Treaty Education has not been around for a long time. it has often been overlooked by education systems in Canada, seeing it as something not important, despite it being vital to the success and understanding of our society today. Indigenous people across Canada have suffered hundreds of years of oppression, genocide, and pain, and in order for us to move forward as a nation, we must acknowledge not just Canada’s history, but the histories of the Indigenous peoples of Canada as well.

One of the primary purposes of teaching Treaty Ed or First Nations, Metis, and Inuit content and perspectives is to illustrate the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada. This begins of course with the truth. We as Canadians must pay respect to those who walked this land before us, and understand their ways of knowing and being. Their knowledges and history are not only apart of this land but apart of Canada entirely. This is especially important when there are few or no First Nations, Metis, or Inuit (FNMI) peoples, as it allows for the introduction of such important information. However, I feel it is important to note that the inclusion of FNMI peoples are vital in discussions surrounding their histories, cultures, and knowledges, as no one can explain it better than they can. Additionally, teaching this to students who are not First Nations, Metis, or Inuit allows for students to see the severe reality people belonging to these groups live. Educating students shows them that there are no jokes to be made about treaty, nor are their joes to be made about the beautiful cultures and knowledges of the people who took care of the land and resided upon it prior to the arrival of Europeans. Students need to know how serious this subject is, and understand the repercussions that followed the actions of both French and British colonizers. these repercussions are still evident in our society today and present themselves through intergenerational trauma, a topic that is solemnly discussed but impacts the lives of a large percentage of FNMI individuals across Canada today. If we as educators treat these topics with the respect they deserve, students will follow suit and open their eyes to those around them, ultimately shaping them to be the caring and respectful people we wish to see in our next generations.

My understanding of “we are all treaty people” is very broad. For one, I see this statement as meaning that we are all collective members and guests upon this land. Regardless of heritage, gender, or race, we are all guests on this land, this treaty land, and we must take care of it together. Additionally, I see this statement as solidifying us as equals. Seeing Canadians as “all treaty people” takes something that unites us, our treaty, and uses it to represent us as a collective group. It removes everything we present physically, and connects us spiritually and emotionally to one another. Regardless of our walks of life, we are all equals under the treaty title. We all must equally care for our land, our environment, and our communities. Whether or not we or our ancestors were present at the signing of the treaty, we still have a duty to uphold. We are treaty people because we live here, because we are neighbours, because we are guests residing upon Turtle Island. The statement “we are all treaty people” is a serious and heavy statement that carries so much history, and it is up to us to ensure that we treat all people and the land with the love and respect they deserve.