April 9, 2025

Schools, postsecondary institutions, and community groups across Canada celebrated National Indigenous Languages Day on and around March 31st. Some shared resources and classes that community members could use to learn Indigenous languages: Algonquin College highlighted its Kwey Language Series; Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami released a guide to using the unified Inuktut writing system Inuktut Qaliujaaqpait; and the University of Alberta Indigenous Students’ Union offered free Dene Kǝdǝ́ language lessons. Others, such as the Bonnyville Friendship Centre and the University of Waterloo hosted special events focused on language and cultural revitalization. The Bonnyville Friendship Centre’s event featured Dr Jessie Sylvestre, a Dene First language speaker from ejeredeséche Buffalo River who developed the University of Blue Quills’ Dene Language Program.

The Government of Yukon’s Department of Education has shared its 2025 progress report and announced that it will roll out a new student outcomes strategy. The progress report highlights several efforts launched by the department since 2019, including the establishment of the YK First Nation School Board and the work underway to extend the Joint Education Action Plan in collaboration with Yukon First Nations. Looking to the future, YK will launch its Integrated Outcome Strategy for Yukon Learners. This strategy will reportedly take a more holistic approach, evaluating outcomes such as graduation rates and students’ understanding of Yukon First Nations history and world views. Yukon Association of Education Professionals President Ted Hupé told CBC that the outcomes outlined in the strategy could prove difficult to measure and called for a strategy with “‘SMART’ goals” instead.

Algonquin College will launch an Indigenous Studies diploma and Indigenous Studies certificate program this September. Developed in collaboration with Inuit, Métis, and First Nations communities, the programs follow a curriculum that incorporates Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being into the fields of education, law, health care, culture, and language. These programs aim to prepare learners for careers that will include engagement with Indigenous communities, businesses, and organizations. “Our Indigenous Studies diploma and certificate programs are not only a continuation of Algonquin College’s commitment to reconciliation, but a commitment to develop a better understanding and appreciation of Indigenous Peoples and the issues faced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples,” said Algonquin President Claude Brulé.

recent public board meeting, the Surrey School District shared that its Indigenous student graduation rate has returned to the 2021-22 graduation rate and is on pace to meet its goal for 2028. The district reports that in 2023-24, the five-year graduation rate for Indigenous students recovered from 50% to 57%. The district is now on track towards its goal of increasing its Indigenous graduation rate by 15-20% by 2028. Peace Arch News reports that 3.9% of the Surrey School District’s student population is made up of Indigenous students. “The graduation rate is the gold standard across the province and what everyone looks at as the indicator of how successful the school districts are, in particular with Indigenous learners,” said Surrey School District Director of Instruction with indigenous Learning Lyn Daniels. “Thankfully, all of our efforts have seen improvement in our five-year completion rate, and as well as our six-year completion rate.”

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Education has ordered the province’s schools to shred their copies of four textbooks that were purchased in 2023 and contained inaccurate information about Indigenous peoples. The textbooks were part of the Passe à l’action pour la réconciliation series used by Grade 7 and 8 French immersion students. According to a statement from NL, the books contain “stereotypical” descriptions of Indigenous lifestyles and “inaccurate statements that no Indigenous peoples pay tax, all receive free postsecondary education, etc.” NL’s Department of Education is now working with the Indigenous advisory committee to evaluate alternative educational resources. CBC states that 8,600 copies of the books were purchased for $202K in 2024. NDP Leader Jim Dinn questioned how these materials were purchased and put into circulation in the first place, noting that “the whole purpose of Indigenous education is to break down those stereotypes.”

Indigenous students at the First Nations University of Canada are expressing frustration with the University of Regina Student Union (URSU). Students told CTV News that URSU charges them for a health and dental plan without clear information about how to opt out, even though First Nations and Inuit people receive coverage through the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits Program covered by treaty rights. Students also pointed out that URSU’s Indigenous student representative seat has been vacant for three years. “It’s very concerning that we’re having to pay for something that our ancestors had paid for time and time again in the past to get to get us to where we are today,” said FNU student Amanda Leader. “Then for us to be excluded further here from student unions who are supposed to be for students is egregious.” After the CTV News article was published, CBC reported that the URegina terminated its fee collection agreement with the organization, having lost confidence in the students’ union.

The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has announced that it will expand its mandatory Grade 11 Indigenous English course to more schools after a successful first year. Throughout 2024-25, English teachers offering the course have been supported with ongoing drop-in sessions and a day of professional development each semester; a working group also planned a series of workshops that touched on topics such as structuring the course and ensuring cultural safety. The course will be implemented at nine additional schools in 2025-26 and then at all schools across the district in 2026-27. TVDSB Learning Co-ordinator for Indigenous Education and Literacy Kerry Day shared that students in the course have developed a deeper appreciation of Indigenous histories, identities, and treaties. “I’m so proud of the fact [that TVDSB educators] actually have an Indigenous course because now … the world gets to see who we are,” said TVDSB Indigenous trustee Gina McGahey.

The Winnipeg School Division (WDS) has announced plans to rename the Wolseley School by the end of the year. The school is named after Col Garnet J Wolseley, who commanded the 1870 Red River Expedition against Louis Riel and the Métis resistance. After the conflict, Wolseley left militia members to garrison the province. CBC says that Métis elders have described that time as a “reign of terror.” WSD Superintendent Matt Henderson told CBC that the school board hopes to have a new name in place within the year. The Western Standard reports that the school division has already received over 155 submissions with ideas for a new name. The Manitoba Métis Federation has reportedly opposed the decision: MMF Minister of Housing and Métis Identity Will Goodon said that removing the name would mean that Wolseley’s actions “subtly slide from history and the issues […] become forgotten.” Henderson stated that the board invited MMF to be a part of the renaming process and that it will reach out again when potential alternative names are presented to the board.

A teacher in British Columbia has been reprimanded and ordered to complete a remedial course following interactions with students—including an Indigenous student—and coworkers. The Vancouver Sun reports that the teacher sent an “overtly angry and disrespectful” email to an Indigenous student who came from a challenging home environment and then shared the email with another employee, commenting: “obviously I am at the end of my rope with this family.” The commissioner said that the teacher’s email to the student “did not contribute toward truth, reconciliation and healing.” For this and other incidents, the district reportedly suspended the teacher for one day without pay, while the commissioner reprimanded the teacher and ordered them to complete the “Diversity and Trauma” course at the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

At McMaster University, students in the Indigenous Studies Experiential Learning Course have been engaged in hands-on, land-based learning. This semester, McMaster Assistant Professor Adrianne Xavier brought students out to farms and greenhouses in the area, where they planted vegetables, tapped sugar maples, and helped with upkeep work. The course flips the typical learning model—where students are typically given a set amount of time to work on a project—by instead placing students in a position to make small contributions to a larger, long-term project in the community. Xavier hopes that students will learn that though the research projects are brief, the effect of research and building relationships will last a lifetime. “It feels almost surreal that we’re able to do this for a master’s program,” said McMaster Student Amanda Ayer. “It’s obviously unlike any other course I’ve taken.”