Learning Action: Indigenous People in Canada

Framing  

The purpose of this Learning Action is to introduce participants to Indigenous peoples in Canada and to assist them in identifying knowledge gaps that they may have with respect to this topic. This activity can be done pre-session, post-session, or during the session.    

Logistics

Minimum Time Required: 45 minutes
Number of Participants: Highly adaptable
Age Level: 10 years and up
Suggested Material: Handout - Indigenous People in Canada

How the Facilitator Participates

The facilitator provides participants with the Fact Quiz questions. The questions can be provided online, orally or as a hard copy document.  

  • It is useful for the facilitator to acknowledge that the Fact Quiz may not be easy to complete. It can be uncomfortable to become aware of one’s knowledge gaps, therefore, having the facilitator express this can help create a sense of trust with the participants.

  • The facilitator should complete the Fact Quiz themselves prior to the session. During debrief, the facilitator can express challenges he or she faced while completing the Fact Quiz, especially in regards to knowledge gaps.

How Participants Contribute to the Group's Learning

By sharing answers and identifying how their answers were obtained, participants will assist others in answering any unanswered questions but will also illustrate how they address their knowledge gaps (Internet searches, books, asking friends and family etc.).        

Facilitating

  1. Provide participants with the Fact Quiz (online, orally or as a hardcopy)

  2. Allow individuals time to answer the questions. Encourage collaboration and Internet searches.

Discussion/Debriefing

  • Invite participants to share their answers for each question; this includes identifying where and how they obtained their answers. It is also important to consider that although information may be readily available, especially with online sources, it is not necessarily truthful. Click here to learn more about Critical Media Literacy; Scroll to the bottom of the webpage to see a useful video by Dr. Catherine Burwell.

  • Ask participants what they learned through the Fact Quiz. It is appropriate for the facilitator to share what they learned as well. In addition to learning about Indigenous peoples, the participants will have learned valuable research skills that will further aid in identifying and addressing their knowledge gaps.

References:

Alain Noël & Florence Laroque. “Aboriginal Peoples and Poverty in Canada: Can Provincial Governments make a Difference?” Paper prepared for the Annual Meeting of the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee 19 (RC19), Montréal, August 20, 2009.
Assembly of First Nations (AFN).
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP).
Government of Canada. Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
Government of Canada. “Frequently Asked Questions about Aboriginal Peoples.” Feb 2002.
Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. “21 Things You May Not Have Known About the Indian Act.” June 2015.
Joseph, Bob. “Dispelling Common Myths About Indigenous Peoples: 9 Myths & Realities.” Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. 2016.
Joseph, Bob. “Indigenous Peoples: A Guide to Terminology.” Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.
Media Smarts. “Common Portrayals of Aboriginal People.”