Educational Resources

Source: Natural Resources Canada
Focus: History and Geography

Summary: There are two methods that may be used to study these patterns. The first is to look at Canada at a specific point in time. For example, the study of settlement patterns in Canada circa 1891 will look at such factors as where people live, their numbers, ethnic origin and occupations. The second is to observe changes to the spatial pattern over a period of time. For example, the map series concerning Aboriginal peoples in Canada documents changes to the settlement patterns of the Aboriginal peoples over time. This allows us to view the impact of European settlement on North America and the subsequent competition for the land and its resources.

What is essential to the study of spatial patterns is the requirement to reconstruct past geographies through an understanding of the cultures, economies and politics that governed the people and their relationships to each other and to their environment. This level of interpretation can only be derived from a detailed analysis of the historical record as provided by written documents, maps and archaeological studies. Historical geography plays an important role in learning about our country as it was in the past, thereby helping us to understand many issues which confront us today.

List of History Topics:

• Historical Indian Treaties
• Aboriginal Peoples circa 1630, 1740 and 1823
• Pre-Confederation Canada (1740 and 1823)
• Territorial Evolution
• Exploration 1497 to 1760

Source: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

Summary: First Nations in Canada is an educational resource designed for use by young Canadians; high school educators and students; Aboriginal communities; and anyone interested in First Nations history. Its aim is to help readers understand the significant developments affecting First Nations communities from the pre-Contact era (before the arrival of Europeans) up to the present day.

The text has two parts. The first-“Early First Nations”-presents a brief overview of the distinctive cultures of the six main geographic groups of early First Nations in Canada. This section looks at the principal differences in the six groups’ respective social organization, food resources, homes, modes of transportation, clothing, and spiritual beliefs and ceremonies.

The second part-“History of First Nations-Newcomer Relations”-traces the relationship between First Nations and newcomers to Canada from the very first encounter up to the government’s historic apology in June 2008 to all former students of Indian Residential Schools. In this apology, the Government of Canada expressed deep regret for the suffering individual students and their families experienced because of these schools. The government also acknowledged the harm that residential schools and assimilation policies had done to Aboriginal people’s cultures, languages and heritage.

Summary: The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is a nationally incorporated umbrella organization that represents the interests of its provincial and territorial affiliate organizations across Canada. Its head office in Ottawa is the center of operations for its elected executive of a National Chief and Vice Chief, an administrative core staff, program managers and coordinators, and consultants on a range of Aboriginal issues. CAP, itself, does not have individual memberships or provide programs and services directly to individuals. In effect, the “members” of CAP are its affiliate organizations.

The CAP national Board of Directors is composed of the national Chief, the national Vice Chief, and the President or Chief of each of the affiliated organizations. The Board meets several times a year to monitor and direct the activity of CAP. The Board is the decision making body of CAP between Annual General Assemblies.

The CAP Annual General Assembly is the body that sets the general policy of the organization and, through its motions and resolutions, determines much of the activity of CAP for the next year.

Summary: The Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres (OFIFC) is a provincial Aboriginal organization representing the collective interests of twenty-nine member Friendship Centres located in towns and cities throughout the province. The OFIFC administers a number of programs which are delivered by local Friendship Centres in areas such as health, justice, family support, and employment and training. Friendship Centres also design and deliver local initiatives in areas such as education, economic development, children and youth initiatives, and cultural awareness. The Vision of the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Movement is “to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people living in an urban environment by supporting self-determined activities which encourage equal access to and participation in Canadian Society and which respects Aboriginal cultural distinctiveness.”

Source: Omàmiwininì Pimàdjwowin is both a Non-Profit Corporation and a Registered Charity, established in 2002 through consultation with the First Nation’s membership and agreement with the Council of the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn.
Focus: Teachers and Educators

Summary: The Omàmiwininì Pimàdjwowin mission is to revitalize, reintegrate, enhance and protect the cultural traditions, customs, practices, heritage, language and arts of the Algonquin Nation. This site is full of information, digital presentations and narratives about the Algonquin people.

Source: Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP)

Summary: CAP represents off-reserve Aboriginal and Métis people living in urban, rural and remote areas throughout Canada.

Source: Saskatchewan’s publicly-accessible archives
Focus: Teachers

Summary: This site is a co-operative initiative among several of Saskatchewan’s publicly-accessible archives. It contains material relating to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, found in Saskatchewan cultural and heritage collections.

It is primarily intended to increase the information normally available for archival material by providing access to descriptions of material at a file or item level. Where appropriate, some guides (finding aids) are also available. Although less comprehensive, the site also includes some published (library) and artifactual (museum) material. Please note that materials have been digitized based on consideration of known copyright, privacy, and particularly, cultural concerns.

Source: Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)

Summary: This new report from AUCC provides an in-depth look at the innovative steps Canadian universities are taking to improve access and success of Aboriginal students in higher education.

The goals of the 2010 inventory initiative are to connect past and future, and give readers a contextualized glimpse of each institution, its programs, services, facilities and activities which have been designed to promote a healthy, rewarding, academic experience for Aboriginal students in Canadian universities.

Source: Indian and Northern Affairs in cooperation with the University of Saskatchewan
Focus: Students and researchers

Summary:The directory lists library and cultural institutions with collections related to First Nations, Métis and the Inuit in Canada.

This directory is compiled by the Library and Information Needs of Native People’s Interest Group of the Canadian Library Association, the Departmental Library of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada in cooperation with University of Saskatchewan Libraries.

Source: The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE)
Focus: Teachers and Administrators

Summary: To help improve the economic capability of Canadians, CFEE has a wide range of resources and programs including publications, multimedia, teacher training, curriculum consultation, and research. This particular site lists all the Canadian provincial curriculum sites in one location providing the opportunity to search for Aboriginal resources available in Canada through district school boards.