First Nations initially overlooked in list of things that most define Canada

Wed Jul 16, 5:23 PM

By Gregory Bonnell, The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Aboriginal people have been granted the 102nd spot on a government-sponsored list of 101 things that most define Canada after online respondents pointed out that First Nations people, culture and symbols weren't included in the original tally. The oversight and late addition reflects how the historic marginalization of First Nations people has pushed them to the fringes of Canadian consciousness, an aboriginal studies instructor said.

Still, at least one aboriginal chief said it was a positive sign that, upon reflection, Canadians recognized the error.

The list, commissioned by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Dominion Institute, was compiled from the responses of more than 3,000 Canadians who were asked to identify those people, places, events, accomplishments and symbols that best define Canada.

"The top symbols were the Maple Leaf, the beaver, the Canadian flag," said Marc Chalifoux, executive director of the Dominion Institute.

"Aboriginal culture, in my view - it was a really surprising element that was missing from the list. The survey was quite exhaustive."

After the original list was finalized the project's website posed the question: Tell us what's missing?

"What's nice is to see that, when Canadians were asked what was missing from the list of 101, that's what came in as the first choice, the most glaring omission," Chalifoux said.

As a result, the institute announced Tuesday that aboriginals would take the 102nd spot. They will also be included in "101 Things Canadians Should Know About Canada," a book scheduled for release in the fall.

Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse called it "disappointing" that aboriginals didn't make the original list. A lack of proper education in Canadian schools about the role First Nations played in building the country could be to blame, Toulouse said.

For many Canadians, aboriginals remain "out of sight, out of mind," he said.

Still, Toulouse said it was heartening to see that, upon reflection, Canadians identified aboriginals as the most glaring omission.

Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, an assistant professor of aboriginal studies at the University of Toronto, called the omission and late addition "an interesting situation."

"Aboriginal people were marginalized for so very long that they just aren't seen as part of Canada," she said.

"We have the dancing, we have all of that stuff, but we don't actually have the understanding the aboriginal people are part of Canada in a very fundamental way."

"That's some of things that should be talked about on a regular basis and taught in schools."

Among the other top five omissions noted by online respondents; the Canadian penchant for uttering 'eh'; the phrase 'strong and free'; the Group of Seven; and the Snowbirds.

"It was nice to see that people, when they looked at the list and thought what was missing, that they voted for things like the Group of Seven and aboriginal Canadians," Chalifoux said.