Treaty Education eNews

Welcome back! The 2026-2027 school year is firmly underway and our Treaty Education team is excited to be here for you and your students. This eNewsletter marks our 57th edition! Share widely with your collegaues and friends.

***

On your list for to-do’s this school year, make sure to connect with your school division’s Treaty Catalyst Teacher. As you know, Catalyst Teachers are peer leaders working internally within their own divisions. Their role is it to (1) lead professional development, share practical classroom tools, and facilitate English and French learning networks across school divisions; (2) help adapt and deliver materials vetted by the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba; and (3) champion specific resources like the teaching materials found in the Treaty Education Kit.

***

Manitoba Education is currently undertaking a system-wide curricular overhaul and update. Part of this includes framing all subject areas using trans-disciplinary global competencies. Manitoba Education defines global competencies as complex ways of knowing, being, doing, and becoming in consideration of the learner as a whole. This curricular approach aligns perfectly with Treaty Education's holistic, relationship-based, multi-disciplinary approach. We have created a supplementary document dovetailing the global competences with Treaty Education 'lesson launchers'. Click Here to access Global Competencies + Treaty Education: Lesson Launchers.

Featured Teaching Resource

This teacher's guide provided a framework for the pedagogy associated with the 2026 Summer Institute. 'From Treaty to Foreign Battlefield' delves into First Nations' extensive contributions to colonial and Canadian military efforts, exploring the connections between Treaty relationships and First Nations’ involvement in WWI, WWII, and beyond. Additional to easy-to-read articles, the guide contains a number of reproduceable student worksheets.

Click the document to access.

Treaty Sleuthing: Spaces + Places

In the 1730s, Quebec-born, French explorer Pierre Gaultier de La Vérendrye and his sons built a series of forts in Manitoba aiming to counter the British-backed Hudson's Bay Company. This required establishing firm alliances with local First Nations. Fort Maurepas was established between 1739 and 1749 by La Vérendrye after the abandonment of the original Fort Maurepas on the Red River. The Fort Maurepas Cairn, erected in 1931, is a fieldstone monument located in the Sagkeeng First Nation commemorating the original fur-trading post.

Treaty Terminology

Orange Shirt Day

As educators, we hold a powerful responsibility to teach the truth of our history. Part of this includes an exploration of Treaties. In the lead up to September 30, take a look at the Treaty-themed resources that Canada's History has assembled.

Click Here for advice on why it’s important to bring Treaties into the classroom and suggestions on how to do it. You will find many familiar Treaty Education names!

Are you planning on teaching the new grade 12 provincial option course Land & Treaties: Relationships & Responsibilities ? (The official course code is 0398.)

Treaty Education is committed to supporting teachers and schools by offering course-specifc training as well as materials for teaching and learning.

We are offering training on October 1 & 2 (scroll down to register).

We have also curated a teaching resource list for the course. Click Here to access.

Treaty Road is a documentary television series that follows hosts Saxon de Cocq and Erin Goodpipe as they retrace the history and impact of the Numbered Treaties. Together, they travel across the territories of Treaties 1 through 6.

Manitoba Treaty Commissioner Loretta Ross is featured in Episode 1 (Treaty 1): Surrender the Land.

Season 1 is available in Canada on APTN‍ , APTN+, and CBC Gem. Season 2 is coming soon!

Our In-School Support Teachers ...

are here to support you in the implementation of Treaty Education!

Last school year, our team visited 30+ schools across the province and engaged with over 1500 teachers and students spanning kindergarten to grade 12.

We played a role in several school-wide 'Treaty Days' as well as the Red River Heritage Fair.

Scroll down to learn more and/or to register for an in-class visit.

Canadian History of Education Association Conference

The Canadian History of Education Association / Association canadienne d’histoire de l’éducation (CHEA/ACHÉ) brings together scholars, students, educators, teacher educators, and community-based researchers to study the educational past in Canada and abroad. This year’s biennial conference is being held in Winnipeg October 15-17, 2026.

Our Treaty Education team will be offering a presentation at the CHEA gathering. Stop by for a visit!

CLICK HERE to read more about the CHEA 2026 conference.