All KPDSB schools recognize and honour a number of Indigenous Days of significance during the school year. These days provide opportunities for in-depth learning and often include Elders and Knowledge Keepers as well as community partners and families. We wish to thank everyone who makes these opportunities for learning a reality in our school and communities.
Powley Day – September 19
Each year, communities across Ontario celebrate Powley Day on September 19th, marking the anniversary of the landmark Métis rights victory at the Supreme Court of Canada. Powley Day marks the most important Métis Rights recognition since the days of Louis Riel.
On October 22, 1993, father and son, Steve and Roddy Powley killed a bull moose just outside Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. They tagged their catch with a Métis card and a note that read “harvesting my meat for winter”. One week later, the Powley’s were charged by Conservation Officers for hunting moose without a license and unlawful possession of moose contrary to Ontario’s Game and Fish Act (R. v. Powley booklet, p. 2, MNC)”. The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) led the defence throughout the various levels of the court providing political and financial support to the Powley family. The Powley’s case was identified as a test case to bring forward Métis rights, specifically harvesting rights, which had been denied by the Ontario government.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day – September 30
September 30, 2022, marked the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a federal statutory holiday. The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots movement that honours the children who survived Indian Residential Schools and remembers those who did not. This day relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, on her first day of school, where she arrived dressed in a new orange shirt, which was taken from her. It is now a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
Secret Path Week/Walk for Wenjack – October 17-22
All KPDSB schools are Downie Wenjack Legacy Schools. In fact, Crolancia Public School in Pickle Lake was the first legacy school in Canada! The Legacy Schools program is a national initiative to engage, empower and connect students and educators to further reconciliation through awareness, education and action (#reconciliACTION). Secret Path Week, which includes Walk for Wenjack events, took place October 17-22, 2022. Secret Path Week is a national movement commemorating the legacies of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack, and takes place annually from October 17-22. This is a meaningful week as October 17th and 22nd respectively mark the dates that Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack joined the spirit world.
The Downie Wenjack Fund calls on all people in Canada to use Secret Path Week to answer Gord Downie’s call to action, to “Do Something” by creating a reconciliACTION and furthering the conversation about the history of residential schools.
Treaties Recognition Week – November 6-12
This annual event offers us the opportunity to honour the importance of treaties and helps our students, families and communities learn more about treaty rights and relationships. By learning more about our collective treaty rights and obligations, we can create a greater understanding and nurture relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Treaties Recognition Week represents one of many steps on Ontario’s journey of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and is just one of the many ways that schools across the KPDSB can embed learning in our classrooms. Recognizing this week allows us to increase treaty awareness and provides students and our communities with an important opportunity to learn why treaties matter to all Ontarians. We are all treaty people and we embrace our responsibility to honour all our relations.
Louis Riel Day – November 16
Louis Riel Day is a time to recognize and respect the history, culture and identity of Métis people. The Métis are recognized as one of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada by the Constitution Act of 1982.
“Louis Riel fought for the very values that Canadians hold dear — equality, pluralism, and social justice. His many sacrifices have secured him an enduring place in our shared history as a champion of the Métis people, a founder of Manitoba, and a key contributor to Canadian Confederation.”
– Carolyn Bennett, Indigenous Affairs Minister
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People – May 5
May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). It is widely recognized as Red Dress Day, a day to recognize, honour and raise awareness.
National Indigenous History Month & National Indigenous Peoples Day – June
June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a time for all students and staff to reflect on the history, cultures, contributions, and strengths of our First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples. This is an opportunity to create spaces in our classrooms and schools to include cultures and embed relevant resources to include all students so they can see themselves positively represented.
National Indigenous History Month invites Indigenous Peoples to celebrate their history in the spirit of pride and preservation. For non-Indigenous Canadians, it is an opportunity to learn and show recognition of the role Indigenous Peoples have played and continue to play in shaping Canada.
