Canada's History

Perceptions of the Red River Resistance by Canada's History

In a historic ruling on March 8, 2013 that ended the thirty-year claim, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that the federal government failed in its obligations to the Métis people under the Manitoba Act. Philippe Mailhot, historian and director of the Saint Boniface Museum at the time, provided a historical perspective of the claim and the Supreme Court’s ruling. The Manitoba Act received royal assent on May 12, 1870, ending a period of conflict in the Red River Settlement and formally creating the Province of Manitoba. However, the form of negotiations and the terms and obligations set out under the Act are the subject of a claim brought against the federal government by the Manitoba Métis Federation.

A passion for the past inspires a young historian in Cornwall, Ontario, to memorialize inmates who died at a local “poor house.”

Entitled Lost Heroes: The Untold Story of Canadian Superheroes, the full-length film documents the history of Canadian comic book heroes from the 1940s onward. The film debuted at Toronto’s Royal Cinema on February 28, 2014. Canada’s History caught up with comic book historian Hope Nicholson, who along with partner Rachel Richey, who spearheaded the drive to introduce Nelvana to a new generation of readers.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca. David Brian and Stephen Punga (not pictured) created an opportunity for students to use digital technology to expand upon histories in their community. In their “Lost Cemeteries” project, students used GIS to map the graves of Black Canadians in Essex County. “Gladys We Never Knew” is a teaching module that invites students to understand Indigenous perspectives through personal and place-based connections. Jean Moir’s students interact with a variety of sources and reflect on their learning over the course of the module. Leanne Young’s students created “Indigenous Action Plans” to contribute towards reconciliation. Through a series of activities, students learned about issues facing Indigenous people. In groups, students focused on specific issues and developed their plans to further the aims of truth and reconciliation. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca. Kayla Dallyn and Genevieve Soler worked with Stoney Nakoda Elders in their community to help students trace their family lineage. After creating family trees, students identified “heroes” among the members of their family. Students sculpted a bust of their “hero” that was then displayed publicly in a pop-up exhibit for National Indigenous Peoples Day. Students in Dwayne Jeffery’s class worked with the six historical thinking concepts over the course of the entire school year. Through multiple activities, students gained the tools necessary to create a final museum exhibit project and presented it to the community. The project “Treaties: Spirit, Intent and Broken Promises”, created by Caelin Webber, included multiple activities involving poetry, theatre, and primary source analysis. For their final project, Caelin Webber’s students created infographics connecting modern issues to historic treaty precedents. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. We would like to thank voicEd Radio for their support in producing this podcast. VoicEd Radio is a 24/7 Internet-based Radio Station dedicated to both broadening and deepening the conversations we have about education. You can find out more about voicEd Radio at voiced.ca. In the “History Portfolio” project, Trevor Arndt’s students assumed the role of a person from Canadian history and followed them through defining moments of the 20th century. Students voted in period elections and experienced trials from different regions at different times in history. To finish, students wrote memoirs of their character’s experiences during the project. Students in Heidi Crowley’s Grade 11 Canadian History class studied the recent controversies surrounding monuments. After discussing the different sides of the debate and visiting local monuments, students created posters and presentations evaluating the history and impact of different Canadian monuments. Heather Jefkins’ students completed a variety of activities to understand the creation and importance of different fabric craft works. The project, “Weaving Stories and Stitching History,” allowed students to learn through hands-on creation of fabric pieces. Students also interacted with community members and learned about history through weaving and quilting. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards or to nominate a teacher in your community, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. Michael Pitblado and Agnieszka Chalas’ “Banksy Project” invited students to use artwork and the format of Banksy’s art pieces to raise awareness about some of the issues that affect Indigenous peoples. The pieces were displayed in public areas around the community, as well as in exhibitions at multiple art galleries. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

This interview is part of a special series of the Teaching Canada's History podcast where we spoke with the finalists for the 2019 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. Sarah Dewey’s students exercised their creativity to create responses to the impacts of the transcontinental railway on various aspects of Canadian history. Through artwork, songs, and poetry students explored the ways that the railroad both united and divided Canada. To learn more about the Governor General's History Awards for Excellence in Teaching visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

In the October-November 2019 issue of Canada's History, Christopher Moore's article “The Ballots Question,” explores the origins of Canadian political party leadership conventions. In 1919, a federal political party held the first convention to choose its leader, and it forever changed the way politics is practised in Canada. In this interview, political scientist Royce Koop responds by discussing the process of choosing a party leader, whether the system we have now is more or less democratic, and how other countries choose the leaders of their parties. To read Christopher Moore's article, go to https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/prime-ministers/the-ballots-question.