"21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act" by Bob Joseph

Publisher:Port Coquitlam, BC : Indigenous Relations Press, [2018]
Copyright Date:©2018
ISBN: 9780995266520
Characteristics: 189 pages.

This book is without a doubt one of the best books I've read with regard to Native Canadian affairs in many years. The way that the Native population of Canada was treated by the European colonists/invaders was deplorable, and unfortunately it's something that is still present and isn't likely to change in the near future unless major policy changes are made in the government (both federal and provincial).

When I did my Bachelor of Education degree a number of years ago  I chose Native Studies, as my minor (you weren't allowed to major in it) and even though I was immersed to a great extent in native history, and the effects of colonization, etc. The 21 things outlined in this book were for the most part new to me.

Being that my speciality in Education was Social Studies, I would have been one of the people that would have ben responsible for teaching this material. I firmly believe that if I had chosen to teach, and if this book had been available that it would have been one of my primary resources for formulating lessons and units around Native Studies.

In order to hopefully rectify this I have sent emails to the University of Alberta Faculty of Education as well as to my ex-professors in Native Studies recommending this book to them if they haven't already read it.

I sincerely hope that the author will continue with this topic and uncover more things we don't know, as I'm sure there are lots of them.