Students will analyze the following pieces of information and sort them in one of the four ways to take civic action.
| Join a national protest | Individuals travelled by train from Vancouver to Ottawa to protest on Parliament Hill. |
|---|---|
| Give money | Individuals gave money to rent two trains. The trains carried people from Vancouver to Ottawa so they could take part in a protest on Parliament Hill. |
| Bring food | At stops along the way, individuals brought food and gifts for the train passengers to help them on their journey. |
| Bring leaders together | Hundreds of chiefs and elders held the first All Canada Chiefs Assembly. They came from all provinces and territories except Alberta. They met to work together on constitutional issues. |
| Set up an action committee | Inuit created the Inuit Committee on National Issues. The committee was created to share Inuit views on Canada’s constitution with the government and others. |
| Create a new national organization | The National Indian Brotherhood changed the way it was organized. It then became the Assembly of First Nations. |
| Take it to the world | First Nations leaders travelled to Britain and Europe. They also spoke at the United Nations Assembly. The leaders wanted to tell an international audience about their cause. |
| Make it visible | About 1,000 First Nations protesters travelled from Vancouver to Ottawa on a train called the “Constitution Express.” The trip attracted a lot of attention. |
| Talk to the media | When the “Constitution Express” train arrived in Ottawa, First Nations activists spoke with journalists. The journalists then told the public about Aboriginal rights. |
| Build community awareness | The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs organized workshops across British Columbia. The workshops gave information about First Nations rights and treaty issues. |
| Make presentations | First Nations, Métis and Inuit groups gave presentations to the Canadian politicians who were working on the Constitution. |
| Meet with the Governor General | Noel Starblanket, National Chief of the National Indian Brotherhood, met with the Governor General of Canada. |
| Petition the Queen | First Nations Chiefs took a petition to Queen Elizabeth. The petition asked Queen Elizabeth and the British government to delay patriating the Constitution. |
| Discuss with Canadian decision makers | First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders met with politicians and government officials. They met to talk about their concerns with how the Constitution was worded. |