The History of Metis Education in Canada

This article discusses the history of Metis education in Canada, highlighting the community exclusion throughout the 20th century, indifferent government measures, and the rise of healing programs. The Metis community was treated as 'half-blood' or 'mix-breed' and was not given equal opportunities for education. The residential schools were entirely 'euro-centric' in theme, and the lessons imparted in the schools advocated the heroic deeds of the Euro-Canadian community. The rise in the number of Metis folk adopting healing strategies showcases strong evidence towards shaping a better future for the community that has remained underprivileged for an extensively long period of time.

Running head: THE HISTORY OF METIS EDUCATION IN CANADA
THE HISTORY OF METIS EDUCATION IN CANADA
Name of the Student:
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1THE HISTORY OF METIS EDUCATION IN CANADA
Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................2
Discussion:.............................................................................................................................2
Community exclusion throughout the 20th century:...............................................................2
Indifferent government measures:..........................................................................................3
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................4
References:.................................................................................................................................5

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Introduction:
The term ‘Metis’ refers to the proportion of population that belongs to the mixed-race
community. These group of people are said to be descendent of a French Canadian parent and
an American Indian parent. The major Metis population is concentrated in the Western
European region, however since time immemorial the Canadian administration has not
contributed much for the welfare of the community. The community has been ridiculed and
branded with inappropriate tags such as ‘half-breed’ and ‘chicot’ (Neeganagwedgin, 2013).
Discussion:
Whatever little the world knows about the hard life of the Metis population today is
completely based on the written records of the Metis veterans who have shed light on various
subjects such as family structure, Urban and Rural management, Metis political history and
road allowance (Peters & Andersen, 2013). However, it must be noted here that the
significance of residential school and the impact of residential school education has barely
been mentioned in the accounts. One of the most obvious reason for the above mentioned
issue can be attributed to the meagre proportion of the Metis getting an opportunity to avail
the facility of schooling. The further sections would highlight the circumstantial hardships
followed by the Metis with regards to residential schooling and the education system.
Community exclusion throughout the 20th century:
The Metis population was not paid much heed to in the 20th century and the
community was treated as ‘half-blood’ or ‘mix-breed’ and the dominant white community
was extremely hostile towards the Metis (Teillet, 2013). Their basic rights were compromised
and the plight of the Metis only increased with every passing day. Although, for namesake
the Metis were taken to a residential school in order to complete their primary school
training, however the harsh truth was it remained equivalent to no-schooling at all. The

3THE HISTORY OF METIS EDUCATION IN CANADA
percentage of the community that resided on the road-allowance or around the non-aboriginal
community boundary were exempted from going to school and thus receiving education was
synonymous to a far- fetched, invincible dream for the Metis.
Indifferent government measures:
The Canadian government preferred to stay aloof from all the indifference faced by
the Metis community and took no initiative to promote the attendance of the community. The
government absolutely took no interest in catering to the needs of the deprived community
but at the same time ensured that the aboriginal community submitted to the dominance of
the white community. The residential schools were entirely ‘euro-centric’ in theme. The
lessons imparted in the schools advocated the heroic deeds of the Euro-Canadian community
and how they protected the underprivileged Metis community (Woolford, 2013). Year after
year the Metis community was portrayed as the ‘savage’ race that lacked a class and hence
had no rights to be accepted in the European community. The main agenda of the residential
schools were to highlight the aboriginal community including the Metis as a weaker section
and the central idea of the schools were to transform ‘little red children into little white
children’ in order to render them eligible to suit the Canadian standards of the society (Ghosh
& Galczynski, 2014).
The continuous state of turmoil that the Metis community was subjected to was
finally identified by the Canadian government through the struggle stories voiced by the
Metis residential school survivors. It was only during the late 2000 to the beginning of the
year 2001 that the government decided to launch wellness programmes for the welfare of the
downtrodden community (Truth & Reconciliation of Canada, 2015). The Aboriginal Healing
Foundation was one of the first out of the eleven welfare programmes established by the
Southwest Region Manitoba Metis Federation Incorporation under the ‘Lost Generations
Project’. The program brought into front the miserable and untold suffering stories of the

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Metis residential school survivors and the challenges they faced in terms of admission to the
school and their experience of attending school in comparison to the first nation students.
Gradually, the reports assembled through the databases available on journals and papers
online exposed more number of survivors willing to be a part of the rehabilitation
programmes and waiting to be heard by the nation and not just remain confined to their
ultimate generations. The rise in number of the Metis folk adopting healing strategies
showcase a strong evidence towards shaping a better future for the community that has
remained underprivileged for an extensively long period of time.
Conclusion:
Poor treatment of the underprivileged communities and discrimination on the basis of
race and creed has now become a clichéd term in the history of mankind. The Metis
community has also been victimized and have fallen prey to the lecherous practices of
mankind being deprived of basic amenities such as education. It must be noted here that in
order to progress as a nation, it is important to provide adequately if not equally for all the
sections of the society and ensure a feeling of ‘equality’ among all the communities prevalent
in the nation. With the launch of healing programmes, the impoverished face of the Metis
community is seen to be changing towards progress.

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References:
Ghosh, R., &Galczynski, M. (2014). Redefining multicultural education: Inclusion and the
right to be different. Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Neeganagwedgin, E. (2013). A critical review of Aboriginal education in Canada:
Eurocentric dominance impact and everyday denial. International Journal of Inclusive
Education, 17(1), 15-31.
Peters, E. J., & Andersen, C. (Eds.). (2013). Indigenous in the city: contemporary identities
and cultural innovation. UBC Press.
Teillet, J. (2013). Métis law in Canada. Pape Salter Teillet.
Truth, & Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Canada's Residential Schools: The
Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (Vol. 1). McGill-
Queen's Press-MQUP.
Woolford, A. (2013). Nodal repair and networks of destruction: residential schools, colonial
genocide, and redress in Canada. Settler colonial studies, 3(1), 65-81.