Page 265 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 to 12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies

Course Introduction
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit
Governance in Canada, Grade 12 University/College Preparation (NDG4M)
OVERVIEW
The systematic forced removal of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit traditional governance structures by successive governments in colonial and post-Confederation Canada con- tinues to shape the current realities of Indigenous peoples in this country. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals and communities face fundamental questions about how they can renew their relationship with governments in Canada and reaffirm their own governance structures.
Questions related to colonial legacies, Indigenous rights, self-determination, sovereignty/ self-governance, reconciliation, justice, equality, land claims, cultural traditions, economic development, and land use are all fundamental to the subject of governance. This course provides students with an overview of these and other issues related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit governance in Canada. Students explore current realities related to law and governance and their historical roots. The course covers a range of issues, ideas,
and developments, from precontact governance structures to contemporary effects of colonization and various processes and strategies for reconciliation. Students investigate the legacies of colonialist policies, legislation, and case law as well as changes that have occurred since the recognition of Aboriginal rights in the Constitution Act and the interpretation of these rights by courts in Canada. Students examine issues related to self-governance, self-determination, and sovereignty, including traditions, values, principles, responsibilities, and strategies that are associated with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit self-determination. Through their investigations, students identify cultural factors that have contributed to existing Indigenous governance structures and give con- sideration to elements that may improve the effectiveness of these structures. Learning about the changing relationships between Indigenous peoples and colonial, federal, provincial, and territorial governments in Canada, from early treaties and land claims to calls for renewal of a nation-to-nation relationship, will help students develop a deeper understanding of the current realities facing Indigenous people in the pursuit of self- determination in Canada.
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