Canada History Week 2020: Environmental History Learning Tool

CANADA HISTORYWEEK 2020 EXPLORING THEHISTORY OF CANADA’SENVIRONMENTAND CLIMATE

IN THIS ISSUE

WHAT IS CANADA HISTORY WEEK?

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CLIMATE SCIENCE & ACTIVISM

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INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND

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EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & PRESERVATION

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ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT

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GOVERNOR GENERAL’S HISTORY AWARDS

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CANADIAN HISTORY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: A COLLECTIVE EFFORT

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PARTNERS

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The Rockies in Alberta (Brandon Smith/96120841/Dreamstime).

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WHAT IS CANADA HISTORY WEEK?

Canada History Week provides all Canadians with opportunities to learn more about the people and events that have shaped the country we know today. Canada has many unique people, places, and events to discover. Canada History Week is a great time to discover them! Take a look at our past themes to learn even more.

• In 2014, Canada History Week had a different theme each day, including Discovering our National Museums, Discovering our Historic Sites, and more. • In 2015, the theme was Sport through History, which connected with the Year of Sport in Canada. • In 2016, the theme commemorated the 100th anniversary of women’s first right to vote in Canada, and great women in Canadian history.

• In 2017, the theme was Human Rights in Canada: Challenges and Achievements on the Path to a More Inclusive and Compassionate Society. • In 2018, the theme was Science, Creativity and Innovation: Our Canadian Story. • In 2019, the theme was Working for the Future: a century of change in how Canadians work.

This week highlights environmental history in Canada. Throughout the week, we’ll share stories of environmental educators, activists, and conservationists. Canada History Week is a great way to highlight the importance of the past in guiding our civic and public participation, including protecting our environment. Small actions can make a big difference, and environmental stewardship can begin at home, in the classroom, or in your local community. We hope you’ll take time this week to learn and think about how we can work together to preserve our planet. Bring environmental history into the classroom with Historica Canada’s Canada History Week 2020 learning tool. CANADA HISTORY WEEK 2020: EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF CANADA’S ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE

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CLIMATE SCIENCE & ACTIVISM

Over the course of 14 years, Josephine Biidaasige-ba Mandamin, from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Manitoulin Island, walked an estimated 17,000 km around the Great Lakes to raise awareness about water pollution. Mandamin was the Chief Commissioner of the Anishinabek Nation Women’s Water Walk Commission. The Mother Earth Water Walk group she established received the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation in 2016. Her legacy is carried on by her grand-niece, Autumn Peltier, a water rights activist, who addressed the UN on clean water when she was just 14 years old.

Autumn Peltier (courtesy AP Photo/Richard Drew/ CP14560596). Chief Water Commissioner Autumn Peltier, from the Anishinabek Nation in Canada, addresses the Global Landscapes Forum, at the United Nations on Saturday, September 28, 2019.

My aunt and mom have been teaching me about the importance of clean drinking water and how to protect the environment since I was a little girl…. I advocate for water because we all came from water and water is literally the only reason we are here today and living on this earth. – Autumn Peltier 4

CLIMATE SCIENCE & ACTIVISM

Sheila Watt-Cloutier is a respected Inuit leader who has received international recognition in the areas of Indigenous and human rights activism, environmental and climate change awareness, and social justice. Her work with the Inuit Circumpolar Council contributed to collaboration and resource sharing within the global Indigenous population, many of whom have experienced increased vulnerability to the critical threats of climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution.

THE NATURE CONNECTION: INTERVIEW WITH DAVID SUZUKI A Canadian of Japanese parentage, David Suzuki was interned with his family during the Second World War and later became one of Canada’s most popular scientists and media personalities. He is known for his career as a broadcaster (including the CBC TV series The Nature of Things ) as well as his work as an environmental activist. In this interview, he discusses enjoying and protecting nature. Former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon (left) presents the 2007 Mahbub ul Haq Award for Excellence in Human Development to Sheila-Watt Cloutier at United Nations headquarters in New York. Photo credit: Mark Garten.

Photo of David Suzuki by Al Harvey, courtesy of Canada’s History.

SET SAIL FOR CHANGE: THE HISTORY OF GREENPEACE From a small group of hippies, Greenpeace has grown into a persuasive international organization tackling climate change. This is the story of how they began.

Illustration of Greenpeace by Alex Diochon, courtesy of Canada’s History.

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INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND

EXPLORE PIMACHIOWIN AKI: 5 SPECTACULAR PICTOGRAPHS EXPLAINED Established in 2018, Pimachiowin Aki covers almost 30,000 km² of boreal forest in Ontario and Manitoba. It is the first, and only, mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada, where the designation is for both natural and cultural significance. The Bloodvein River waterway in Pimachiowin Aki contains the largest collection of pictographs in Canada. Hundreds of millennia-old pictographs (rock art paintings) have been

documented at over 30 locations, beautified with handprints, animals, canoes, snakes, and other symbols painted with a paste made of a red ochre and fish oil or bear fat.

Bison pictograph in Pimachiowin Aki. Photographer: Hidehiro Otake. Photo courtesy of the Pimachiowin Aki Corporation.

Here’s a close-up look at five spectacular pictographs in Pimachiowin Aki.

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EXPLORE PIMACHIOWIN AKI: 12 NAMED PLACES TO DISCOVER IN POPLAR RIVER FIRST NATION Each place in Pimachiowin Aki is known, understood, and named. Learning the names of places on the landscape imparts an intimate knowledge of the land, which is integral to survival. The First Nations of Pimachiowin Aki are creating maps of named places for their schools and community spaces. Learn more about the maps that help keep the language and stories of these places alive.

Poplar River First Nation Traditional Place Names provided by Poplar River First Nation Elders Norman Bruce, Albert Bittern, Abel Bruce, Paul Bruce and Ed Hudson. Photo courtesy of the Pimachiowin Aki Corporation.

Auyuittuq National Park in Baffin Island, Nunavut (Senorrojo/36340515/Dreamstime.com)

Joey Angnatok, a community leader and fisherman from Labrador, adapted his boat into an offshore marine research vessel. For more than a decade, he and his crew on the MV What’s Happening have taken scientists to measure sea ice and study climate change while sharing traditional knowledge of Inuit communities.

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INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND

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HOW CHANGING SEA ICE IS ALSO CHANGING LIVES IN THE NORTH

Inuit hunters and scientists are collaborating to record recent alarming shifts in Hudson Bay sea ice.

Peter Kattuk (left) and Daniel Qavvik on the lookout for belugas trapped in a polynya near Sanikiluaq, Nunavut. Photo: Joel Heath/Arctic Elder Society.

INUIT NUNANGAT TAIMANNGANIT

This project tells the story of Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland in Canada) from time immemorial (taimannganit). It offers personal accounts of Inuit connections to the land and sea, as well as their legends, histories, and relationship with the environment and all living things within it.

Qiqiqtaakuluit - David Aqqiaruq, courtesy of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

GROWING THEIR OWN

Tobacco in Alberta? The nomadic Blackfoot people cultivated it in this unlikely place long before European contact. Learn more about this history, including the surprising role that the beaver played.

Two Blackfoot, Sun Calf (left, with tobacco pipe) and Jack Sun Calf, circa 1920. Photo courtesy of Glenbow Archives and Canada’s History.

Northern Lights over Lake Laberge, Yukon Territory (Stephan Pietzko/17149387/Dreamstime).

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EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & PRESERVATION

MARCELLE GAUVREAU introduced a hands-on educational approach to natural science decades before environmental studies was included in school curricula. Her work ignited the scientific curiosity of thousands of children and instilled in them a love of nature.

Montreal Biosphere (Adwo/91509079/Dreamstime).

Marcelle Gauvreau at the Jardin Botanique, Montreal, 1941. Photo courtesy of Jardin botanique de Montréal Archives - H -1941-0007-a.

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ONE-MAN’S QUIET(ISH) REVOLUTION An extraordinary botanist and revolutionary intellectual, Brother Marie-Victorin – the David Suzuki of his day – changed the face of Quebec’s scientific community. Did You Know? As Marcelle Gauvreau’s mentor, Brother Marie-Victorin helped her establish the School of Awakening in Montreal in the 1930s. He also founded the Botanical Garden of Montreal. Read more about his extraordinary career in this biography.

Brother Marie-Victorin at his desk. Photo courtesy of Jardin botanique de Montréal Archives and Canada’s History.

THE SOUHARISSEN NATURAL AREA: LEARNING IN AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

High school teacher Nathan Tidridge, his students, and community members, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, created the Souharissen Natural Area as a foundation for land-based pedagogy. This 55-acre educational and cultural space in Waterdown, Ontario, continues to evolve as an outdoor classroom and inspiration for numerous curriculum-based projects.

The Covenant Chain Wampum at Souharissen Natural Area. Photo courtesy of Nathan Tidridge.

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EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & PRESERVATION

THE QUIET CRUSADER AND THE HEROES OF HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

James Bernard Harkin – a little-known, hard-working civil servant who deserves recognition as the father of our National Historic Sites and parks. But it also takes volunteers with a passion for preservation to ensure that historically significant places don’t get demolished, paved over, or otherwise erased.

J.B. Harkin in 1937, as photographed by Yousuf Karsh. Library and Archives Canada R613-668-8-E.

ANAHAREO

Anahareo spent her life advocating for the natural world. She was a conservationist, a prospector, and an animal welfare advocate. Anahareo is also credited with converting her well-known husband, Grey Owl, into a conservationist.

Anahareo at age 19. Source: Wikipedia.

FERDINAND LAROSE

Throughout his career, Ferdinand Larose focused on agriculture in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell in Eastern Ontario. He is best known for having created the vast Larose Forest in a part of the counties which had become arid after intensive deforestation in the 19th century. He was also a leader for Franco-Ontarian cultivators and promoted agricultural training for Franco Ontarians.

Ferdinand Larose. Photo courtesy of United Counties of Prescott and Russell.

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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE GROUP OF SEVEN The Group of Seven’s landscape paintings have become symbols of Canada’s wilderness. Here is a selection of works included in a special 100th anniversary exhibit.

October, North Shore by A.J. Casson from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

EMILY CARR

Through her paintings and short stories, Emily Carr fostered awareness of First Nations cultures. She provided a unique vision of the coastal landscape that made Canadians look at the forest in a new way.

Emily Carr/Lewis DeSoto/Extraordinary Canadians. Courtesy Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

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ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT The environmental movement seeks to protect the natural world and promote sustainable living. Conservation efforts began in the early 1900s, when conservationists aimed to slow the rapid depletion of Canadian resources in favour of more regulated management. Discover the key figures and dates in this timeline.

Test your knowledge of environmental history with this quiz on The Canadian Encyclopedia .

YOUNG CITIZENS: SIX STORIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY

From conservation to climate change and activism, these young citizens share stories about the history of Canada’s environment. GOVERNOR GENERAL’S HISTORY AWARDS

Photo courtesy of Canada’s History.

Canada’s History Society is pleased to announce the 2020 recipients of the Governor General’s History Awards. The individuals and organizations being recognized deepen our understanding of the past by highlighting lesser-known stories, representing the diversity of our experiences, and encouraging meaningful, public dialogue around history. Congratulation to this year’s recipients! For more information, visit CanadasHistory.ca/Awards.

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING Presented by Canada’s History Centennial of Broadcasting in Canada/ Centenaire de la radiodiffusion au Canada Musée des ondes Emile Berliner Montreal, Quebec Gwich’in Goonanh’kak Googwandak: The Places and Stories of the Gwich’in Department of Cultural Heritage, Gwich’in Tribal Council Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories POPULAR MEDIA: THE PIERRE BERTON AWARD Presented by Canada’s History Steven High Montreal, Quebec

EXCELLENCE IN MUSEUMS: HISTORY ALIVE! Presented by the Canadian Museums Association with the support of Ecclesiastical Insurance The Saskatchewan Doukhobor Living Book Project Western Development Museum, Spirit Wrestler Productions and the SCHOLARLY RESEARCH Presented by the Canadian Historical Association Eric Reiter Wounded Feelings: Litigating Emotions in Quebec, 1870-1950. Montreal, Quebec University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Presented by Canada’s History Kristian Basaraba Salisbury Composite High School Sherwood Park, Alberta Francis Lalande Collège Citoyen Laval, Quebec Dominique Laperle Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie Montreal, Quebec Dawn Martens Buchanan Park Public School Hamilton, Ontario Nathan Tidridge Waterdown District High School

Waterdown, Ontario Christopher Young Kelvin High School Winnipeg, Manitoba

Pine trees in Lynn Canyon Park forest, Vancouver (Svetlana Day/166449597/Dreamstime).

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CANADIAN HISTORY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: A COLLECTIVE EFFORT Interview with Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault

Many Canadians have special connections to the environment – including the current Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault. Before entering politics, he co-founded Équiterre, an environmental organization, and has been advocating for climate action ever since. For Canada History Week 2020, we spoke to Minister Guilbeault to learn more about his thoughts on Canada’s environmental history. Minister Guilbeault pointed to figures like David Suzuki, Michel Jurdant, and Hubert Reeves as influencing his passion for the environment, as well as his own experience growing up in close proximity to nature. He also emphasized the importance of moments like the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 1987 Montreal Protocol as moments that raised awareness for environmental action and highlighted international cooperation. While he acknowledged the impact of these famous dates and figures, the minister also emphasized that each individual is just one brick in the wall of the larger environmental movement.

“We often like to think – and it’s human nature – to try and find these heroes, those people who have been so instrumental,” he said. “But by and large, this is a collective effort.” When asked to share some specific connections between modern-day activism and the history of environmental stewardship in Canada, Minister Guilbeault described the popularity of today’s environmental movement as a culmination of the work of previous generations. “We’re seeing our younger generations be vocal and active. In the summer of 2019, we had half a million people marching on the streets for climate change. The prime minister was there, I was there, leaders from all sectors of Canadian society and all walks of life.” “I think we can all agree that there is a movement in Canada like we’ve never seen before demanding environmental action on the part of government and certainly on the part of companies. I think this movement is a result of all the work that has been done by previous generations to come to this point,” he said.

“I think what we’re seeing now is a result of that environmental history that built itself over time in Canada.” Minister Guilbeault concluded by emphasizing another link between the past and present – the longstanding history of Indigenous environmental stewardship. “Nature and the environment is not separate to the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink. For Indigenous people, the relationship to nature is an intrinsic part of everyday life and for many Canadians, we’ve lost that,” he said. “I think we can certainly learn from that relationship.” 15

PARTNERS

Historica Canada is the country’s largest organization dedicated to Canada’s history, culture, and citizenship. We offer programs that you can use to explore, learn and reflect on our history, and what it means to be Canadian. Our programs, all offered bilingually, reached nearly 28 million Canadians last year. Our goal is to bring history to life with rich and compelling stories of national interest. We also support educators with curriculum-focused materials to inspire the next generation of history lovers and proud Canadians. Canada’s History Society was established in 1994 through the generous support of The Hudson’s Bay Company History Foundation. Our mission is to promote greater popular interest in Canadian history, principally through publishing, education, and recognition programs. The Society’s work includes: Canada’s History magazine , Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids , CanadasHistory.ca , and the Governor General’s History Awards. The importance of understanding Canada by examining the histories of its people has been an anchoring belief of the Society in our vision of Canada where people are deeply engaged in connecting with their shared past. The Dictionary of Canadian Biography/Dictionnaire biographique du Canada is a bilingual scholarly research and publishing project at the University of Toronto and Université Laval. It is recognized as one of the best national biographical dictionaries in the world and provides free online access at www.biographi.ca to more than 8,600 biographies of individuals who have played an important role in Canadian history. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society was founded in 1929 with the important mandate of making Canada better known to Canadians and to the world. Under the patronage of the Governor General, the Society has, for 90 years, led the charge toward fostering a deeper appreciation of Canada’s natural, cultural, and social heritage. While best known for its iconic publication, Canadian Geographic , the Society also actively develops additional publications, supports Canadian geographical expeditions, and provides grants and scholarships for cutting-edge geographical research. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national representational organization for over 65,000 Inuit in Canada, the majority of whom live in 51 communities spread across Inuit Nunangat, our homeland, encompassing the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador). As the national voice for protecting and advancing the rights and interests of Inuit in Canada, ITK works to create a Canada in which Inuit prosper through unity and self-determination.

B D C Dictionnaire biographique du Canada www.biographi.ca

Dictionary of Canadian Biography

www.biographi.ca

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Pimachiowin Aki Corporation is a partnership of four Anishinaabe First Nations – Bloodvein River, Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi, and Poplar River – and the governments of Manitoba and Ontario. The Corporation was established in 2006 as a not-for-profit, charitable organization to lead the nomination of a boreal forest Anishinaabe cultural landscape to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The 29,040 km² site was inscribed in 2018 as Canada’s only ‘mixed’ (natural and cultural) World Heritage Site. Today, the Corporation’s mission is to safeguard the attributes of Anishinaabe culture and the boreal forest that convey Pimachiowin Aki’s Outstanding Universal Value for the benefit of all humanity forever. The Association for Canadian Studies (ACS) is a non-profit organization whose main objective is to increase Canadians’ knowledge of their country via conferences, publications, learning materials and research. The ACS initiates and supports multidisciplinary projects and activities which offer potential for enhancing knowledge about Canadian society. The ACS directs special attention to the manner in which key historical events, immigration and diversity shape current realities. The ACS continuously works on broadening its nationwide network of educators, university professors, researchers, journalists and policy makers. This network allows the ACS to foster a unique environment for cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary conversations about our country, its past, present and its future.

Canadian Heritage and its portfolio organizations play a vital role in the cultural, civic, and economic life of Canadians. Arts, culture, and heritage represent $53.8 billion in the Canadian economy and more than 650,000 jobs in sectors such as film and video, broadcasting, music, publishing, archives, performing arts, heritage institutions, festivals, and celebrations.

The Canada History Fund supports the development of learning materials and activities that contribute to increasing Canadians’ knowledge about Canada. The fund aims to increase understanding of Canada’s history, stories, people, and systems of government.

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INTRODUCTION This learning tool has been created to accompany Canada History Week’s three animated short videos. The videos explore the stories of environmental educators, activists, and conservationists, including water activist Josephine Mandamin, environmental educator Marcelle Gauvreau, and Canada’s first mixed (natural and cultural) World Heritage Site, Pimachiowin Aki. The videos encourage viewers to reflect on Canada’s environmental history through themes of Indigenous land stewardship, Indigenous water rights, and environmental education. Viewers are asked to consider social awareness and individual action in the context of ongoing environmental issues, both globally and within Canada. This learning tool was created in partnership between Historica Canada and the Canada History Fund and is designed to help students interact with this year’s Canada History Week theme. Canada History Week provides all Canadians with opportunities to learn more about the people and events that have shaped the country we know today. Historica Canada is the country’s largest organization dedicated to enhancing awareness of Canada’s history, culture, and citizenship. The organization offers programs that you can use to explore, learn, and reflect on our history and what it means to be Canadian. Find us online at HistoricaCanada.ca. MESSAGE TO TEACHERS: This guide offers classroom activities that promote research and analysis, build critical thinking and communication skills, and explore ethical questions about human impact on the environment. Educators may use the lessons in sequence or as stand-alone activities. This guide is designed to complement current Canadian curricula and has been produced for use in senior elementary, middle, and high school history and social science classrooms; the grade level will vary by activity. Teachers may wish to address topics not covered in this guide to provide a more complete understanding of Canada’s environmental history.

This guide has been developed with activities that can be conducted in class, online, or in some combination of the two. Teachers may want to adapt certain elements of the activities to best suit classroom needs.

Canoes at Banff National Park (Robert Crum/29833121/Dreamstime).

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ONLINE RESOURCES The following is a list of bilingual research resources to support educators and students. This list is not exhaustive, and you may choose to seek out supplementary resources.

Worksheets complementing this education guide can be downloaded from the Historica Canada Education Portal. education.historicacanada.ca

An online resource for exploring a wide range of topics in Canadian history. Search for articles by title or content. thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en

This organization includes Canada’s History magazine, Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids , CanadasHistory.ca, and the Governor General’s History Awards. canadashistory.ca

View the digital magazine, created by Historica Canada for Canada History Week, to learn more about environmental history in Canada. canadahistoryweek.ca

ACTIVITY 1. THE ENVIRONMENT: DEFINING KEY TERMS & CLASS DISCUSSION This year’s Canada History Week videos feature three notable examples of people and places that prioritize the environment. The environmental movement aims to protect the natural world and promote sustainable living. Different cultures and individuals have different relationships to the land on which we live. Some cultures, like the First Nations groups that make up Pimachiowin Aki, have been practising sustainability for millennia. Individuals like Marcelle Gauvreau are dedicated to educating people about the natural world to protect it. Activists like Josephine Mandamin emphasize our responsibility to help save the planet and its natural resources, not just for us, but for future generations. 1. Ask students to write down what they think the following terms mean, or discuss the ideas as a class: • Sustainability • Conservation • Environmental Stewardship 2. Break students into groups of three. Each student will read one of the following articles from The Canadian Encyclopedia and take notes: • Sustainability in Canada • Environmental Movement in Canada • Environmental Stewardship in Canada This activity introduces students to key terms related to the environment before viewing the Canada History Week videos. This activity can be completed either in class or online.

Activity 1 Continued >

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3. Each student will explain or summarize the article they read to their group. As a group, have students create definitions for the three terms they explored above, using their research.

4. As a class, explore the following questions: •

How did your understanding of the terms/ideas change from your initial discussion? • What did you learn about these ideas after conducting research?

EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Have students take the Environmental Movement quiz on The Canadian Encyclopedia to test their knowledge of environmentalism in Canada before viewing the videos. ACTIVITY 2. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE & KEEPING THE LAND: PIMACHIOWIN AKI In the Anishinaabemowin language, Pimachiowin Aki means “the Land that Gives Life.” In 2002, four Anishinaabe Nations signed an accord to protect their culture and ancestral lands. Pimachiowin Aki is Canada’s first and only mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site. The designation, which covers almost 30,000 square kilometres of boreal forest straddling the Ontario-Manitoba border, prompted UNESCO to re evaluate their criteria for World Heritage Sites.

Map of Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site courtesy of Pimachiowin Aki Corporation.

Part I: Ji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan (Keeping the Land) 1. As a class, watch Pimachiowin Aki as an introduction to the content explored in this activity. 2. After watching the video, have a class discussion about the concept of Ji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan (Keeping the Land). Questions to consider:

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How is this similar to the concept of sustainability?

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How do we practice sustainability in our everyday lives?

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How are your sustainable practices similar or different from the First Nations groups that make up Pimachiowin Aki?

Illustration by Kyle Charles, courtesy of Historica Canada.

This section will explore the meaning of ‘Ji ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan’ (Keeping the Land) and build on the definition of sustainability from the first activity. Students will consider how historical significance is defined in cases like Pimachiowin Aki, where land and culture are connected. The activities can be completed in class or online. 4.

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Part II: World Heritage Sites 1. Read about Pimachiowin Aki and Gwaii Haanas on The Canadian Encyclopedia and Pimachiowin Aki and SGang Gwaay (part of Gwaii Haanas) on the UNESCO World Heritage List, taking notes as you go. 2. Break students into small groups of three or four. In your groups, create a T-chart to compare Pimachiowin Aki and SGang Gwaay/Gwaii Haanas with the information you gathered from the online sources. For each, include a short description, location, and any other interesting information about the site’s outstanding universal value.

3. Using the information from the T-chart, as a group, fill out the World Heritage Site selection criteria rubric for both Pimachiowin Aki and SGang Gwaay.

4. Select one person from each group to present the rubric to the class. As a class, discuss what the selection criteria leaves out.

Part III: Historical and Geographical Significance

Pimachiowan Aki and SGang Gwaay are important both historically and geographically. But what makes something significant? Who defines significance?

Historical significance is a measure of what makes someone or something important in a historical narrative. People, places, and events in the past are historically significant if they created change that affected many people over time, or if their actions reveal something about larger issues in history or the present day. Significance can be assigned to a place or event by how someone perceives or represents it. An event or place’s geographical significance can be explored by looking at the changes it causes to people and environments. However, significance is subjective; it is viewed differently from different perspectives. What is significant to one group may not be to another. Equally, some things may seem significant at the time, but may not remain significant over time.

HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA: Prominence: Was the person, place, or event recognized as significant at the time? Why or why not? What did it mean to be “significant”? Consequences: What effect(s) did the person, place, or event have? Impact: How widespread and long-lasting was the person, place, or event’s impact? Revealing: What does the person, place, or event reveal about the larger historical context or current issues? How do they inform our understanding of a historical issue or period?

Illustrations by Kyle Charles, courtesy of Historica Canada.

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Aerial image of SGang Gwaay (Russ Heinl/108904107/Dreamstime).

1. As a class, brainstorm examples of tangible things that might be assigned historical significance by historians (examples: a specific architecture style, the location of an important event, etc.). Next, brainstorm examples of intangible things that might be assigned historical significance (oral tradition, culture, knowledge, etc.).

2. Discuss why something may be considered historically significant for one group but not another. How do different groups recognize people, objects, places, or events with historical significance?

3. Select either Pimachiowin Aki or SGang Gwaay and imagine you are submitting a World Heritage Site nomination bid to UNESCO for your site. Use the selection criteria from Part II as a reference. Your nomination bid should include a description of the area, its historical background, why you think it is significant, a map, photographs, and any other additional supporting evidence. EXTENSION ACTIVITY: All of Canada’s parks are on the original lands of a variety of Indigenous Nations. Many Indigenous peoples are still actively involved in the stewardship of these lands, and may have traditional hunting or fishing rights in these areas. Explore the history of a park near you to learn more about the Indigenous people who lived there and how that land came to be part of the parks system.

Bison pictograph in Pimachiowin Aki. Photo by Hidehiro Otake, courtesy of Pimachiowin Aki.

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ACTIVITY 3. WATER ACTIVISM: JOSEPHINE MANDAMIN Josephine Mandamin and the Mother Earth Water Walkers walked an estimated 17,000 km around the Great Lakes to raise awareness about water pollution. Since 2003, thousands of people have participated in water walks in communities across Turtle Island (North America). This section will explore the significance of Josephine’s water walking movement in the context of Indigenous water rights and environmental racism in Canada. The activities can be completed either in class or online.

Illustrations by Kyle Charles, courtesy of Historica Canada.

Part I: Indigenous Water Activism & “Walk the Talk” 1. As a class, watch Josephine Mandamin and read about Josephine Mandamin on The Canadian Encyclopedia and take point-form notes. You can also do supplementary research on water activism if you like. 2. Imagine you are a reporter interviewing Josephine Mandamin in the year 2003. Using your notes and additional online research, write an article for your newspaper that answers the following questions: • What is Josephine doing to raise awareness about water pollution? • What inspired her to take action? • What is the name of her water walking group? • Where is the group walking? • Why is water activism important? What impact can humans have on the natural environment? • What does Josephine think the future of water will look like in the year 2030? How to write an effective newspaper article: Begin with a lead sentence that will immediately grab the attention of the reader. Your introduction should establish context and answer the 5Ws: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Use direct quotes to help frame your story but use them sparingly for the most impact. Your main body should provide evidence to back up your story and you can either sum up your story succinctly with a traditional conclusion or find a suitable and effective closing quotation.

Paper mill in Sault Ste. Marie on Lake Superior (Melissa Connors/7488850/Dreamstime).

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Part II: The Impact of Environmental Racism Environmental racism is the term we use to describe policies, practices, or enforcement that negatively affect communities— primarily Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, or low income— based on location and situational circumstances. Landfills, garbage dumps and other hazardous waste resulting from environmental pollution are disproportionately placed in or near these communities. They also experience severe environmental disruption from industry. For example, many First Nations communities are under “boil water advisories,” which means that their water is unsafe to drink. Often, these communities are at a higher risk for diseases like cancer. The physical and psychological effects of environmental racism can have a lasting impact on multiple generations.

1. Break into groups of four. Each group will be responsible for one of the following articles from The Canadian Encyclopedia :

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Africville

Water protector Josephine Mandamin walked around the Great Lakes from 2003 to 2017 to raise awareness about water pollution. Photo courtesy of Ayse Gursoz.

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Hogan’s Alley

James Bay Project

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Grassy Narrows

2. Working together, create a presentation, using Prezi or PowerPoint, to teach your classmates about your assigned article. Make sure your presentation includes the following information:

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The 5Ws of the story: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

• Highlight the issues, the people involved, acts of resistance, and environmental activism of community members. • What was the public and government response to this issue at the time? Has the government’s response changed over time? • What is the status of this community or this issue today? Is it resolved?

Use photographs, testimonies, etc. to present your case clearly and to make your presentation visually interesting.

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Illustration by Kyle Charles, courtesy of Historica Canada.

ACTIVITY 4. MARCELLE GAUVREAU & CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Marcelle Gauvreau introduced a hands-on educational approach to natural science decades before environmental studies was included in the curriculum. She believed that a practical hands-on connection to the natural world around us was the first step to environmental conservation. In order to protect something, we need to know it. The following activities will encourage students to observe the natural world around them, whether they live in an urban or a rural setting, and to take action in their everyday lives to help protect the environment for future generations. The activities can be completed either in class or online.

Marcelle Gauvreau at the Jardin Botanique, Montreal, 1941. Photo courtesy of Jardin botanique de Montréal Archives - H-1941-0007-a.

Protecting the Environment: 1. As a class, watch Marcelle Gauvreau and read about Marcelle Gauvreau on The Canadian Encyclopedia . 2. Divide into groups of three or four (or independently at home) and take a walk through the neighbourhood. Think about what issues are relevant to your area. Do you notice a lot of litter around? Is the air quality bad? Research what causes these issues and what can be done to reverse them.

3. Each group (or individual) will select one natural feature/community space they would like to protect for future generations. Alternatively, select an image of a natural feature, park, or landscape.

4. Brainstorm specific issues related to the feature you want to protect. For example:

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Lack of garbage cans or recycling bins

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Little green space

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Nothing to encourage biodiversity (bird houses, pollinator gardens, etc.)

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Lack of signage about the surrounding wildlife (turtle crossing, information on species, etc.)

Brother Marie-Victorin, colleague of Marcelle Gauvreau, in 1928. Photo courtesy of Jardin botanique de Montréal Archives and Canada’s History.

Activity 4 Continued >

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> Activity 4 Continued

5. Develop a plan to protect this natural feature/community space. The plan should include clear ideas and actions that can be taken to better protect or rehabilitate the chosen feature/space. For example:

Issue: Litter/trash on the green space in front of our school

Goal: Clean up the trash and encourage people to stop littering.

Step 1: Make sure there are enough garbage, recycling, and compost bins in the area. If there are not, write to the principal and school board, asking them to place more garbage and recycling bins in front of the school.

Step 2: Create “no littering” signs and put them up in front of the school.

Step 3: Create a “Greener is cleaner” campaign and encourage people to take the initiative to keep the shared space clean.

Step 4: Organize a weekly cleanup of the space:

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Choose one day a week to go out for 30 minutes as a class.

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Ask your school custodian for garbage bags and plastic gloves.

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Have your teacher supervise your class during your cleanup.

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Break into teams and see who can clean up the most trash in 30 minutes.

6. Using your action plan, select and complete one of the following options:

• Create a poster to educate people in your neighbourhood about an environmental issue in your community. Remember to make it eye-catching to grab people’s attention. • Create a brochure. Include background information (context) to help people understand the roots of the problem, a list of actions that can be taken, a list of resources specific to the problem, etc. • Write a letter to your municipal/provincial/territorial/federal representative. Be sure to provide evidence as well as solutions to the problem you are addressing. For additional inspiration, you can search the internet for email templates. Post-Activity Reflection: Consider your experience completing the activity above and write a reflection on the importance of being in the natural world, even in an urban setting, to your learning. In your reflection consider: • How does being able to see, touch, or smell an object affect your experience? What context might you be able to learn from seeing an object in its natural setting? What context might you be able to learn from reading about something in a book? • How does seeing something make you think differently than you did when reading about it? What can we learn from exploring things in person that we cannot learn from only reading about something?

Illustrations by David Croteau, courtesy of Historica Canada.

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This rubric was created based on the World Heritage Site criteria for selection. Please check the boxes for Pimachiowin Aki and SGang Gwaay/Gwaii Haanas where the criteria applies. WORKSHEET: WORLD HERITAGE SITE CRITERIA

Selection Criteria

Pimachiowin Aki

SGang Gwaay/Gwaii Haanas

To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.

To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town planning or landscape design.

To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.

To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.

To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.

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WORLD HERITAGE SITE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

Selection Criteria

Pimachiowin Aki

SGang Gwaay/Gwaii Haanas

To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria).

To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.

To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.

To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals.

To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

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