All My Relations

Task

* This study was designed by Shashi Shergill from Connect Charter School with contributions from Rick Fawcett, Dr. Dwayne Donald, Dr. Terri-Lynn Fox, Jason Avramenko and the Grade 9 students at Connect Charter School, it is posted here with permission.

“All My Relations”, is an inquiry into the historical and contemporary relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in Canada, designed by a humanities teacher from Calgary Connect Charter School. In this study, students investigated collective rights through an examination of treaty agreements where they researched and analyzed significant events that have shaped both the past and present state of the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. Central to the study was an analysis of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which identified four distinct, but overlapping stages in the history of this 500-year-old relationship. The study culminated in artistic representations whereby students demonstrated their understanding of the relationship and shared their learning through discussions with pre-service teachers at both the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University. By seeking to understand how the different histories and experiences of Aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples in Canada position us in relation to one another, students were empowered to take an active role as Canadian citizens and use the lessons from the past to help inform decisions about the future of Canada. In the end, it is our hope that as Canadians we may begin to forge new relationships that are respectful and ethical.