Indigenous People lived in what is now Canada long before European settlers and explorers arrived. Indigenous communities maintained deep relationships with the land and water, living in ways that respected and sustained their environments. Concepts such as private land ownership were not part of their worldviews.

The arrival of Europeans brought significant and lasting changes that deeply affected Indigenous ways of life.

In Learning About Treaties in Canada, elementary students explore the historical context that led to treaty-making, including events such as the fur trade, western and northern expansion, and the Seven Years’ War. Treaties are introduced as solemn agreements or promises between Indigenous People and the Crown. Students also begin to understand how these agreements were often negotiated under unequal conditions, and how the impacts of treaties continue to affect Indigenous communities today.

This learning experience is created by award-winning Métis filmmaker Matt LeMay.