I am currently studying Indigenous Social Work at Laurentian University. I also hold a diploma in Community and Justice Services with Aboriginal Emphasis from Sir Sandford Fleming College and a post graduate cerificate in Victimology with Aboriginal Education from Durham College.
When I was in public school and high school, I felt disgusted at how our textbooks contained very little information on Indigenous history. To be exact there was probably less than one paragraph of information in my textbooks. I am guessing this hasn't changed very much since my public and high school days which was [more than] 10 years ago. Since then I have taken great pride in my education and prospering with that information to get to where I am now.
In 2015 The Truth and Reconciliation Commissions came out with a report that had 94 recommendations. One of those recommendations was to implement Indigenous education in the curriculum.
As an Ontarian, I am disgusted that our new Premier Doug Ford is dropping implementing Indigenous education the curriculum. At a time of crazy chaos going on in the world I would expect my province that I have called home for a very long time to be stepping up to the plate and become a leader to show the rest of the provinces of Canada, and the U.S.A that we are taking responsibility and making it right for Indigenous people of Canada. Instead, Mr. Ford has decided to take Ontario backwards instead of forwards.
Yes, Canada does have some very unpleasant history, we have made a lot of mistakes like every country in this world. However, we are always given second chances to make things right.
I've had professors talk about how they have to alter their conferences because the teachers that are hired to teach our children themselves have no idea about the existence of residential schools or the 60's Scoop or even what they are.
Shouldn't our teachers be allowed the right to know about Indigenous history so they are able to answer students' questions especially if that means one of those students goes on later in life to further their education like I have?
For far too long we've denied students the right to basic knowledge of Indigenous people of Canada history. Isn't it time that we change that fact and make our province a leader to all the other provinces of Canada. It's time we keep moving forward not backward.
Sarah Connell

Owen Sound

image: possibly a portrait of Shanawdithit; The last known member of the Beothuk