address the problem, these fall far short of what is required. Defenders of incremental equality often say things like “the govern- ment can’t fix this overnight” or “these are good first steps.” The problem with incre- mental equality is that children do not have incremental childhoods and as Sims’ report shows us – equality never comes one drop at a time. We must achieve equity for First Na- tions children across all areas in a leap not in a shuffle.
What are your priorities for change for First Nations children? How will more money make a difference? What else needs to be done?
My priority? Equity across all areas of child- hood for First Nations children. As former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Frankfurter noted, “There is no greater inequality than the equal treatment of unequals.” This means that equity must take into account the multi-generational harms related to colonization and the ongoing discrimina- tory service provision by the federal gov-
ernment. As Sims noted nearly 50 years ago, it also requires that curriculum and those who teach it take positive measures to en- sure First Nations histories and realities are meaningfully included throughout the education system. This would benefit First Nations children and also non-Aboriginal children who have been denied a proper understanding of how contemporary re- alities are shaped by Canada’s longstanding discrimination against First Nations so that they can become positive co-actors in the implementation of the Truth and Reconcili- ation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action.
ETFO members teach in public elemen- tary schools in Ontario. What would you tell them about welcoming First Nations children in their classrooms?
Learn about First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples yourself and then integrate this knowledge into the classroom environment for all students. Project of Heart (projectof
heart.ca) offers educators excellent tools and curriculum ideas and we also have ex-
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 21
“TOGETHER WE CAN RAISE A GENERATION OF FIRST NATIONS CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE TO RECOVER FROM THEIR CHILDHOODS AND A GENERATION OF NON-ABORIGINAL CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE TO SAY THEY ARE SORRY.”
THE CANADIAN PRESS/ADRIAN WYLD
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