launch of the second edition of aboriginal peoples – fact

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
LAUNCH OF THE SECOND EDITION OF
ABORIGINAL PEOPLES – FACT AND FICTION
Montréal, June 10, 2009 – The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse will
be launching the second edition of Aboriginal Peoples – Fact and Fiction on June 15 during its
conference Dare to Reach Higher! Human Rights and Freedoms which will be attended by members of
the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies, as well human rights advocates and
community organizations.
The book launch will take place in the evening, under the “shaputuan”, in the First Nations Garden at the
Jardin botanique de Montréal with the President of the Commission Gaétan Cousineau, and the author
Pierre Lepage of the Direction de la recherche, de l’éducation-coopération et des communications.
Aboriginal Peoples – Fact and Fiction, a pedagogical tool for teachers and the general public, is intended
to promote a better understanding of the realities facing Aboriginal Peoples. The 88-page document with
photographs, maps and illustrations, is a reprint and updated version of the work published in 2002, and
that was developed as part of the Aboriginal Peoples awareness program for schools – The Challenges
of Bringing Quebecers and Aboriginals Together.
The document answers these questions concerning Aboriginal Peoples: Were their societies really
primitive? Could white people have survived without their help? Were they really conquered? Did they
sign treaties and alliances with the European nations? And, today, are they better treated by the system,
with more rights than Quebecers? Do they have separate rights that can be reconciled with the right to
equal treatment?
The publication and distribution of this work was made possible with the financial assistance of the
Coordination des affaires autochtones of the ministère de l’Éducation, du Sport et du Loisir du Québec,
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Québec Region), as well as of the ministère du Conseil exécutif du
Québec.
Aboriginal Peoples – Fact and Fiction is also available in French - Mythes et réalités sur les peuples
autochtones. The document can be found online, on the Commission’s Web site:
http://www.cdpdj.qc.ca/publications/ArboriginalPeoples.pdf.
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Contact
Patricia Poirier
514 873-5146 ou 1 800 361-6477, ext. 358
[email protected]
About the author
Pierre Lepage, an anthropologist, has worked at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits
de la jeunesse since 1976. For nine years, he coordinated the Aboriginal Peoples awareness program for
schools – The Challenges of Bringing Quebecers and Aboriginals Together. He wrote Aboriginal Peoples
– Fact and Fiction as part of this program and following the Oka crisis in order to debunk the
preconceived notions and prejudices concerning Aboriginals.
Aboriginal Peoples – Fact and Fiction was published for the first time in November 2002 and is part of the
mediagraphy of many anthropology and political sciences courses given in CEGEPS and universities in
Québec.
What has been said about the first edition of Aboriginal Peoples – Fact and Fiction
[TRANSLATION] Works such as Aboriginal Peoples – Fact and Fiction, published in 2002 by the
Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec, constitute precious, and
unfortunately rare, tools that allow us to translate the issues in a pedagogical manner. The youths of
Québec must be able to have access to this kind of tool.
Guy Chevrette, in “Rapport du mandataire spécial du gouvernement du Québec
concernant la proposition d'entente de principe d'ordre général avec les Innus de Mamuitun
et de Nutashkuan”, January 21, 2003
[TRANSLATION] […] this book is aimed at young Quebecers as well as at those who finished secondary
school a long time ago, seeing how the prejudices towards Aboriginals are tenacious within the
Québécois society. Pierre Lepage discusses the various myths existing in our society in order to allow
non-Aboriginals to have a more accurate perception of Aboriginal realities.
Review by the Institut de recherche sur le Québec
[TRANSLATION] Teachers will find in this publication, elements to support the development of critical
thinking among students.
Flyer issued by the ministère de l’Éducation du Québec to the directors of school boards, secondary
schools and the teaching staff in human sciences at the secondary level, May 2, 2003
[TRANSLATION] In order to remedy the general and deep-seated misconception of historical and current
day realities of Quebecers of all origins and age groups, this same Commission has prepared a
pedagogical document of great quality…
Jean-Guy A. Goulet, anthropology professor, Université Saint-Paul (Ottawa)
in Anthropologie et Société, 2006
For additional information or to interview the author, please contact Patricia Poirier:
514 873-5146 or 1 800 361-6477, extension 358
[email protected] .