We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Why choose Indigenous studies?

In order for Canadians, and Canada as a nation, to move towards reconciliation, individuals must better understand the truth of Indigenous lives in the past and present so that our future together is one based on friendship and respect. All corporations, not-for-profit organizations, and levels of government need employees who have a strong understanding of Indigenous histories, worldviews, and values in order to meet the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Building relationships, allyship, and working toward reconciliation involves a continuous process of learning about and recognition of the peoples who have lived on Turtle Island since time immemorial. Enrolling in the Minor will provide opportunities to:

Analyze the history, politics, education, language, and/or worldviews of Indigenous Peoples (including, First Nation, Métis and Inuit) in Canada and globally.
Compare and relate key impacts of Canadian legislation and colonization on Indigenous peoples.
Examine the effects of treaties on Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Evaluate the role of residential schools, day schools and other significant government policies in shaping the ongoing history of Indigenous people.
Identify and relate different types of biases and stereotypes that maintain Indigenous peoples in disempowered positions within the Canadian social, political, and economic context.
Explain reconciliation in relation to learning in their majors and how they can contribute to reconciliation in their own lives.