.

Responsive to learners’ strengths by using a wholistic approach based on culturally relevant activities within supportive learning environments.

Inclusive by building on new and existing First Nation, Métis and Inuit specific partnerships and strategies in consultation with communities, government departments, and other stakeholders.

Innovative by incorporating research, evidence and a results-based evaluation approach that is culturally sensitive.

Equitable by providing adequate and comparable resources to enable First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples to achieve educational outcomes that are of high-quality.

Working Together cooperatively and collaboratively with school boards, First Nations, Métis and Inuit families, communities and organizations, educational organizations, other government departments and faculties of education.

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Context and Perspective Prior to Contact

“Since time immemorial, the people have left their footprints on this land. We follow them in order to understand our land and to strengthen the wisdom and the beauty that they have left for us. In doing so, we also leave our footprints for others to follow. Where will your footprints lead? What will you learn along the way? When you have stopped to rest, as you look back at your footprints, will you be able to say. “I have left good footprints for others to follow. I have strengthened all the good things that have been left for me and I have added my understanding to our world: We pray that this will be.” Ron Cook1, 2009

Prior to contact Indigenous people of Manitoba lived by a belief system that revealed individuals, families and whole communities living according to good, health driven lives; understood in the ancestral language as “Mino Pimatisiwin”. This life included a wholistic and sustainable process which reflected the deep respect and reverence held by the original people to the land on which they lived. It was and is today this deep felt relationship to the land, or Mother Earth as she is called, which acknowledges how she has provided food, clothing, shelter, tools and everything needed to live a good and healthy life. The values, teaching, protocols and even the language spoken came from the land upon which one lived. Relationships were modeled and organized according to three laws; Laws of Self, Laws of Nature and Laws of Other (WNCP, 2000) and are recognized as the structures which maintain wholism and balance needed to secure “Mino Pimatisiwin”.

“Many First Nations share the concept of “mino pimatisiwin”, which means the “good life” in both Cree and Ojibwe. Implicit in this is the understanding that all of life is a ceremony; that the sacred and the secular are part of the whole; that people are whole beings (body, mind and spirit, and emotion); and that “mino pimatisiwin” is achieved by taking care of all aspects of one’s self.” Manitoba Smudging Protocol 2014

Whether learning about childrearing practices or any other form of instruction these learning transactions occurred through oral knowledge transmission and modeling which came from Grandparents, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Spiritual Leaders and Medicine Keepers and all those in the village who may help those learning to enhance their knowledge whereby life and relationship were ensured. The content was found in everyday life which came from the time when individuals awoke to the time when they again went to sleep. Even the dream world during sleep was and is considered a time of learning. All of life was and is understood as a foundation for learning. Therefore education was considered in the prospects of everyday life and living. The Elders would ask “What kind of footprints are you leaving?” 1Ron Cook lived the traditional life of a fisherman on Lake Winnipeg for 15 years with his wife and five daughters. In 1992, his interest in his first language (Cree) inspired him to enter BUNTEP when they offered a program for training Native Language teachers, graduating in 1997 with honours. He taught Cree at Grand Rapids School for five years before moving to Thompson to teach at Wapanohk Community School. He taught in a transition class and then Grade two Bilingual Cree before becoming the Cree Language/Aboriginal Perspectives Coordinator for the School District of Mystery Lake. He is a member of the Northern and Aboriginal Elders Council of Manitoba, the Northern Languages Advisory Council, the UCN Language Centre Advisory Council, and Aboriginal Art Centre of Northern Manitoba Board of Directors.

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Contact and Colonialization Colonization, assimilation polices, residential schools and racism have had and continue to have a detrimental impact on Indigenous peoples undermining the institutions, in particular educational but also child-rearing and spiritual practices that had served them well prior to and during the early stages of contact. The relationships with those that came here to share this land did not include any knowledge or understanding of Indigenous ways of living, in particular those related to ownership and ways of living within one’s environment without the use of money (as understood by Europeans). This lack of knowledge and understanding at first contact and thereafter of Aboriginal ways of living by Europeans and of European notions of ownership by Aboriginal people, contributed to a deep and long period of colonization which engulfed the relationships between the Aboriginal people and those that settled here. As time went on, this lack of knowledge continued to grow on both sides of the relationship. Not only for Aboriginal people in the Eurocentric systems, but for non-Aboriginal people in that they were taught very little regarding the First People of this land. As this void grew in both directions, the distance between relationships has become a big challenge to overcome. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike suffer at the hands of not knowing the truths about each other. Moreover, there have been many misconceptions, biases and stereotypes formed which have impacted negatively to the not knowing about each other. In the past, and so some extent presently, one of the main perpetrators of such a lack of knowledge is in fact the very education system that was created to help the citizens of this land better survive in their environment. In order to better understand each other there is knowledge acquisition that is required which will assist in filling the void and dissipate the lack of knowledge that exists among Canadians today. The level of respect accorded Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal knowledge and ways of knowing must be the same at any educational discussion that is about achieving a better life in Canada. In this way knowledge can lead to equitable relations and respectful relationships. Right now that level of respect for Aboriginal people can only be enhanced by the dissemination of accurate and positive knowledge about their worldviews, lifestyles, histories, contributions and positive attributes that have helped to shape Canada into the country it is today. Moving out of the Void Many Canadians are unaware that they carry a significant lack in knowledge about the histories, worldviews, traditions and lifestyles of the Aboriginal people of this land. For the past few decades there has been an increased effort in educational settings to try and earnestly to make a change whereby paradigms are shifting and new educational relationships are being formed. While a beginning has been made to try and fill this void with authentic knowledge, there remain many challenges at different levels (e.g. curricula, staffing, and post-secondary teacher training) in achieving the goal of filling the void. The level of awareness about Aboriginal people is growing in educational settings and must continue to remain essential and on-going not only in Manitoba, but in all of Canada.

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The power of positionality (Laramee2, 2013) relates to the way in which one situates oneself in a particular setting. This setting of positionality is the work in Aboriginal Education and requires an intrinsic journey of self examination to realize how our personal internal workings meld with the other. As Aboriginal Education continues to evolve and grow in Manitoba, many educators are at all level are asking themselves questions, realizing and acknowledging their place in the void, and making commentaries such as:

What we know shapes who we are. I didn’t know or realize how much I haven’t learned about Aboriginal peoples’ histories,

worldviews, traditions and lifestyles. How do we really become Humans Being (Laramee, 2013) with one another? Understand that every piece of knowledge we acquire has an emotional response for us

to experience. This emotional response will change what we know and who we are.

Once out of the void one can no longer claim they don’t know about Aboriginal peoples’ histories, worldviews, traditions and lifestyles. Once knowledge has been acquired in an equitable way learners from our educational settings in Manitoba will be able to foster future relationships without racism, bias, misconceptions and oppression. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people deserve the right to be in health driven relationships and Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning is committed to achieving this goal in all areas of Manitoba’s educational settings. Reports and Initiatives (for each report, please see the appendices for a full listing of recommendations relating to education) Wahbung – Our Tomorrows (1971)

“Aboriginal education is everybody’s responsibility.” – The Aboriginal Education Directorate Advisory Council (AEDAC)

Wahbung – Our Tomorrows (1971) defined what Aboriginal education meant then and what it may mean today. Because this document was written and ratified by the Indian Tribes of Manitoba, these words are offered here to identify what was then critical in the mind’s eye of Aboriginal people and hence to note its formative influence in the shaping Aboriginal Education policy: “To be effective, education must be nurtured in relevancy, commitment, motivation, and identifiable purpose. The process must be part of community activities and community progress.”

We the Indian people of Manitoba believe in education:

As a preparation for total living, and in this context it extends far beyond the boundaries of what is conventionally considered schooling.

As a prime means of improving our economic and social conditions.

2 Myra Laramee is a member of the Fisher River Cree Nation, who has lived and worked in Winnipeg her whole life. She believes it is an inherent right for every child on this Earth to be safe in life. She was an educator in the Inner City District of the Winnipeg School Division for 31 years. She retired in 2007, after having served as a Vice Principal at Hugh John Macdonald Junior High for 3 years and as Principal of Niji Mahkwa Elementary School for the last 12 years. She then worked as an Aboriginal Awareness Consultant with the Aboriginal Education Directorate branch of the Province of Manitoba’s education departments, Manitoba Education and Manitoba Advanced Education and Literacy. She currently works for the Winnipeg School Division as an Elder in Residence.

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As a means of providing that this should be the right of every citizen: namely, the choice of

where to live and to work. The essential provision of those required skills that will allow this privilege of choice.

As a means by which we can be enabled to participate fully in our own social, economic, political and educational advancement.

As a comprehensive program which must be designed to meet the needs of the total community by including offerings to people of all ages. (Wahbung, p. 118)

These statements identify what Aboriginal people wanted and speak to everything “beyond the boundaries” such as the culture and language; “improving economic and social conditions” by having Aboriginal children see themselves as viable citizens; “privilege of choice” would require them to have the knowledge of their ancestry in order to exercise such a privilege; while participation in their own social, economic, political and educational advancement; requires knowing who they are, where they come from, what their potential is and how they are going to achieve it. In other words ,“to meet the needs of a total community” their history and cultural identity must be known. The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (1991) The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry was established in 1988 in response to two specific incidents: the 1987 trial of two men for the 1971 murder of Helen Betty Osborne, and the 1988 shooting death of J.J. Harper following an encounter with a Winnipeg police officer. These two events raised serious questions as to whether the justice system was failing Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry was mandated to investigate, report and make recommendations to the Minister of Justice on the relationship between the administration of justice and aboriginal peoples of Manitoba. The scope of the Inquiry was very broad and included "all components of the justice system that is, policing, courts, and correctional services." Among the Inquiry's recommendations, a number were aimed at developing policies that would support the following goals:

providing support and guidance to vulnerable adolescents providing educational programs that keep young people at risk in the school system assisting young people who are at risk to make the transition successfully from school to work improving school outcomes and fostering pro-social behavior increasing social skills and reducing aggressive behavior preventing youth homelessness

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) In 1991, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples was established with a comprehensive mandate to investigate the evolution of the relationship among Aboriginal peoples, the Canadian government, and Canadian society as a whole. Following four years of consultation, a five-volume report followed which stated that the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada be restructured fundamentally and grounded in ethical principles to which all participants subscribe freely. In regard to education, the report indicated that contributing factors affecting Aboriginal student success includes lack of awareness about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, histories, and perspectives among

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teachers, school boards, and decision makers. It recognized that governments need to focus their attention on improving the educational outcomes for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students. Recommendations in the Royal Commission report affirmed the basis of a wholistic paradigm:

Consistent with Aboriginal traditions, education must develop the whole child, intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically…Cultural approaches start from the belief that if youth are solidly grounded in their Aboriginal identity and cultural knowledge, they will have strong personal resources to develop intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The Manitoba Métis Federation and the Louis Riel Institute Act (1995) The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) is the official democratic and self-governing political representative for the Métis Nation’s Manitoba Community. The MMF promotes the political, cultural, and economic interest and rights of the Métis in Manitoba.

The Louis Riel Institute (LRI) was created by an Act of the Manitoba Legislature, which received royal assent on November 3, 1995. As a charitable non-profit organization, the institute promotes the educational and cultural advancement of Métis people. The LRI is also responsible for promoting awareness of the values, culture, heritage and history of the Métis people in Manitoba.

The LRI's priority is to strengthen the education of the Métis nation. Its goals are to promote the renewal and development of Métis culture through research, material development and dissemination of cultural material, to design, develop and deliver quality educational and cultural programs and services and to provide educational opportunities that are uniquely suited to the aspirations of the Métis people.

National Strategy on Inuit Education (2006) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), formerly Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, is the national voice of 55,000 Inuit living in 53 communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), land claims regions. Inuit call this vast region Inuit Nunangat. Founded in 1971 ITK represents and promotes the interests of Inuit on a wide variety of environmental, social, cultural, and political, issues and challenges facing Inuit on the national level. ITK does not deliver or fund programs; rather it is a national advocacy organization. In 2006, National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), launched a national education initiative aimed at moving beyond the damaging education policies of previous eras, toward Inuit-centred education systems that produce graduates equipped for the 21st century. The initiative emerged at a time when all four Inuit regions had settled land claims and were in a position to shape their public education systems with a vision for the future. In 2008, ITK held the first-ever National Summit on Inuit Education in Inuvik, NWT. The event was attended by Inuit educators, policy specialists, Elders, youth and education leaders, with discussions focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the respective education systems. The Summit resulted in an Inuit Education Accord2 the first step in imagining a new ‘post-Apology’ era in Inuit education. It was signed the following year by governments and national and regional Inuit organizations. Signatories to

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the Accord committed to establish a Inuit National Committee on Inuit Education (National Committee), which was given 12 months to draft a National Strategy on Inuit Education (National Strategy). Three key principles guided the process of developing the National Strategy:

1. Respect for the jurisdictional authority of each region to deliver education programs. 2. Collective action among Inuit to produce goals of a national scope. 3. Focus on building on best practices and addressing key gaps common to all regions.

The vision for Inuit education set out in this Strategy is to graduate bilingual Inuit children who speak the Inuit language and at least one of Canada’s two official languages, and who possess the skills and knowledge to contribute with pride and confidence to the 21st century. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015) Residential schools for Aboriginal people in Canada date back to the 1870s. Over 130 residential schools were located across the country, and the last school closed in 1996. During this era, more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were placed in these schools often against their parents' wishes. Many were forbidden to speak their language and practice their own culture. On June 11, 2008, the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Government of Canada, delivered a formal apology in the House of Commons to former students, their families, and communities for Canada's role in the operation of the residential schools. As a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was formed to inform all Canadians about what happened in Indian Residential Schools (IRS). The Commission documented the shared stories from survivors and anyone personally affected by the IRS experience. The TRC had a five-year mandate supported by a TRC Secretariat, which is a federal government department. The goals of the Commission were to: 1) Acknowledge Residential School experiences, impacts and consequences; 2) Provide a holistic, culturally appropriate and safe setting for former students, their families and communities as they come forward to the Commission; 3) Witness, support, promote and facilitate truth and reconciliation events at both the national and community levels; 4) Promote awareness and public education of Canadians about the IRS system and its impacts; 5) Identify sources and create as complete an historical record as possible of the IRS system and legacy. The record shall be preserved and made accessible to the public for future study and use; 6) Produce and submit to the Parties of the Agreement a report including recommendations to the

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Government of Canada concerning the IRS system and experience including: the history, purpose, operation and supervision of the IRS system, the effect and consequences of IRS (including systemic harms, intergenerational consequences and the impact on human dignity) and the ongoing legacy of the residential schools; 7) Support commemoration of former Indian Residential School students and their families in accordance with the Commemoration Policy Directive (Schedule “X” of the Agreement). The Commission hopes to guide and inspire First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and Canadians in a process of truth and healing leading toward reconciliation and renewed relationships based on mutual understanding and respect. The Commission views reconciliation as an ongoing individual and collective process that will require participation from all those affected by the residential school experience. This includes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis former students, their families, communities, religious groups, former Indian Residential School employees, government, and the people of Canada. Transforming Educational Experiences thru the five R’s Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning has and continues to proactively develop culturally appropriate resources for students and teachers, in particular resources related to the treatment of Aboriginal people in the residential schools system. These resources are intended to encourage discussion and make progress on the path toward healing and reconciliation. Efforts to develop resources, transform educational experiences and strengthen Indigenous education are guided by the five Rs of Recognition, Revitalization, Relevance, Relationships and Reconciliation. Recognition Aboriginal people want recognition that:

1) Past educational systems, such as residential schools, caused great harm, and that history continues to affect Aboriginal learners today.

2) Successful education requires the active involvement of parents, families, and communities within school committees, parent groups, and in the classroom.

3) Jurisdictional issues affect individual lives, and every individual life is unique.

4) Manitoba’s Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) people comprise diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities; distinct language groups; distinct First Nations governance systems; and an increasing population that is young and urban.

Revitalization Revitalization of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit identities, languages and cultures, histories and rights instill in Aboriginal people the confidence to bridge two worlds. The view expressed by Aboriginal peoples consulted stress that Aboriginal peoples need to be comfortable and confident in their own ways so that they can live and contribute in both worlds. This will require that:

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1) Educators acknowledge, share, and teach Aboriginal knowledge and ways of practice wherever and whenever they can.

2) School systems implement culturally relevant and land-based activities as supportive learning environments in order to strengthen and support Aboriginal identities.

3) Schools develop learning plans with Aboriginal members that assist in developing their leadership capacity.

4) Aboriginal peoples be assured that those educating their children are knowledgeable and aware of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories and distinctiveness.

5) All partners work towards a shared goal of language revitalization, and support for Aboriginal language initiatives.

6) Elders and language groups be consulted, as needed. Relevance To make relevant and meaningful educational learning opportunities work for Aboriginal citizens, it must be recognized that:

1) There is diversity of Aboriginal people (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) and the needs of communities are diverse.

2) The need for teaching and learning that is sustaining and invigorating engages and interests students and incorporates Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) perspectives.

3) The commitment that Aboriginal people, governments, communities, and stakeholders have made to improve Aboriginal educational outcomes.

4) The need to continue to build upon current foundational aspects. Relationships Inherent in the ways of learning in the past, Aboriginal people would learn about the relationships to land as a matter of course in everyday life and living. This way of learning is central to Indigenous Identity. Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning and the Aboriginal Education Directorate believes in the value of relationships and is committed to collaborative partnerships between provincial education systems and Aboriginal people. These partnerships will work towards creating cultural restorations, respect and unity within systems. Reconciliation

"Reconciliation is about forging and maintaining respectful relationships. There are no shortcuts." -Justice Murray Sinclair

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) defines reconciliation in the following way: “Reconciliation is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in this country. In order for that to happen, there has to be awareness of the past, acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change behavior”. (Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation - TRC 2015)

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While the past cannot be changed, a new understanding of shared history can lead to respectful relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the future. Too many Canadians still do not know the history of Aboriginal peoples’ contributions to Canada, or understand that by virtue of historical and modern Treaties negotiated by government, that citizens in Canada are all Treaty people. Education plays an important role in reconciliation; Canadians must look to, and learn from, the past in order to create and build a better future for everyone. While the Commission has deepened our national awareness of the meaning and potential of reconciliation, it will take many hands, heads, and hearts, working together, at all levels of society to maintain momentum in the years ahead. It will also take sustained political will at all levels of government and concerted material resources. As the commissioners of the TRC state:

“Reconciliation must become a way of life. It will take many years to repair damaged trust and relationships in Aboriginal communities and between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. Reconciliation not only requires apologies, reparations, the relearning of Canada’s national history, and public commemoration, but also needs real social, political, and economic change. Ongoing public education and dialogue are essential to reconciliation. Governments, churches, educational institutions, and Canadians from all walks of life are responsible for taking action on reconciliation in concrete ways, working collaboratively with Aboriginal peoples. Reconciliation begins with each and every one of us.” (Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation - TRC 2015)

Activities and Initiatives in Support of the Manitoba First Nation, Métis and Inuit Framework 2016-2019 Over the next three years, the Department of Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning will undertake the following activities and initiatives to further the purpose and aspirations presented in this framework.

1. Increase Aboriginal student academic achievement Implement the revised Aboriginal Academic Achievement (AAA) Grant with a strong focus on

numeracy and literacy that will be reflected in school division planning. Undertake measures to ensure that academically struggling students are identified as early as

possible. Provide targeted funding and programming support for in-school and after-school tutoring. Better support Aboriginal students transitioning into public schools and in partnership with

Manitoba First Nation Education Resource Centre, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, and First Nations communities provide joint professional development in First Nation schools.

Work with school divisions to improve the use of data to monitor and support student learning. Report regularly on the academic achievement of Aboriginal students.

2. Enhance initiatives that help Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students, educators and

communities become better informed about histories, cultures, traditional values, contemporary lifestyles and traditional knowledge of Indigenous people.

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Update provincial curriculum to further reflect Aboriginal perspectives and continue to provide in-service professional development for teachers and school administrators.

Implement the TRC recommendations related to education. Continue to work with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba to incorporate learning

about treaties in existing curriculum. Develop a provincial support document focused on anti-racist education for critical

conversations with and for teachers and an accompanying parent companion document.

3. Increase access to and success in adult learning, post-secondary education and training. Realign and expand the Access program to better attract Aboriginal students and address their

needs while in teacher education and training. Work with the Faculties of Education to encourage more Aboriginal people to become teachers. Promote awareness of pathways to post-high school career and learning options, especially in

education, for Aboriginal students with a focus on middle years to Grade 12. Identify and share successful transition strategies from secondary to post-secondary education

that addresses the needs of Aboriginal students.

4. Increase student, family and community engagement and educational stewardship. Continue to collaborate with First Nation, Métis and Inuit organizations, schools and school

divisions to incorporate strategic initiatives/activities that will infuse FNMI perspectives into the curriculum and learning.

Develop a provincial support document focused on anti-racist education for critical conversations with and for teachers and an accompanying parent companion document.

Implement the Manitoba Aboriginal Languages Strategy.

Summary and Conclusions The Manitoba First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework reflects the educational aspirations, views and values of First Nation, Métis and Inuit people, and envisions full participation of First Nation, Métis and Inuit people in society through education, training, and labour market participation. Prior to contact, the Aboriginal people of Manitoba lived by a belief system that revealed individuals, families and whole communities living according to good, health driven lives, understood in the ancestral language as “Mino Pimatisiwin”. This life includes a wholistic and sustainable process which reflected the deep respect and reverence held by the original people to the very land on which they lived. It was and is today this deep felt relationship to the land or Mother Earth which provided food, clothing, shelter, tools and everything needed to provide a good and healthy life. The Framework provides the policy foundation and its associated actions and initiatives in the delivery of First Nation, Métis and Inuit education in Manitoba. The view expressed by First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples consulted stress that First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples need to be comfortable and confident in their own ways so that they can live and contribute in both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds. All Manitobans, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal alike are responsible for implementing the Framework.

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The Framework remains, and is intended to be, a living document. Once completed and implemented, the legislation includes a requirement that it be reviewed and renewed every three years, and that FNMI peoples and their representative organizations be involved in that renewal process.

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Appendix A – Activities and Programs that Support the FNMI Policy Statements in Manitoba

Inclusive Collaboration and Partnerships Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF)/Louis Riel Institute (LRI) and Manitoba Education and

Advanced Learning Working Partnership is working to improve education outcomes for students in Manitoba schools through projects on learning resources development. Manitoba Education, in partnership, is also involved in the development of a Manitoba Métis Policy.

Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC)/Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC)/Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning and Healthy Child Manitoba – This partnership is on going with partners meeting as required to discuss matters of a mutual concern related to programming, policy and initiatives in Aboriginal education.

Manitoba Aboriginal Languages Strategy Partnership- was established in September 2014 to partner and collaborate on Aboriginal languages areas. The focus of the strategy is to develop a partnership protocol, share learning resources, Aboriginal languages research, teacher education and a promotion strategy.

Aboriginal Education Directorate Advisory Council (AEDAC) – was established in April 2004, this council provides advice to the Directorate on matters related to programming, policy and initiatives in K-12 Aboriginal education.

Advanced Education, Training and Literacy Aboriginal Advisory Council (AETLAAC) – provides advice to the Aboriginal Education Directorate on matters related to literacy, adult education and post-secondary policies and programs.

Aboriginal Circle of Educators (ACE) – is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 by a group of Aboriginal educators committed to supporting and networking to integrate Aboriginal perspectives across curriculum.

The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) – As a member of the Council, Manitoba, plays a lead role in strengthening the capacity for evidence-based decision making through actions that include: (a) establishing an approach to encourage Aboriginal students to self-identify, (b) coordinating common data and indicator definitions, and (c) initiating parallel data-collection procedures.

Treaties and Treaty Development – Working in relationship with Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba and other partners, Manitoba Education continues to support the development and implementation of K-12 teacher resource packages and related teaching materials to increase the knowledge and understanding of the Treaties and the Treaty Relationship.

It’s Our Time Assembly of First Nations Education Toolkit – the project is to increase understanding of First Nations’ rights, histories and cultures among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples, with a special focus on teachers and students in Grades 7to 10. The toolkit is expected to be launched in June 2015.

Increase Cultural Competency for all students and educators:

Curriculum The significant integration of Aboriginal perspectives, culture and languages within the curricula is the main focus of this work and is developed with the full and equal partnership of Aboriginal educators and community members. There are dedicated Learning Outcomes intended for Aboriginal learners in every grade level from K-12.

Grade 9 Ojibwe: A course for independent study is in its development stage.

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Grade 12 Current Topics in First Nations, Métis and Inuit Studies: A Foundation for Implementation was released in 2011.

Additional support documents to complement the K-12 Aboriginal Languages and Cultures: Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes will be developed on an ongoing basis.

From Apology to Reconciliation: A Residential School Survivors Social Studies Resource and Guide for Grades 9 and 11 Social Studies Teachers was released in December 2012.

Aboriginal Perspectives in Social Studies Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia Game Project – intended to support the Grade 11 History

curriculum and introduced in October 2015, a new learning resource tool for high school students that highlights and recognizes the contribution of the Métis people and the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia.

Professional Learning and Training Manitoba continues to work on an array of initiatives intended to improve pre-service and professional learning opportunities for all educators, increase the number of Aboriginal teachers in the education system and help increase the number of Aboriginal students graduating from faculties of education:

A Journey from Cultural Awareness to Cultural Competency – a four day professional learning initiative intended to enhance teachers’ confidence and capacities to include Aboriginal perspectives in the curriculum as well as in instructional practice.

Training in Culturally Proficient Education – Allows participants to examine, recognize and overcome personal and professional barriers to cultural proficiency, and to more effectively response to diversity within the educational setting and is intended to complement the four day Journey training.

Required Pre-Service Course – In order to complete a teacher pre-service program in Manitoba a 3 credit hour course on Aboriginal perspectives is required.

Kenanow Bachelor of Education Program – Launched in 2008, this program provides a northern-based and Aboriginal-focused teacher education program using the Kenanow Learning Model illustrated as relational between education and the environment.

Program for the Education of Native Teachers (PENT) – The PENT Program at Brandon University was developed in 1972. Students study April through July, allowing them to graduate in five or six years. PENT averages approximately 19 graduates annually.

Community-Based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (CATEP) – The CATEP Program at the University of Winnipeg was established in 2005 for Aboriginal students and it include as partners the Winnipeg, Seven Oaks, River East/Transcona, Seine River, and Lord Selkirk School Divisions and Brokenhead First Nation.

Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Education (PBDE) – Developed in 2014, the PBDE at the University of Winnipeg is a 30 credit hour program for in-service teachers, educators and caregivers that offers an Indigenous Knowledge stream allowing students to design their own, highly personalized program of studies. Louis Riel School Division has a cohort of PBDE focusing on Indigenous education at the University of Manitoba.

Indigenous Teacher Education Task Force – Created in August 2014 to develop a strategy for Aboriginal teacher education in Manitoba. The task force comprises of three Advanced Education Training and Literacy Aboriginal Advisory Council (AETLAAC) members; two Aboriginal Education Directorate Advisory Council (AEDAC) members and two staff from the Aboriginal Education Directorate (AED).

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Aboriginal Education Research Forum (AERF) – the annual forum offers opportunities that provide a shared understanding of research pertaining to the interests of Aboriginal peoples and communities. The 12th Annual Forum is being held at the Legacy Centre (Louis Riel School Division) on May 26 and 27, 2016.

Aboriginal Teachers Questionnaire Report 2013 - As of June 2013, preliminary analysis indicates that 11.9% (1,841 out of 15,457) of educators in Manitoba indicated they are Aboriginal. In the case of First Nation schools, 57.5% (528 out of 918) of educators indicated they were Aboriginal. Note that the source of this information includes ATQ 2006, 2009, 2013 and Aboriginal self identification at time of certification in Russell and Schools in Manitoba 2013.

Manitoba Education Research Network (MERN) - The Manitoba Education Research Network (MERN) works to improve the quality of education in Manitoba through a collaborative effort on the part of Manitoba's five faculties of education, Manitoba Education, and affiliated partner organizations. Activities in 2015-16 include:

o MERN Bear Pit Sessions o Occasional Paper Series o MERN North and Urban Forum in 2016.

Increase Aboriginal Student Achievement:

Programs and Initiatives The Building Student Success with Aboriginal Parents (BSSAP) Fund – With a budget of

$600,000 the fund supports 45 school-based projects in 19 school divisions to help build supporting, trusting relationships with Aboriginal parents and to enable them to have greater engagement in the education of their children.

The Community Schools Program (CSP) – provides funding of $2.1 million and program support to 29 schools in urban, rural and northern communities to help schools develop a range of supports to meet the needs of children, youth and families. The Community School Act received Royal Assent on December 5th, 2013.

Morningstar Initiative – An innovative supportive network of student and family support systems based in R. B. Russell Vocational High School with the goal of promoting health, wellness, and successful graduation from R. B. Russell. Funding has been provided to support a Literacy Support teacher ($100K), a Morningstar Centre through the Community School Program funding and an additional $90K for Mental Health Support for students.

The Paul Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative – Is intended to encourage Aboriginal youth to remain in school and develop the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to achieve success in secondary school, post-secondary education or vocational training in the workplace and daily life. Manitoba Schools participating in this initiative include: Children of the Earth, Gordon Bell High, Grand Rapids School and Major Pratt School-Waywayseecappo First Nation Community School.

Shine-On Initiative Partnership with Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development Inc. (CAHRD) – the Shine-On Initiative is intended to help increase representation of Manitoba’s Aboriginal community through increased attendance, academic success and credit retention leading to an increase in the number of applications and acceptance to post-secondary education.

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Education Agreements These agreements all share the goals of improving the learning experience for Aboriginal students while identifying ways to support the success of Aboriginal students and to improve their academic achievement in both First Nation and Provincial Schools. Academic success will be tracked by increased successful course completion, reduction in the school’s leaver rate and increasing on-time graduation.

Lakeshore School Division Park West School Division Border Land and Portage La Prairie School Division Enhancement Agreements

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Appendix B – Reports and Initiatives - Full Listing of Recommendations Relating to Education Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) The report centered on a vision of a new relationship, founded on the recognition of Aboriginal peoples as self-governing nations with a unique place in Canada. It set out a 20-year agenda for change, recommending new legislation and institutions, additional resources, a redistribution of land and the rebuilding of Aboriginal nations, governments and communities. Education Specific Recommendations The Commission recommends that: 3.5.1 - Federal, provincial and territorial governments act promptly to acknowledge that education is a core area for the exercise of Aboriginal self-government. 3.5.2 - Federal, provincial and territorial governments collaborate with Aboriginal governments, organizations or education authorities, as appropriate, to support the development of Aboriginal controlled education systems by

a) introducing, adapting or ensuring the flexible application of legislation to facilitate self-starting initiatives by Aboriginal nations and their communities in the field of education;

b) mandating voluntary organizations that are endorsed by substantial numbers of Aboriginal people to act in the field of education in urban and non-reserve areas where numbers warrant until such time as Aboriginal governments are established; and

c) providing funding commensurate with the responsibilities assumed by Aboriginal nations and their communities, or voluntary organizations, given the requirements of institutional and program development, costs of serving small or dispersed communities, and special needs accruing from past failures of education services.

National Strategy on Inuit Education (2006) For many years, Inuit leaders have called for greater emphasis on quality Inuit-language instruction as the primary language and either French or English as a second language. Now, there is a growing body of expert research that supports this vision, concluding that the greatest predictor of long-term success in school is quality instruction in a student’s first language as long as possible. From their examination of the core themes set out in the Accord, the National Committee is recommending 10 core investments to improve outcomes in Inuit education: 1. Mobilizing Parents. 2. Developing Leaders in Inuit Education. 3. Increasing the Number of Bilingual Educators and Programs. 4. Investing in the Early Years. 5. Strengthening Kindergarten to Grade 12 by investing in Inuit-Centred Curriculum and Language Resources. 6. Improving Services to Students Who Require Additional Support. 7. Increasing Success in Post-Secondary Education. 8. Establishing a University in Inuit Nunangat. 9. Establishing a Standardized Inuit Language Writing System. 10. Measuring and Assessing Success. These core investments are intended to achieve three broad goals: 1) Offering support to children to help them stay in school.

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2) Providing a bilingual curriculum to achieve literacy in the Inuit language and at least one of Canada’s official languages, and learning resources that are relevant to the Inuit culture, history and worldview. 3) Increasing the number of education leaders and bilingual educators in our schools and early childhood programs. In addition to these three broad goals, the National Strategy recommends addressing several other gaps in Inuit education in order to close the gap between Inuit and non-Aboriginal Canadians. These focus areas include developing a standardized writing system for the Inuit language and establishing a university that focuses on Inuit studies. In addition, to ensure that investments made in Inuit education provide useful and measureable results for parents and policy makers, the National Committee recommends the establishment of a national research and performance monitoring body. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action (2015) In order to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission makes the following calls to action. Legacy - Education 5) We call upon the Government of Canada to repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada. 6) We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate

educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians. 7) We call upon the federal government to eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding for

First Nations children being educated on reserves and those First Nations children being educated off reserves.

8) We call upon the federal government to prepare and publish annual reports comparing funding for the education of First Nations children on and off reserves, as well as educational and income attainments of Aboriginal peoples in Canada compared with non-Aboriginal people.

9) We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples. The new legislation would include a commitment to sufficient funding and would incorporate the following principles:

i. Providing sufficient funding to close identified educational achievement gaps within one generation.

ii. Improving education attainment levels and success rates. iii. Developing culturally appropriate curricula. iv. Protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal languages as

credit courses. v. Enabling parental and community responsibility, control, and accountability, similar to what

parents enjoy in public school systems. vi. vi. Enabling parents to fully participate in the education of their children.

vii. Respecting and honouring Treaty relationships. 11) We call upon the federal government to provide adequate funding to end the backlog of First

Nations students seeking a post-secondary education. 12) We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally

appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal families. Language and culture 13) We call upon the federal government to acknowledge that Aboriginal rights include Aboriginal

language rights.

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14) We call upon the federal government to enact an Aboriginal Languages Act that incorporates the following principles:

i. Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them.

ii. Aboriginal language rights are reinforced by the Treaties. iii. The federal government has a responsibility to provide sufficient funds for Aboriginal-language

revitalization and preservation. iv. The preservation, revitalization, and strengthening of Aboriginal languages and cultures are best

managed by Aboriginal people and communities. v. Funding for Aboriginal language initiatives must reflect the diversity of Aboriginal languages.

15) We call upon the federal government to appoint, in consultation with Aboriginal groups, an Aboriginal Languages Commissioner. The commissioner should help promote Aboriginal languages and report on the adequacy of federal funding of Aboriginal-languages initiatives.

16) We call upon post-secondary institutions to create university and college degree and diploma programs in Aboriginal languages.

17) We call upon all levels of government to enable residential school Survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the residential school system by waiving administrative costs for a period of five years for the name-change process and the revision of official identity documents, such as birth certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, health cards, status cards, and social insurance numbers.

Education for reconciliation 62) We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration

with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples, and educators, to: i. Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’

historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students.

ii. Provide the necessary funding to post-secondary institutions to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms.

iii. Provide the necessary funding to Aboriginal schools to utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms.

iv. Establish senior-level positions in government at the assistant deputy minister level or higher dedicated to Aboriginal content in education.

1) We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:

i. Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.

ii. Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.

iii. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. iv. Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.

64) We call upon all levels of government that provide public funds to denominational schools to require such schools to provide an education on comparative religious studies, which must include a segment on Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Aboriginal Elders.

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65) We call upon the federal government, through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, post-secondary institutions and educators, and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and its partner institutions, to establish a national research program with multi-year funding to advance understanding of reconciliation.

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Appendix C – Inuk/Inuit Timeline 10,000 – 8,000 years ago Sivullirmiut move from Eastern Siberia to Alaska. 6,000 years ago Inuit culture is established on Alaska’s north coast. 6,000 – 4,000 years ago Inuit begin to move east across what is now Canada, as far north as Greenland. 1530-1740 European whalers and traders arrive in the Arctic. 1576 Martin Frobisher becomes the first known European explorer to visit the Arctic. 1610 Henry Hudson “discovers” Hudson’s Bay and Strait while searching for the Northwest Passage. The Hudson expedition is the first to winter in the Arctic. 1771 Moravians establish the Nain Mission Station in Labrador. 1845-1848 Sir John Franklin embarks on his infamous expeditions, first travelling overland with Aboriginal assistance and mapping much of what is now the Northwest Territories. His final quest for the Northwest Passage is a catastrophic failure. He and every member of his crew perish. 1870 The Northwest Territories is created as The Hudson’s Bay Company surrenders its land (known as Rupert’s Land) to the Government of Canada. 1905-1912 Main source of commerce between Inuit and Qallunaat moves from whaling to fur trading. 1909 After several years of Arctic travel; Captain Joseph Bernier unveils a plaque on Melville Island officially “claiming” the Arctic islands for Canada. 1920 – 1930 The fur trade peaks, bringing the first government officials to the Arctic, mainly RCMP officers. 1930s Depression-era economic failures in the South lead to the decline of the fur trade, leaving Inuit without their primary source of income and more dependent on government. 1940s The United States Air Force establishes bases in the Canadian Arctic to re-supply war aircraft and ships bound for Europe. One of the biggest is at Frobisher Bay, now known as Iqaluit. Canadian government presence intensifies as the country recognizes the need to establish sovereignty over the Arctic. 1954 Inuit are granted the right to vote in federal elections. 1955-1965 The Canadian government expands its role in the Arctic and begins moving Inuit families off the land into permanent, centralized settlements. 1966 Simonie Michael becomes the first Inuk member of the Northwest Territories council.

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1968 Abe Okpik leads The Surname Project, touring Inuit communities to register surnames to replace identification numbers. 1970 The Committee on Original People’s Entitlement (COPE) meets for the first time in Coppermine, NWT. 1971 Inuit Tapirisat of Canada holds its inaugural meeting at Ottawa’s Carleton University. The first issue of Inuit Monthly (precursor to Inuktitut Magazine) is published. 1972 The Northern Quebec Inuit Association is established to represent the interests of the Inuit of Quebec during negotiations of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. The Anik Satellite is launched. 1973 The Labrador Inuit Association is created to represent Nunatsiavut Inuit. The Canadian Government agrees to begin land claims negotiations with Aboriginal peoples who never signed treaties relinquishing their rights. 1975 The first fully elected council of the Northwest Territories takes office. Inuit, Dene and Métis form a majority on the 15-seat council. The Baffin Regional Inuit Association is founded to represent Inuit in the Baffin region of the Northwest Territories. Today it is known as the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the regional arm of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. The James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement is signed in Quebec City. 1976 The Kivalliq and Kitikmeot Inuit Associations are formed to represent the Inuit of their respective regions. Today these associations are regional arms of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 1977 Willie Adams of Rankin Inlet, NWT, becomes the first Inuk Senator. The Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) is founded as the international organization representing Inuit of the circumpolar world. Every four years, Inuit representatives from Russia, Greenland, Canada and Alaska gather to discuss social, economic and environmental issues impacting the polar regions of the planet. 1978 The Voisey’s Bay Mining Project drives Labrador Inuit to initiate land claims discussions with the provincial and federal governments. Makivik Corporation is created by an act of the Quebec National Assembly to implement and administer the James Bay Agreement. Inuit Tapirisat of Canada is granted observer status at the Federal-Provincial Ministers’ Conference on the Constitution. The Inuksuk Project is launched, bringing television to Arctic communities. 1979 Peter Ittinuar becomes the first Inuk Member of Parliament, representing the newly created Nunatsiaq riding of the Northwest Territories. Ittinuar is also the first person to speak the Inuit language during a sitting of the House of Commons. The Inuit Committee on National Issues (ICNI) is formed to represent ITC’s voice on the Constitution and other national political issues. ITC calls for the establishment of a Nunavut territorial government. 1980 Nunavut land claims negotiations resume with the understanding that the proposal for creating the new territory of Nunavut would be dealt with outside the comprehensive claims forum. The Northwest Territories agrees in principle to the creation of the Nunavut government. The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation is created, upon the completion of the Inuksuk Project.

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1981 More than half of NWT residents vote in favour of dividing the territory. The Government of Canada agrees in principle to territorial division. The Tungavik Federation of Nunavut is incorporated. 1982 The repatriated Constitution Act recognizes Inuit as one of the three aboriginal peoples of Canada and affirms the aboriginal rights and treaty rights of Canada’s first peoples. 1983 ICC is granted non-government organization status at the United Nations. 1984 The Inuvialuit Final Land Claim Agreement is signed. Pauktuutit is formed to represent the interests of Inuit women at the national level. 1985 ITC participates in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference. 1987 First Ministers’ Conference fails to achieve agreement on entrenchment of “Inherent Aboriginal Rights.” 1989 ICC becomes the first indigenous group to be given an environmental achievement award by the United Nations, after it publishes a framework for a regional conservation strategy. Tungavik Federation of Nunavut signs Land Claims Agreement-in-Principle. ITC takes over publication of Inuktitut Magazine, an Inuit cultural journal, from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. 1991 Federal Government announces the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP). 1992 Inuit Tapirisat of Canada asks Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples to investigate the claims of the High Arctic Exiles. 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is signed. 1994 The National Inuit Youth Council (NIYC) is formed. Mary Simon is named Canada’s first Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs and, in this role, oversees the creation of the Arctic Council. In 1999, she also becomes Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark and the first Inuk to hold an ambassadorial position. 1996 The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples presents its report to Parliament. 1998 The Government of Canada officially responds to the report submitted by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in a document called Gathering Strength. 1999 The Territory of Nunavut is officially created, marking the first time the map of Canada has changed since Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949. 2001 The Labrador Inuit Association, along with the provincial and federal governments, signs an Agreement-in-Principal for the Labrador land claims agreement. The Inuit Tapirisat of Canada changes its name to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to reflect the organization’s success in land claims settlements for all Inuit regions. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson proclaims an amendment to the Canadian Constitution, changing the name of Newfoundland to Newfoundland and Labrador. Jordin Tootoo becomes the first Inuk to be drafted to the National Hockey League.

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2002 Inuit of Nunavik sign Agreement-in-Principle on offshore claims with Governments of Nunavik, Canada and Quebec. Atanarjuat, directed by Zacharias Kunuk, becomes the first feature film in the Inuit language. It is released worldwide to great critical and popular acclaim. 2004 Labrador Inuit ratify the Labrador Final Agreement. 2005 ITK signs a partnership agreement with the federal government. The agreement recognizes Inuit as an Aboriginal people of Canada, acknowledges Inuit land claims agreements and commits to address social conditions in the Canadian Arctic and to involve Inuit in policy-making concerning the Arctic. The Nunatsiavut Government is officially established. First Ministers’ Meeting produces the Kelowna Accord, which includes a $1 billion package designed to deal with the profound gaps in health, education and housing in Aboriginal communities. 2006 Nunavik Inuit sign offshore claims agreement, which provides the Inuit of Nunavik with land title to offshore islands, hunting fishing and trapping rights, and rights to resource development as well as financial compensation. The offshore area was not included in the 1975 James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. 2007 Sheila Watt-Cloutier is the first Inuk nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Inuit language becomes the first aboriginal language to be represented in the Senate. At the urging of Senators Charlie Watt and Willie Adams, it is used in the Senate chamber and in two Senate committees. Prime Minister Stephen Harper offers an apology in the House of Commons, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to survivors of the Residential School experience in Canada. 2008 Leona Aglukkaq is elected Member of Parliament for Nunavut and is appointed Minister of Health, becoming the first Inuk to hold a senior cabinet position. The Inuit language is spoken during historic first meeting between the Health Minister and National Inuit Leader. The European Union issues ban on import of all seal products. 2009 Circumpolar Inuit adopt A Circumpolar Declaration on Sovereignty in the Arctic, which sets out the identity, rights and responsibilities of Inuit as one of the world’s indigenous peoples. For the first time, the Olympic torch passes through six Arctic communities. 2010 Inuit declare 2010 the Year of the Inuit, kicking off a year-long series of events geared at raising awareness about the Inuit of Canada. The Inuksuk represents Canada as the symbol of the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

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Appendix D - Legislation

5th Session, 40th Legislature

Bill 13

THE EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT ACT (FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT EDUCATION POLICY FRAMEWORK)

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, enacts as follows:

C.C.S.M. c. E10 amended

1 The Education Administration Act is amended by this Act.

2 The following is added after subsection 3(2):

Regard for First Nations, Metis and Inuit education policy framework

3(3) In approving or establishing courses of study and in approving teacher education programs, the minister is to have regard for the First Nations, Metis and Inuit education policy framework established under section 4.3.

3 The following is added after section 4.2:

First Nations, Metis and Inuit education policy framework

4.3(1) The minister must establish a First Nations, Metis and Inuit education policy framework for supporting the educational success of First Nations, Metis and Inuit pupils.

Timing and updates

4.3(2) The framework must be established before the 2016 school year begins and must be updated every third school year after that.

Content

4.3(3) The framework must

(a) ensure that all pupils will learn about the histories of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples; and

(b) set out

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(i) the activities that the minister intends to undertake in the applicable three-year period to further the purpose of the framework,

(ii) criteria for ensuring that the curriculum reflects the perspectives of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, and

(iii) the measures to be implemented to support the professional development of teachers and others who participate in classroom activities.

Consultation

4.3(4) In preparing the framework or an update to it, the minister must consult with First Nations, Metis and Inuit persons and organizations.

Framework to be available to the public

4.3(5) The minister must make the framework available to the public by publishing it on a government website and by any other means the minister considers advisable.

Coming into force

4 This Act comes into force on the day it receives royal assent.

Explanatory Note

Under this Bill, The Education Administration Act is amended to require the minister to establish a First Nations, Metis and Inuit education policy framework. The framework will set out activities, criteria and measures to support the educational success of First Nations, Metis and Inuit pupils and ensure that all Manitoba pupils learn about the histories of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples.

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Appendix E - Glossary of Key Terms Identities The acknowledgement of where people are from, where they are

presently, and where they are going, as well as their racial, legal, and cultural identity.

Languages and Cultures Distinct practices, protocols, universal values, and spoken and unspoken beliefs inherent in Aboriginal communities. People identified by the linguistic group and land base they have historically occupied and on which they historically have learned to survive.

Respect The awareness and acknowledgement of someone’s or something’s interpretation and understanding of truth.

Rights The observance of constitutional and treaty agreements made with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people and acknowledgement of the federal government’s legal, constitutional, and fiscal obligations to First Nations peoples.

Wellness A state of being that encompasses balance among the aspects of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being.

Worldviews Perspectives that encompasses the aspects of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being, and how these interrelationships created and affected the past, present, and future.

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Appendix F - Bibliography

Canada. Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples: Final Report, 1996. Available Online at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/webarchives/20071115053257/http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/rcap/sg/sgmm_e.html

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, About Inuit, Online at https://www.itk.ca/about-inuit Laramee, M. (2013). Teaching and Learning as an Act of Love: an examination of the impact of seven

traditional Indigenous teaching practices in teacher education and on teacher’s classroom practices. Thesis completed as part of PHD dissertation. Available on the University of Manitoba MSpace. Winnipeg. Manitoba.

Louis Riel Institute Act (1995), C.C.S.M. c. L230, enacted by SM 1995 C. 15, online at

https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/l230e.php Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning, Making Education Work (2007), available online at

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/mew/index.html Manitoba Education. Aboriginal Education Action Plan (AEAP) 2004-2007 includes two

Highlight Reports. Available online at http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/abedu/action_plan/

Manitoba Education. Bridging Two Worlds: Aboriginal Education and Employment Action Plan (AEEAP) 2008-2011. Available online at

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/abedu/action_plan/

Manitoba Education. Working Together Supporting Students in Transition: Sharing Student Information between First Nations and Provincial Schools. Available online at

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/support/students_transition/

Manitoba Education and Youth (2003). Integrating Aboriginal Perspectives into Curricula: A Resource for Curriculum Developers, Teachers, and Administrators. Available online at www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/policy/abpersp/

Manitoba Education. (2008). A Journey from Cultural Awareness to Cultural Competency: a training manual for professional learning in Aboriginal Education. Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth. School Programs Division. Winnipeg, Manitoba

Manitoba Government, (1991) Final Report of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB

http://www.ajic.mb.ca/reports/final_toc.html

National Strategy of Inuit Education 2011, First Canadians, Canadians First, Online at

https://www.itk.ca/system/files_force/National-Strategy-on-Inuit-Education-2011_0.pdf?download=1

R.A. Malatest & Associates, Ltd (2002), prepared for The Council of Ministers of

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Education, Canada (CMEC). Best Practices in Increasing Aboriginal Postsecondary Enrolment Rates. Available online at http://www.cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/49/malatest.en.pdf

Raymond Valérie (2006), The Mass Slaughter of Inuit Sled Dogs, Native relationship with life, death, and nature, available online at http://rimstead-cours.espaceweb.usherbrooke.ca Statistics Canada. Educational Portrait of Canada, Census 2006. Available online at

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=97-560-IE2006001&lang=eng

Stiffarm, L. (1998). As We See…Aboriginal Pedagogy. University Extension Press, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Saskatchewan.

The Indian Tribes of Manitoba. (1971). Wahbung - Our Tomorrows. Manitoba Indian Brotherhood Inc.

Winnipeg . Manitoba Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Honoring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future, Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015), available online at http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/ Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP). The Common Curriculum

Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Culture Programs: Kindergarten to Grade 12. Available online at http://www.wncp.ca/english/subjectarea/fnmi/commoncurriculumframework.aspx

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Contact Information Aboriginal Education Directorate Murdo Scribe Centre 510 Selkirk Avenue Winnipeg MB R2W 2M7 Telephone: 204-945-7886 Toll-Free in MB: 1-800-282-8069, ext. 7886 Fax: 204-948-2010 Email: aedinfo@gov.mb.ca