Wetutoskimetowin eNEWSLETTER

The first week of February, our Treaty Education team, along with Treaty Commissioner Loretta Ross and AMC Treaty Relations Coordinator, Gail Flett, travelled to Calgary/Tsuut'ina Nation for the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre's annual First Nations Educator’s Conference.

Keynote speakers included Niigaan Sinclair, Jace Lacerte, Wilfred Buck, Leroy Little Bear, Angela Sterritt, and Manitoba-born Olympian Brigette Lacquette.

Our team offered a break-out session on Day 2, providing an overview of Treaty Education, K-12 in Manitoba.

Right: Olympic hockey player Brigette Lacquette and Treaty Commissioner Loretta Ross.

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The Governor General's History Awards were held at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on January 27. Four heritage fair winning students joined the laureates, including Valentina Hill from God's Lake, who also received the TRCM 'Treaty' category award at the 2025 Red River Heritage Fair. She was one of the winners of the Canada’s History Heritage Fair National Showcase and travelled to Ottawa with her grandmother and her former teacher, Erin Dickie. Congratulations, Valentina! Our Treaty Education team is immensely proud of you!

Scroll down to learn more about the Red River Heritage Fair and how you and your students can explore your Treaty Story!

Image courtesy of Canada's History

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The Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba is celebrating its 20th anniversary! From May 18 - 22, the TRCM will host a weeklong series of events in honour of Treaty Week 2026. Keep your eye out for a list of celebratory events to take place at the Agowiidiwinan Centre at the Forks.

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We've added new dates to our training calendar. We will be offering a 2-day session on June 11 & 12 focused on the new Manitoba option course Grade 12: Land and Treaties: Relationships and Responsibilities. Scroll down to register or reach out to our team to learn more.

Featured Teaching Resource

Indigenous Greenlanders, or Kalaallit, constitute approximately 89% of Greenland's 56,500 residents. Comparing Crown-Indigenous Relationships in Canada and Greenland is a student worksheet that uses a Venn diagram to compare and contrast Indigenous relationships the with Crown in Greenland/Denmark and in Canada. Click the document to access.

For more teaching and learning resources, click below.

Click Here

Treaty Sleuthing: Spaces + Places

The Passage is a shallow ford in the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg located at the end of Berkley Street. Its eroded banks and shallow waters indicate that this was a suitable place for the bison herds to cross. This spot was used before and during the fur trade era when First Nations hunters guided European traders to this ford. A historic marker marks the spot today.

Want to learn more about Treaty-significant sites?

Click Here

Treaty Terminology

Get your students involved in the Red River Heritage Fair! CLICK HERE to access a brochure that helps guide a heritage fair project centred on Treaties and Treaty relationships.

Treaty Education French Resources

Submitted by: Treaty Consultant, Brett Schmall

I had the opportunity to visit Meghann Polten (right), one of the librarians at the DREF, to talk about and explore some of the Treaty Education resources that they have in French that are available for teachers. Here are 5 things that I learned as a result of my visit:

1. The DREF has a variety of books available (The Treaty Tales Books are available in French! Who knew?!)

2. In addition to books, the DREF also has a number of learning kits available (the Treaty Timeline created by Alan Sutherland has been translated into French and is available to borrow too!).

3. The DREF website has a page with several links to some cool online resources that have Treaty lesson applicability written all over them (you’ll need to be a DREF member).

4. Meghann and her team are super friendly and amazingly helpful.

5. Becoming a DREF member is super easy and FREE. For more information, reach out to Meghann at the DREF at Meghann.Polten@gov.mb.ca

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J’ai eu l’occasion de rendre visite à Meghann Polten, l’une des bibliothécaires du DREF, afin de discuter et d’explorer certaines des ressources en éducation aux traités qu’ils offrent en français pour les enseignants. Voici les 5 choses que j’ai apprises lors de ma visite :

1. Le DREF possède une variété de livres (les Treaty Tales sont disponibles en français! Qui l’aurait cru?!)

2. En plus des livres, le DREF offre également plusieurs trousses d’apprentissage (la frise chronologique des traités crée par Alan Sutherland a été traduite en français et peut aussi être empruntée!).

3. Le site Web du DREF comprend une page contenant plusieurs liens vers d’excellentes ressources en ligne, toutes très utiles pour l’enseignement des traités (vous devrez être membre du DREF).

4. Meghann et son équipe sont extrêmement sympathiques et incroyablement aidants.

5. Devenir membre du DREF est très simple — et GRATUIT.

Pour plus d’information, vous pouvez joindre Meghann au DREF à l’adresse suivante : Meghann.Polten@gov.mb.ca

Treaty Education Training, 2025-2026

The dates have been set for the Treaty Education training for the 2025-2026 school year!

March 25 & 26: Brandon University, PENT [IP]

April 21 & 22:School Admin [V]

May 5 & 6: UW, Faculty of Ed students [IP]

May 13 & 14: Open Regional #4, [V]

June 11 & 12: Gr. 12 Land & Treaties course [B]

August 19 & 20: Summer Institute [IP]

Email us to find out more.

Click Here to register.

IP = In-person; V = Virtual; B = Blended

Digital Storymap

Be sure to revisit Treaty Education's interactive ArcGIS storymap. By clicking, you can investigate Manitoba's Treaty areas, explore the history and geography of each area, watch site-based videos, and find your home or school!

Click Here to access