Aboriginal Students and the Delivery of Citizenship Education

Abstract

Aboriginal people, one of Canada’s most significant ethnic groups in regard to population and growth, are in crisis. This crisis can be characterized as one of social positioning where conditions of poverty, lack of opportunity, and other elements of marginalization are symptoms. Aboriginals and non-Aboriginal scholars have engaged in numerous discussions regarding what can be described as a struggle for a state of dignity in Canada. Citizenship education, an aspect of contemporary schooling that embraces such notions as equality, tolerance, and social justice, is reputed to provide some direction in regard to how all Canadians can develop and prosper regardless of ethnic or cultural background. This article will explore citizenship education and its possible implications for Aboriginal students in Canada. Aboriginal people, one of Canada’s most significant ethnic groups in regard to population and growth, are in crisis. This crisis can be characterized as one of social positioning where conditions of poverty, lack of opportunity, and other elements of marginalization are symptoms. Aboriginals and non-Aboriginal scholars have engaged in numerous discussions regarding what can be described as a struggle for a state of dignity in Canada. Citizenship education, an aspect of contemporary schooling that embraces such notions as equality, tolerance, and social justice, is reputed to provide some direction in regard to how all Canadians can develop and prosper regardless of ethnic or cultural background. This article will explore citizenship education and its possible implications for Aboriginal students in Canada.