Current Events, Politics, and Issues Resources
8th Fire: Aboriginal Peoples, Canada, and the Way Forward on CBC
A series of informative, accessible, and engaging videos on various indigenous perspective issues, such as urban aboriginal people, the time for change, land claims, and the “seventh generation” youth.
Click image for link or ask about the DVD set in room 2118
Click here for a PDF Viewing guide and questions
Douglas Treaties
Printable resource package with information, primary resources, and activities that ask students to assess the fairness of the treaties.
Fort Victoria an Other Vancouver Island Treaties, 1850-1854
BC Archives
Original documents of the treaties signed, including that of Teechamitsa, the land which our school is built on.
Colonization Road
Short Video on the page, a trailer for the documentary series “Colonization Road” with a strong and positive message on moving forward in a positive way.
The March on Pkols
Reclaiming place names has been a powerful example of recognizing Indigenous territory, history, and knowledge. Pkols (Mt. Doug) is a great local example.
Local Nations’ Developments
- T’Souke Solar Project:
- Spirit Bay Sustainable Housing Development: Click for link
- Land Swap: Click for link
First Nations’ Land Rights and Environmentalism in BC
A First Nations perspective on territory use, forestry, mining, fishing, and development.
“We were never conquered and we have never surrendered the right to govern or be stewards of our traditional territories.”
Click image for link
Colonialism for Coast Salish People with history and images
CBC Aboriginal. Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters. K’alts’idaa K’ah Productions, KenLeslie, Haidawood Collective.
EXPLORING THE GREAT BEAR SEA CURRICULUM
The Exploring the Great Bear Sea Elementary, Secondary and Post-Secondary Curriculum Resources are based on the film The Great Bear Sea: Reflecting on the Past, Planning for the Future by Green Fire Productions, and can be used to engage students in an inquiry-based, educational journey through the Great Bear Sea exploring a variety of themes such as Indigenous Knowledge, collaborative science, marine planning, biodiversity, sustainable resource management and marine stewardship. Students explore the importance of this region of BC – and our connection to both land and sea – through place-based stories, traditions and histories, bringing a diversity of First Peoples’ perspectives from this region into the classroom.
greatbearsea.net/secondary-curriculum/social-studies/
Returning the Past: Repatriation of First Nations Cultural Property, Teaching Kit
UBC Museum of Anthropology
4 Case studies and Lessons of the return of stolen cultural pieces.
Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole
National Film Board
Cloud Makers. Short Video
“Aamjiwnaang First Nation, bordering Sarnia Ontario, has been named the most polluted place in North America by National Geographic.”
This powerful video shows how industry and pollution affect communities.
CBC News Aboriginal
Updated current events
click image for link
Mrs. Universe gets Political: Ashley Callingbull Burnham. News clip.
Curio Documentaries
A vast collection of documentaries.
“Canada’s Disgrace: Our Missing Aboriginal Women”
“Aboriginal Education Then and Now: Issues, Controversies, and Concerns”
“Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Finds Discrimination Against First Nations Children Living On-Reserve”
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada January 26, 2106
Findings released January 2016 from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that highlight discrimination and inequality to families living on reserve.
Christine Welsh. Finding Dawn. National Film Board of Canada. https://www.nfb.ca/film/finding_dawn
“Acclaimed Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh presents a compelling documentary that puts a human face on a national tragedy: the murders and disappearances of an estimated 500 Aboriginal women in Canada over the past 30 years. This is a journey into the dark heart of Native women’s experience in Canada. From Vancouver’s Skid Row to the Highway of Tears in northern British Columbia, to Saskatoon, this film honours those who have passed and uncovers reasons for hope. Finding Dawn illustrates the deep historical, social and economic factors that contribute to the epidemic of violence against Native women in this country.”
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Updated news on the continual issue of missing and murdered women
.
click image for Homepage
“The Faceless Dolls Project: Each Statistic Tells a Story” intends to bring attention to the numbers of missing and murdered women
Click image for link
“Project Uplift”: Managing 
Stress through Mind, Body, Heart and Spirit
Click image for PDF
Tiffany Joseph, poem “Our Women Are Dying”
Tiffany Joseph is one of our Role Models, who can come into the class.
Islands of Decolonial Love
by Leanne Simpson and multiple artists
This Collection of Poems from Anishinaabe author, Leanne Simpson, spoken in collaboration with musical artists is powerful, political, and beautiful.
Click image for full audio poem list
Simpson-Leaks and Jiibay – PDF
“Leaks” is a poem in response to her daughter experiencing racism for the first time at the age of 5.
“Jiibay or Aandizooke” addresses the development of First Nations territory of cultural significance.
“Rendezvous”
Short Story by Thomas King
A short short story that is easy to pull out meaning and discussion on environmentalism, development, and tropes and stereotypes of First Nations people.
King- Rendezvous -PDF
“Post-Colonial”
Creative non-Fiction writing by Margaret Atwood
A powerful short piece that examines the colonial reminders in our society, the remnants of guilt and gain, and the problematic construction of “we” and “them.”
Atwood – Post-Colonial – PDF
“Heroes”
Rap Lyrics by Wab Kinew
A recognition of First Nations’ Heroes through history.