Inuit org welcomes Ontario’s new Indigenous curriculum, but worries about implementation

Ontario high school classrooms can expect to see more Inuit content in the province’s newly revised Indigenous curriculum, set to be rolled out in September 2019.

Last week, the Government of Ontario announced the launch of the updated curriculum—replacing its 20-year-old Native Studies program—to be delivered to the province’s high schools in the form of 10 elective courses designed to tap into Indigenous art, literature, law, humanities, politics and history.

The individual course outlines have yet to be released, but an overview provides samples of what students will glean from the new courses: legends like that of the wandering shaman Kiviuq, the practical and ceremonial use of the qulliq, and information about contemporary artists like singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark and filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril.

But an organization that represents Ontario Inuit said the success of that new curriculum will be seen in its delivery.

“A First Nations, Métis and Inuit curriculum is a really positive thing,” said Jason Leblanc, director of Tungasuvvingat Inuit. “I think it shows a progressive lens by the public government to acknowledge we haven’t had the right history taught in the past here.”

Much of the Inuit focus in Ontario’s new curriculum is thanks to TI, the Ottawa-based organization considered the service provider for Inuit in Ontario as part of a five-year agreement the organization signed with the province in 2017.

TI’s policy staff went through a draft of the new Indigenous curriculum and provided feedback and recommendations—a number of which were accepted by the ministry, Leblanc said.

“When we started looking at what was there, predominantly it was through a First Nations lens,” he said. “Which makes sense based on the population and historical context of the province. For us, we wanted to ensure it would broadly address the Inuit reality.”

Census data says there are more than 6,800 Inuit living in Ontario, while TI estimates the population at closer to 10,000.

Because Inuit don’t have traditional lands in Ontario, Leblanc worries that many Ontarians consider them to be a new or irrelevant addition to the province.

In fact, Inuit first came to Ontario as far back as the 1940s, when those diagnosed with tuberculosis were brought south for treatment. Today there are multi-generational Inuit families established in the province.

Indigenous education can also spread misconceptions when it treats that culture as a singular entity. That often comes out in cultural ceremonies or spirituality, Leblanc said, like the First Nations tradition of smudging or the use of the medicine wheel—which are not Inuit practices.

Leblanc said educators have to be careful to avoid those generalizations, which can misinform non-Inuit students and leave Inuit students feeling left out.

In that sense, one of the more important aspects of Ontario’s new curriculum is how it will be implemented, he said.

“How do we help ensure that what is there can be delivered in a culturally safe and effective way, not only for learners, but for the teachers and others involved?” Leblanc said.

“And how many of our public school educators are Inuit or even Indigenous?” he said.

“That’s going to put a duress on organizations like ours to support the implementation of this curriculum around the province.”

Indigenous groups in Ontario have also criticized the provincial government for making the courses elective, which means students can decide whether to take them or not.

One of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action recommended that Indigenous studies be made mandatory in Canada’s schools.

The Ontario Ministry of Education did not respond to Nunatsiaq News’ media request by press time.

“We are committed to ensuring that Indigenous perspectives are present in Ontario’s curriculum,” said Ontario’s Education Minister, Lisa Thompson, in a May 21 release.

The ministry said it would commit $3.25 million to Ontario school boards to implement the new curriculum.