Without being instructed by the new Conservative government, Ontario’s education ministry canceled its plans Monday to include a “truth and reconciliation” indoctrination for First Nations history in its school program.
As CBC News reports, the previous Liberal government was committed to changing the way history was taught in the province, suggesting courses were too influenced by “white privilege” and European views of how early North American settlers interacted with the indigenous population.
Critics were quick to blame Ontario Premier Doug Ford for political interference but Ontario Education Minister Lisa Thompson says the decision was merely a cost-cutting measure.
“In keeping with the commitment Premier Doug Ford made to run government more efficiently, all ministries will seek to carry out initiatives in the most cost-effective way possible,” reads a statement from Thompson’s office.
The statement indicates that history books won’t be rewritten to express the claims of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), students won’t be taught American Sign Language and kids in kindergarten won’t be forced to learn “Indigenous languages.”
“The ministry moved ahead with the cancellation unilaterally, with no direction from the minister of education.”
Revisionists were all set to begin rewriting the history books on Monday when a call came to inform them that the plan had been called off.
The move is almost certain to anger Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who has said he wants to establish a two-tiered justice system — on for natives and another for non-natives — in response to the TRC that blames Native poverty and disaffection on non-indigenous oppression.