Indigenous Cultural Awareness Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Who are Indigenous peoples in Canada?

Indigenous peoples are the first peoples of the land now called Canada. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes three groups: the Indian (First Nations), Inuit and Métis peoples. It also protects their Aboriginal and treaty rights.

In total, 1,807,250 people identified as Indigenous in 2021, which is 5.0% of Canada's population. The Indigenous population grew 9.4% from 2016 to 2021, almost twice as fast as the non-Indigenous population (5.3%). Over 70 Indigenous languages were reported.

Words matter

• Indigenous peoples are not one group. Each nation has its own language, laws, ceremonies and history.
• "Indigenous" is the common umbrella word today. "Aboriginal" is the term used in the Constitution.
• The most respectful choice is the name a person or community uses for themselves, such as Cree, Dene, Inuk or Métis.
• Avoid old or insulting terms and jokes. Never guess someone's identity from how they look.

Lesson 2: History that shapes trust today

Many Indigenous people have good reasons to be careful around people in authority. Knowing why helps you stay patient and build trust.

Residential schools

For more than a century, the government and churches ran residential schools. Some 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and communities to attend them. Children were often punished for speaking their language, and many suffered abuse. Most schools had closed by the mid-1970s, but the last federally run school closed in the late 1990s. Many survivors and their children are alive today, and the harm carries across generations.

Truth and Reconciliation

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission heard from survivors across the country. In 2015 it released 94 Calls to Action. Call 92 speaks to businesses. It asks them to educate managers and staff about Indigenous history, including residential schools, treaties, Indigenous rights and the UN Declaration, and to give skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights and anti-racism.

Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls

A national inquiry studied violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Its final report, released on June 3, 2019, made 231 Calls for Justice, including calls to industries, services and all Canadians.

Lesson 3: Rights, reconciliation and key dates

On June 21, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act became law. It affirms the UN Declaration as applying in Canadian law. It requires the federal government to work with Indigenous peoples on an action plan and on making federal laws consistent with the Declaration.

Fair treatment is the law

Human rights laws in every province and territory forbid discrimination in services because of race, ancestry, place of origin, religion or creed and other grounds. The Ontario Human Rights Commission says that a store owner telling staff to watch Indigenous and racialized customers closely is an example of racial profiling. Security guards are covered by these rules too.

• Act on behaviour, not on identity or appearance.
• Use the same rules and steps for every person.
• Do not assume someone is intoxicated, homeless or about to steal because they are Indigenous.
• Write reports with facts: what the person did and said, not your guesses about them.

Lesson 4: Ceremonies and sacred items

Smudging

Smudging is a tradition common to many First Nations. A person burns one or more medicines from the earth. The smoke is used to cleanse people, places and objects and to clear the mind. The four sacred medicines are tobacco, sage, cedar and sweetgrass. Sage, cedar and sweetgrass are most often used in a smudge.

Many workplaces allow smudging. For example, the City of Toronto has a policy that affirms the right of Indigenous staff to smudge at work. Under Ontario's Human Rights Code, organizations must accommodate Indigenous spiritual practices, based on creed, up to the point of undue hardship.

• Find out if your site has a smudging policy and where the designated space is.
• Smudging is often planned ahead, with signs showing a ceremony is in progress.
• The medicines are burned in a non-combustible container, and the remains are fully put out.
• If you are worried about smoke and fire alarms, talk to your supervisor or the facility team before an event. Do not interrupt a ceremony unless there is real danger.
• Do not touch the medicines, and do not take photos without permission.

Sacred items

Eagle feathers, pipes, drums and medicine bundles can be sacred. If a bag check or search is required, do not handle the item yourself. Explain what you need to see and ask the owner to open, show or move it. Follow your site's search policy and note in your report that the owner handled the item.

Lesson 5: Respectful service on the job

Communication

• Introduce yourself and explain your role.
• Speak calmly. Allow time for pauses and silence; do not rush people to answer.
• Elders hold a respected role in many communities. Greet them politely and give them time.
• Listen fully before you decide what is happening.
• Learn the name of the treaty area or traditional territory where you work.

Support lines

Checklist

1. Treat every person the same and act only on behaviour.
2. Use the names and terms people use for themselves.
3. Respect ceremonies and let owners handle sacred items.
4. Stay patient if someone is distrustful, and explain your actions.
5. Report facts, not assumptions.
6. Refer people to support lines, and call 911 in an emergency.