A banner made of four photos. The first photo shows a group of secondary school students wearing orange Every Child Matters shirts over their school uniforms, for Orange Shirt Day. The second photo shows an Indigenous knowledge keeper showing students how to traditionally prepare a fire during camping trip. The third photo shows a student doing an exercise in class for hand-weaving traditional Indigenous shoes. The fourth photo shows a presentation by the Equity Department at the CEC in collaboration with the Special Education Department, showing a collage of student artwork of Indigenous peoples and culture.

National Indigenous Veterans Day

The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) is proud to honour and remember the lives, sacrifices and contributions of Indigenous Peoples to Canada, by recognizing National Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8.

We commemorate this day throughout the month of November and alongside Remembrance Day.

It is a day dedicated to honouring the contributions of Indigenous Veterans and their significant impact on the well-being of Canada and the world. Culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy helps to dismantle racism and particularly in this case Anti-Indigenous racism, which is one of the main priorities for the TCDSB and the Indigenous Education, Equity, and Community Relations department.

Resources

National Indigenous Veterans Day - 2021 Poster - Let us take time to consider, recognize, commemorate and celebrate the unique military contributions that First Nations, Metis and Inuit Peoples have made to Canada. Turtle Island is the name for the lands now known as North and Central America. It is a name used by some Indigenous peoples who believe their land was formed on the back of a turtle. Not all creation stories from the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas feature a turtle; some refer to a pregnant Sky Woman, while others feature a Raven and others an ocean spirit called Sedna.First Nations, Metis and Inuit Peoples of Canada have fought with, for and against its European invaders from the point of contact until today. Military service by First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples dates back long before Confederation, and many Indigenous people can trace their family roots to the War of 1812 and beyond. These determined volunteers were often forced to overcome many challenges to serve in uniform, from blatant racism, learning a new language and adapting to cultural differences, to having to travel great distances from their remote communities just to enlist. Many Indigenous people brought valuable skills with them when they joined the military. Patience, stealth and weapons skills were well-honed traits for those who had come from communities where hunting was a cornerstone of daily life. These attributes helped many of these soldiers become successful snipers (military sharpshooters) and reconnaissance scouts (people who stealthily gathered information on enemy positions). Source - Veterans Affairs Canada 2021