June is National Indigenous History Month which celebrates the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.
The York Catholic District School Board is committed to teaching students about the rich and diverse histories of Canada’s First Nations Peoples. Recently, it announced Grade 11 students will take the Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices course for their Grade 11 English credit. In 2017, the Board introduced its YCDSB Land Acknowledgement which has since become embedded as a distinct school practice and recited at all large school community gatherings.
June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day
For centuries, many of the first inhabitants would celebrate the arrival of the warm weather and the pleasures of the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the day of the year with the longest light. June 21, the first day of summer, has been chosen as National Indigenous Peoples Day! In 1996, the Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc, proclaimed it National Aboriginal Day! It’s an opportunity for everyone to celebrate the cultural richness and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. In 2017, the Prime Minister announced the day would be renamed National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Learn more about National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day.