Legacies 150 is a series of interactive photo and illustration essays reflecting on legacy and inheritance a century and a half into Canadian Confederation. These first-person stories explore where we come from, who we are, and what kind of nation we are becoming.

As long as Canada exists, its citizens will want to read about Louis Riel because his life summarizes in a unique way the tensions of being Canadian: English versus French, native versus white, east versus west, Canadian versus American.

This site explores the famous trial of Louis Riel.

Answer approx 10 questions to see which great Canadian history-maker best mataches your own personality profile.

The goal of this publication is to honour the 150,000 Aboriginal children across Canada who endured the Indian Residential School system and their families, while educating Canadians about the atrocious history and ongoing legacy of residential schools.

Everyone benefits when there is a greater understanding and appreciation of Treaties and the Treaty relationship.

This issue of Canada’s History explores the history of Treaties and the Treaty relationship and is an important first step in sharing First Nations perspectives.

It has been developed with contributors who have helped to incorporate the spirit and intent of Treaty making. The contributors, drawn from across the country, bring expertise and insights that help us to understand the continuing relevance of Treaties and the Treaty relationship.

Treaties and the Treaty Relationship
The Canada’s History Treaties issue features guest editor Treaty Commissioner Loretta Rosslink opens in new window from the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Contributing writers, from throughout Canada, have shared their insights and knowledge on a wide variety of aspects of Treaty history and the Treaty Relationship.

As Commissioner Ross states in her Forward: “For too long, Canadians have learned about Treaties with First Nations from a singular, non-First Nations perspective. The goal of this special issue is to try to provide a more balanced understanding of Treaties and the Treaty relationship.”

In addition to this special edition of Canada’s Historylink opens in new window that you can download as a PDF, you can also access the Educator’s Guide.

Treaties and the Treaty Relationship Educational Package.

Visit the site to download the information.

In this 14-minute video, First Nations elders, an Inuit elder and a Métis senator share personal stories of tragedy, experience, wisdom and cultural identity. Their words underline the importance of understanding our Canadian history and the experiences First Nations, Inuit and Métis students bring to our classrooms.

These stories will help educators enhance their professional knowledge and practice.

This lesson is an experiential approach to Indigenous people’s history.

Grade Levels: 9/10, 11/12
Subject Area: First Nations, Métis and Inuit, Social Studies, History, Language Arts, Art, Social Justice

The module consists of learning material that is delivered through an Indigenous pedagogical approach. There is extensive context-setting in the form of introductory activities (talking circles, guest speakers, a field-trip to a museum) to front-load the main activity, which is literally, walking (and learning) on the lands of Indigenous people’s ancestors. The location of this “learning on the land” is situated in the Victoria School District, British Columbia, but the module can be applied in any territory in Canada provided proper protocols with respect to working with the Indigenous nation on whose land the school is situated, are established first. Anne Tenning models how teachers can use an Indigenous approach to teaching social studies. A possible outcome in so-doing, is that other disciplinary inquiries may be addressed simultaneously. Ms. Tenning also uses “real life” examples to illustrate how deeply students are impacted by Indigenous guest speakers, and she uses student testimonials as evidence. Ms. Tenning uses a first person narrative to explain how she conducts her classes.

The PLEA (Public Legal Education association of Saskatchewan)publication outlines the history behind the First Nation treaties in Canadian history and their relationship to the law.