Where Do We Go From Here?
Summary of Progress:
As you can read in previous posts, none of the Calls to Action for Education have been fulfilled. This is disappointing, seeing as they were released over five years ago. However, some progress has been made. The current Liberal Government of Canada has promised and provided more funding for Indigenous educational initiatives and schooling. However, no project has been completed and more often than not, the funding that is actually provided is less than was promised originally. The gap in access and quality of education between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students still very much exists.
Advocacy is Key!
A lot of the time, it can seem overwhelming to realize the amount of progress that has yet to be made. This is a valid feeling, because in order to meet these Calls to Action, we need the cooperation and support of the federal government, which can be hard to come by and slow to start. However, there are things we can do as individuals to help make a positive change.
Although the projects necessary to meet each Call to Action are extensive and require the guidance and action of the federal government, there are things we can do as individuals to help. Especially if you are an educator; however, you don’t need to be a teacher to help fulfill the Calls to Action.
Some of the things you can do to help fulfill a Call to Action include:
- Writing to government officials about the issues at hand, informing them of their obligation to fulfill the Calls to Action and respect the treaties, and pushing them to take action.
- Some of the officials you can write to are: your local MP, your provincial Minister of Education, your Premier, and the Prime Ministers Office
- Starting a petition (or signing a petition that has been started) to have the Government of Canada take action on an issue (like repealing section 43 for example)
- A lot of Bills that are brought forward in the House of Commons often either start from a petition or are backed up by a petition, this is a great way to bring about change
- Educating your family members, peers, friends, colleagues, and possible students about:
- Canada’s brutal history with Indigenous people
- Our Treaty obligations
- The Calls to Action
- The gaps that Indigenous students face compared to other students
- Creating an inclusive classroom (if you are a teacher) by:
- Teaching about Indigenous history
- Teaching about Indigenous Ways of Knowing
- Teaching local Indigenous Languages
- Collaborating with community leaders and Elders
- Using traditional Indigenous methods of teaching
- Teaching above and beyond the curriculum to incorporate Indigenous issues (into every single subject!)
- Teaching about your local Treaty
- Hang your Treaty flag in your classroom.
- Engaging your students with their local Indigenous community!
- And doing all of this in a culturally appropriate and respectful way!
You don’t need the federal government to tell you to advocate for these issues. We can make more of an impact as individuals than we think! And sometimes, we can actually fulfill a Call to Action by doing so. Reconciliation needs to start somewhere, and every small step taken helps to mend the relationship between the Indigenous peoples of Canada and the Canadian Government (and every non-Indigenous person)!