Educators play a vital role in naming the history of our nation and how we choose to take action reconciling with it.
Many segments of the public are working together for reconciliation and how to best respond to the 94 calls to action. Of these 94 concrete steps we can take to face our history and start building a better Canada, six are direct calls to educators.
Honouring Treaty 6 helps inspire mutual respect and shared understanding: after all, we are all Treaty People. This ritual helps remind us our beginning Nation-to-Nation relationship was one of alliance and sharing. It encourages our students to be mindful that our ancestors were permitted to begin peaceful settlement of this country because of a Treaty relationship with First Peoples.
Remember, all of Elk Island Public Schools is a part of Treaty 6 territory and was entered into for “...as long as the sun shines, the rivers flow, and the grass grows…”
See how Treaty 6 and learning about residential schools fits into EIPS curriculum.
EIPS Central Administration boardroom has the official Government of Canada Statement of Apology - to former students of Indian Residential Schools (June 11, 2008).
