A tray of traditional bannock bread was passed among a crowd of people gathered on Parliament Hill’s lawn for one unifying purpose — to share in the personal, often untold, stories of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The event, hosted by Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey on behalf of Liberal Indigenous Caucus, celebrates the launch of Canadian Geographic’s Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada’s teacher’s guide, now available to educators country-wide.
“A key to a better Canada lies in forging stronger relationships with Indigenous Peoples,” said MP Badawey, opening the event. “It is my hope that this atlas will help build multicultural understanding, encourage dialogue, and most importantly, foster mutual respect between all Canadians.”
The Atlas, a first-of-its-kind four-volume educational resource, and its accompanying Giant Floor Map, were created by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and Indspire. The complementary teacher’s guide, produced alongside the Atlas and the Giant Floor Map, offers more than 170 pages of activities and lesson plans for classrooms to explore the unique histories, cultures and perspectives of First Nations, Métis and Inuit in Canada.