MEMBER SERVICES
SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Indigenous Education
BCTF Seeds of Justice – March
Spotlight on Antiracism. Read more for BCTF resources, workshops, Equity & Inclusion, opportunities for members, grants & awards, and Social Justice Program calendar of events.
30th Annual Women’s Memorial March
FEBRUARY 14 – The first women’s memorial march was held in 1992 in response to the murder of a woman on Powell Street in Vancouver. Out of this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Unceded Coast Salish Territories.
Rock your Ribbon Skirt
Wednesday, January 20th wear your ribbon skirt to school to show support and solidarity for Bella Kulak who was criticized for wearing a ribbon skirt to school. There will also be a celebration of Indigenous culture at Grandview Park during the lunch hour from 12:00–12:45 pm.
BIPOC Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Monday, December 14 from 4:00-5:30 pm. The meeting is open to all VSTA members who identify as part of the BIPOC community. Read more for details and registration in MyVSTA.
MST Futurism: Decolonizing the City Through a Matriarchal Lens
Thursday, December 3, 6PM. You are invited to hear from incredible MST Host Nation thought leaders to re-envision the built form centred in right relation to our land, waters and skies.” Read more for registration and event details.
Indigenous Education Focus Group
POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Tuesday, November 24, 2020, 4:00-5:30 pm – Secondary teachers who identify as Indigenous are invited to a Focus Group to work together and share how this committee can best serve Indigenous educators and to further improve Indigenous education for our students.
BCTF Social Justice Newsletter
Read more for a link to the BCTF Social Justice Newsletter, Summer/Fall 2020 edition.
Social & Environmental Justice Updates & Opportunities
Read more for BCTF Endorsements, Social Justice Grants, New Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, Resources, Workshops and Events.
Orange Shirt Day
Wednesday, September 30th is Orange Shirt Day. We are hoping that all staff and students will wear orange in the spirit of reconciliation and hope. Read more for resource links.
BIPOC Conference
UNLEARNING THE COLONIAL
Saturday, October 5, 2019
on unceded Coast Salish Territories at Byrne Creek Community School, Burnaby. Read more for details and registration.
Letter of Support of the Unist’ot’en Camp
March 4, 2019
The Vancouver Secondary Teachers Association (VSTA) is writing in support of the Unist’ot’en Camp near Houston, BC. We are concerned about the unjust treatment of the Wet’suwet’en people by the Federal Government’s use of the RCMP to forcibly remove them from their unceded and traditional lands. The Provincial Government of British Columbia, as well as the Federal Government have both committed to uphold the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Article 8.2.b of the Declaration states that “States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources.” The treatment of the Wet’suwet’en people is in direct contradiction to the aforementioned article.
Canada has made a solemn commitment to reconciliation and as Public School teachers, in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, we have been tasked and honoured with the duty of working towards building relationships between settlers and Indigenous people. The only way that our nation will ever be able to achieve true reconciliation is by treating all Indigenous peoples with respect, which includes respecting their rightful claim to protect their territory. We call upon your government to its promise and commitment to the TRB Calls to Action as well as the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
cc: Premier John Horgan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Coastal GasLink, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Letter of Support of the Unist’ot’en Camp
March 4, 2019
The Vancouver Secondary Teachers Association (VSTA) is writing in support of the Unist’ot’en Camp near Houston, BC. We are concerned about the unjust treatment of the Wet’suwet’en people by the Federal Government’s use of the RCMP to forcibly remove them from their unceded and traditional lands. The Provincial Government of British Columbia, as well as the Federal Government have both committed to uphold the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Article 8.2.b of the Declaration states that “States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources.” The treatment of the Wet’suwet’en people is in direct contradiction to the aforementioned article.
Canada has made a solemn commitment to reconciliation and as Public School teachers, in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, we have been tasked and honoured with the duty of working towards building relationships between settlers and Indigenous people. The only way that our nation will ever be able to achieve true reconciliation is by treating all Indigenous peoples with respect, which includes respecting their rightful claim to protect their territory. We call upon your government to its promise and commitment to the TRB Calls to Action as well as the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
cc: Premier John Horgan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Coastal GasLink, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Wet’suwet’en Resources
- Why are Indigenous Peoples Blocking Railways
- Witsuwit’en Governance and Current Events in Our Classrooms
Websites, news articles, and videos
- Unist’ot’en Camp Website
- Sign up for the Unist’ot’en Camp Newsletter
- Wet’suwet’en Supporter Toolkit 2020 (including many links and news articles)
- Gidimt’en Yintah Access Website
- Video explaining Wet’suwet’en governance and why the Hereditary Chiefs oppose pipelines
- Film “Invasion”
- APTN (Aboriginal Peoples’ Television Network) News focus on Wet’suwet’en “The Wet’suwet’en Conflict”
News from independent media:
- Video – DemocracyNow! interview with Molly Wickham and Pam Palmater
- Article – The Narwhal: “Industry, government pushed to abolish Aboriginal title at issue in Wet’suwet’en stand-off, docs reveal”
- Article – The Guardian: “Exclusive: Canada police prepared to shoot Indigenous activists, documents show”
