Why learning history is important in understanding today’s issues
We must reinvest in teaching history that has been updated and reflects our modern reality
Recently we have seen a number of events in Canada that indicate we need to do a far better job teaching basic civics and history in our schools
Think back to your Canadian history lessons. I can tell you what I remember. In elementary, middle and high school we focused on the fur trade, the beginnings of European settlements in what would become Canada and Confederation.
In high school we also talked briefly about the Canadian involvement in both world wars. When I took Canadian history in my first year at university what did we begin with? The fur trade, the beginnings of European settlements in North America, etc. Sound familiar to you?
When I assisted my daughters with their history homework and assignments, I was flabbergasted to see that little had changed.
I saw little to no mention of First Nations cultures and languages before and after European settlements, nor of treaties between the Crown and First Nations and how they were usually broken by “white civilization,” the residential schools and their horrific impact on the First Nations, Canada in the Cold War, the October Crisis, the creation of the modern Constitution and Charter of Rights (and how the federal government attempted to block First Nations involvement in the constitutional talks), the Oka uprising, how the various levels of government work and divisions of jurisdiction and authority, etc.
It was simply a “rehash” of the fur trade, Louis Riel, Confederation, etc.
Even though I am a historian, I often say I learned to love history and give my daughters an interest in history, despite the best attempts of the Ontario school system to destroy any such interest a person would have.
What has happened recently that history and civics education could have explained to the public?
Well think about what we are seeing right now in Caledonia with the Haudenosaunee barricades on disputed land. As opposed to constantly “regurgitating” the same subjects in Canadian history year after year, a proper teaching of the history around treaties and/or land claims would give people a good knowledge as to why these issues keep arising.
It is recognized law in Canada that all land was originally owned by Indigenous (First Nations) peoples. Before Canada can rightfully claim the land, it has to take ownership of it through negotiations with the First Nations.
Many of the contentious issues we see today would be minimized through proper education and knowledge
The question in Caledonia is; did Canada obtain this land via treaty — as the law states they must?
Many Canadians have called for the police to break down the barricades and enforce “law and order.” Learning history would have taught them that treaties are also the law of the land.
If the government violated the initial treaties — what laws do you want the police to enforce? Would it not make sense that a proper understanding of our history would help ease some of the tension when issues like this arise?
During the current pandemic I have heard people comment that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hasn’t done enough to help fight the pandemic.
Certainly there are areas in which I believe he could have done better, but even a cursory knowledge of our constitution would indicate that health care is almost always a provincial matter.
Outside of obtaining the necessary vaccines (an area in which his government has struggled if not failed) there is no role for the federal government in delivering health care to the majority of Canadians.
Or how about the recent resignation of the governor general?
How many people have you heard say that the role of governor general is useless and/or a waste of money?
A cursory study of civics would show someone how important this role actually is. With Canada having no institutional “checks and balances” such as the United States has with their equal legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government, the Crown can act as the final guarantee of democracy.
For example, imagine Canada had a prime minister who began acting undemocratically. With our system of rigid party discipline the governing party may possibly not act to remove such a prime minister. The governor general with no partisan ties to the government has the power and possibly indeed the duty to act in such a case and dismiss the prime minister and thus defend democracy in Canada.
Would you like to give that up? Many of the contentious issues we see today would be minimized through proper education and knowledge.
Let’s make this happen.