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CM . . . .
Volume V Number 15 . . . . March 26, 1999
Seven months after the barricades came down in Oka, PQ, Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney announced the creation of a Royal Commission on Aboriginal
Peoples. The Commission, comprised of independent men and women, travelled
to more than 100 communities and heard from more than 1,000 Aboriginal
representatives. This video follows the journey of that Royal Commission.
The video begins with footage of the Oka stand-off, moves into other First
Nations' protests of the 1990s and then interviews the commissioners of
this inquiry. The commissioners, men and women, political and non-political
representatives, Aboriginal and white, from varying backgrounds, seem to
have been inspired choices. Without exception, they are articulate on
camera and seem to have real "heart" for what they are trying to accomplish.
Naturally, 1,000 presentations could not be shown in this short video. The
presentations that have been included are intelligent looks at the problems
facing Canada's First Nations peoples and possible solutions to them. They
allow the viewer to understand the current plight of Canada's First Nations
peoples.
This video also gives an accurate, concise overview of the difficulties
between the federal government and Canada's Aboriginal peoples, starting
with the Indian Act and the Department of Indian Affairs, going through the
residential school system, and on to the lives of Aboriginal women.
Self-government and justice are also topics of the inquiry.
The most surprising part of the video is when the Commission went into
Canada's prisons to ensure that no views would remain unheard. The
statements of the prisoners make a very strong impact on the viewer.
This video would fit well into most senior high Canadian history curricula.
Its powerful impact, crisp images, excellent choice of interviews, and
great historical footage and clips make it a natural choice to augment
classroom discussions on Aboriginal rights.
Highly Recommended.
Katie Cook is a social studies teacher and teacher-librarian at the
Steinbach Regional Secondary School in Steinbach, MB.
To comment on this
title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association.
Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice
is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without
permission.
Published by
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - MARCH 26, 1999.
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