What does the Canada 150 campaign celebrate? Whose perspectives are represented? How does it affect the self-image of those of us who see ourselves as Canadians, and how does it affect relationships between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of this land? What are your questions about what this means and what we can do, individually or together?
What Happened?
Short films, radio clips, readings, responses, discussion and reflection.
Light refreshments.
Who Organized?
This event was organized by settlers (non-Indigenous peoples) from Annapolis Valley Quaker Meeting and Horizons Community Development Associates, with support from Acadia University’s Community Development Program, in order to help each other unsettle our thinking about the birth of Canada.
Resource List
Videos
Canada, I Can Cite For You 150 (2:25, Christi Belcourt, 2017)
- Published by Onaman Collective, Feb 3, 2017
Lament for Confederation (6:15, Dan George, 1967)
- “Has Anything Changed? Revisiting Chief Dan George’s Iconic ‘Lament for Confederation’”
- By Janet Rogers, published on CBC.ca, May 5, 2017
What Does Canada 150 Mean for Indigenous Communities? (25:31, CBC, 2017)
- CBC Radio One, The Current, March 16, 2017 interview with Lilian Howard, Christi Belcourt, and Eric Ritskes
Wabanaki People of the Dawn (25:50)
- Part 1 of a 3-part documentary published on the website of NS Office of Aboriginal Affairs
Images
Mi’kmaq History and Map
- Mi’kmaq Spirit (Muin’iskw and Crowfeather)
- We Were Not the Savages (Daniel N. Paul)
Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience (Exhibition by K. Monkman)
In Halifax in October, 2018
- Kent Monkman
- A Trickster With a Cause Crashes Canada’s 150th Birthday Party (The Globe and Mail)
- The Alternative Realism of Kent Monkman (The Walrus)
Peace and Friendship Treaties
Originals at the NS Archives; high-resolution scans are on their website
Alternatives to Canada 150 Logo
Jay Soule’s logos are available on clothing, stickers, etc.
“Colonialism 150” logo products available from Eric Ritskes; proceeds to the Onaman Collective’s Indigenous Tattoo Gathering
- Eric Ritskes: Refusing Canada
- Onaman Gathering From GoFundMe.com, search for “Indigenous Tattoo Gathering”
Documents
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- “The first stage of the journey of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is now complete… But the journey of Truth and Reconciliation is far from over…”
- The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation documents the Calls to Action, by category and with corresponding actions.
Questioning Canada 150: Event Organizing Collective
Questioning Canada 150 was an event held on June 14, 2017 in Wolfville to discuss and reflect on Canada 150 and the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The event was organized by settlers (non-Indigenous peoples) to help us unsettle our thinking about the birth of Canada.
- Horizons Community Development Associates
- Annapolis Valley Quaker Meeting
- Acadia Community Development Program
Breastfeeding Friendly Organization