Donate Now Menu

Voting Rights through Time: First Nations and Inuit Histories of Relationship, Resistance, and Self-Determination

Indspire > Events > National Gathering > Presentations > Voting Rights through Time: First Nations and Inuit Histories of Relationship, Resistance, and Self-Determination

Presented by Ashley Nurmela, Katherine Boyes, and Leslie Taylor-Child

Help students build literacy while engaging with Indigenous histories through Voting Rights through Time, a classroom-ready resource from Elections Canada. This resource supports literacy development, Indigenous literature engagement, storytelling, and media literacy, while grounding learning in history, reconciliation, and curriculum design that centres Indigenous perspectives.

Students explore five case studies on the history of federal voting rights, including those affecting First Nations and Inuit peoples. In small groups, they read, discuss, and interpret these texts, strengthening reading comprehension and critical thinking. This approach supports literacy development across subject areas. It also invites students to work with historical narratives as forms of Indigenous and non-Indigenous literature, where voice, perspective, and lived experience matter.

Storytelling is central to the activity. Each case study presents a narrative of exclusion and resistance. Students engage with these stories in both in-person discussions and digital environments, depending on how you deliver the lesson. You can extend this by having students retell or respond to the histories using digital storytelling tools, oral presentations, or reflective writing. This reinforces the role of storytelling in Indigenous knowledge systems and helps students connect emotionally and intellectually with the material.

The resource directly supports teaching history and reconciliation. Students examine how policies excluded Indigenous peoples from democratic participation. For example, Inuit were granted federal voting rights in 1950, yet many communities did not have access to voting services until 1962. First Nations peoples could vote federally only if they gave up status and treaty rights until 1960. These examples help students understand how rights were uneven and conditional. They also see the harm caused by these policies and the ongoing impacts.

At the same time, the case studies highlight Indigenous agency. Students learn about individuals such as Tommy Prince, who spoke before a parliamentary committee in 1948 to demand voting rights without conditions. They also examine milestones like the 1979 federal election in what is now Nunavut, where, for the first time, all candidates in one district were Inuit. This balanced approach supports reconciliation by acknowledging both injustice and resistance.

Students analyze historical documents, interpret timelines, and assess how information is presented. The inclusion–exclusion scale requires them to evaluate evidence, question assumptions, and explain their thinking. You can extend this by asking students to compare historical accounts with contemporary sources or to create their own media pieces that communicate what they have learned.

The resource is adaptable for thoughtful curriculum design. It aligns with secondary social studies and language arts outcomes across provinces and territories. You can integrate it into units on citizenship, government, history, or literacy. It is available in English, French, and a language-learner version, which supports accessible and inclusive instruction. The structure allows all students to participate through collaboration, discussion, and reflection.

Use this resource to connect literacy learning with meaningful content. Centre Indigenous voices, encourage critical thinking, and create space for students to reflect on their role in ongoing reconciliation.

I have uploaded the full teacher’s guide for Voting Rights through Time and two blogs posts from our website: Indigenous experiences, stories and voices in Elections Canada’s resources. 

We also have teacher support videos:

Instagram