Post-conflict education and reconciliation: the new curriculum in British Columbia and the legacy of colonialism

Abstract

In February 2018, current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated the need for all Canadians to “confront our past and commit to charting a brighter, more inclusive future” in order to reconcile the relationship between Aboriginal people, non-Aboriginal people, and the government, the international perception of Canada as a peaceful democratic nation with the devastating reality of disparity and inequality, and the violent colonial past with a progressive, socially just future. This dissertation investigates the extent to which the government of British Columbia (BC) and the Ministry of Education are actively and effectively contributing to reconciliation with Aboriginal peoples in BC. In order to ground the discussion in an understanding of the historical and contemporary reality of colonialism, the dissertation addresses the historical treatment of Indigenous peoples by the Canadian government. From there, a review of post-conflict literature explores the potential for education to reduce conflict and promote positive peace and reconciliation. Use of a postcolonial theoretical lens ultimately frames the evaluation of the new curriculum policy and the educational reform movement in BC, questioning its potential to transform students, teachers, and the education system. The dissertation concludes that the federal government’s bold rhetoric offers a promising beginning to a new and powerful chapter in healing the damaged relationship with Aboriginal peoples. At the same time, the paper attempts to explain, in its discussion and analysis of the implementation of the BC education system’s reform agenda, how resources of contemporary education practice may be better harnessed to support the country’s emerging political mandate. As an indispensable tool for social justice, education can and should be a potent source for good in the world.