Education Minister Bronwyn Eyre is continuing to defend comments seen by some as an attack on the First Nations curriculum taught in schools.
Indigenous leaders and teachers raised concerns after Eyre suggested there might be too much “infusion” of First Nations history in school curriculum.
Then she told the story of her poor grandparents who settled western Canada.
In the wake of that speech, Eyre said she was promoting her grandparents’ proud European heritage and that she was only trying to say we should examine the “infusion” of First Nations education in all subject areas rather than in a single class.
Saskatchewan was the first province in Canada to mandate students learn about treaties, doing so in 2007.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations said in a statement treaty rights need to be taught across subjects.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission called upon the federal, provincial and territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration with survivors, aboriginal peoples, and educators, to make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, treaties, and aboriginal peoples’ contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for kindergarten to Grade 12 students.
Asked if she thought such mandatory curriculum should be taught from K-12, Eyre said, “absolutely” and that she is proud of the province’s record of mandating treaty education.
But she continues to question how subjects should be taught and, citing an upcoming curriculum review, particularly how they should be taught in high school.