Submitted to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation by The Media Awareness Network/Réseau Éducation-Médias

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
        1.1 Objectives
        1.2 Methodology 
        1.3 Report Components 

2. Research Results

3. Media Education in Canada - An Overview
        3.1 Background
        3.2 Western Canada Protocol 
        3.3 Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation
        3.4 Ontario
        3.5 Quebec

4. Race Relations/Multicultural Education in Canada - An Overview
        4.1 British Columbia
        4.2 Alberta
        4.3 Saskatchewan
        4.4 Manitoba
        4.5 Quebec
        4.6 Nova Scotia
        4.7 New Brunswick
        4.8 Prince Edward Island
        4.9 Newfoundland
        4.10 Ontario

5. Final Recommendations for Portrayal of Diversity Resources
        5.1 Curriculum "Fits" for Portrayal of Diversity Resources
        5.2 Conclusions

1. Introduction

This is the final report of the Portrayal of Diversity in the Media research project funded by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, and conducted by the Media Awareness Network (MNet) between May and December, 1998.

1.1 Objectives

The aim of this research project was to ascertain the status of multicultural/anti-racism education and media education in the K-12 curricula of ten Canadian provinces. The objective was to determine whether there would be a practical place for teaching resources on portrayal of diversity in the media, and, if so, where, and what, the best curriculum "fits" would be. A secondary objective was to identify individuals, organizations, publications and web sites through which the Media Awareness Network could promote and distribute Portrayal of Diversity in the Media teaching resources once they were produced.

1.2 Methodology

Research was carried out in three principal ways:

• through the collection and analysis of curriculum documents from ten provinces.
  
• through telephone interviews with Race Relations, Multicultural, Aboriginal, Social Studies and Language Arts coordinators, and with representatives from the Canadian Teachers? Federation and provincial teachers? unions.
  
• through personal interviews with ministry of education and school board officials and consultants with special responsibilities for multicultural and media literacy education.

The document research consisted of sifting through English Language Arts, Social Studies, Health, and Careers and Personal Development curricula, and Native Studies, in order to extract and record specific "learning outcomes" (concepts or skills to be understood or attained) that would be supported by resources on the portrayal of ethnic, racial and aboriginal peoples by the media.

The interviews, both by telephone and in person, were conducted informally, and based on two sets of specific questions. The question templates are included in Appendix A. We interviewed a total of 41 individuals (16 in person, 25 by telephone). The in-person interviews were conducted during visits to ministries of education and schools boards in Halifax, Fredericton, Vancouver, Victoria, Regina and Winnipeg. The names and coordinates for all individuals interviewed can be found in the listings of contacts, publications and web sites for each province (Appendices D-2 ? K-2).

1.3 Report Components

The body of this report contains information on multicultural/anti-racism and media education policy and programs in ten Canadian provinces. The appendices hold the mandated learning outcomes for each province that relate to: media literacy; the values of tolerance and appreciation of different cultures; explorations of bias, stereotyping and cultural perspectives; and countering racism.

The report includes descriptions of a number of special school and community programs, and provides an updated list of publications, contacts, and web sites for the future promotion of portrayal of diversity resources for the classroom (Appendices D-2 ? M-2).

The report also includes a list of national multicultural/anti-racist organizations (Appendix B) and resources in this field, produced since 1992, that have been created or recommended by ministries of education or provincial teachers unions (Appendix C).

The information for Quebec and Ontario is less complete and differently structured than the information for other provinces. In Quebec, neither media education nor anti-racism/multicultural education has been an official part of the curriculum. In Ontario, where these topics have had a place, they have been dramatically pared back in the new Elementary and Jr. High curricula. The Secondary curriculum documents are currently being written. We will file an addendum to this report on Ontario when the final draft of the Grade 9 and 10 curriculum policy document is ready, prior to March 31, 1999.The Grade 11 -12 curriculum policy document will not be available until summer 1999, at the earliest.

2. Research Results

This research project allowed the Media Awareness Network to meet and/or speak to key educators across the country responsible for multicultural/anti-racism education and media education.

The project also inspired the arduous task of surveying curriculum and framework documents for every province to see just what learning outcomes related directly to critically analyzing media content and to enhancing cultural pride and intercultural understanding.

It is clear that anti-racist education and media education are solidly embedded in the K-12 curricula, or frameworks, being developed in most provinces in Canada. Most provincial multicultural education policies go back to 1992 or earlier. The policies strongly endorse the importance of Canadian school children being able to appreciate the perspectives and contributions of other cultures, recognize stereotyping and bias, and counter racism with personal action. All express, in one way or another, a commitment to ensuring that all children see their cultures and belief systems accepted and included in their day-to-day learning environment. Only in the new Ontario curriculum documents does there seem to be a move away from multicultural education.

Recognition of specific learning outcomes in ministry documents is the first step to promoting and institutionalizing teaching practices. However, it does not ensure classroom learning activity. It gives the "green light" to teachers capable of handling the subject matter, but the vast majority of teachers need specific training and supporting resources in order to handle multicultural and anti-racism education.

Professional in-service training has been provided to greater and lesser extents by ministries and school boards throughout this decade and before. Professional development activity in this field, however, appears to be diminishing. Various explanations are given ? budgets are dwindling, teacher interest is waning, professional development days are being cut, summer institutes are being discontinued because those interested in the topic have already participated, the multicultural/race relations position is vacant, etc. There are two main exceptions to this trend. The number of Violence Prevention/Conflict Resolution programs and Native Studies programs is increasing, especially in Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC and Nova Scotia, and both these programs include multicultural or anti-racism components. A new development, within the Council of Ministers of Education, is an initiative led by Alberta and New Brunswick to establish Pan-Canadian learning outcomes for citizenship. If this happens, it may give a boost to multicultural education across Canada.

Media education has been mandated for the last eleven years at the secondary level in Ontario. While media education is being cut back in Ontario, especially at the elementary level, other provinces have just, in the mid-nineties, officially included it in their curricula. Media education is now strongly represented in the learning outcomes of the new English Language Arts frameworks across the country, and it is about to be included in the massive curricular reform taking place in Quebec.

Media education is a relatively new area of study. It is being introduced at a time when funding for professional development and resources to support classroom activity is scarce. Again and again, ministry officials told us that though media was strongly integrated into the English Language Arts program as another kind of "text", there was almost no professional development activity attached to this new discipline, and no money for new resources.

A strong message from educators across the country is that teacher apathy is at an all-time high. Overwhelming curriculum changes, high demands for accountability and reporting, lack of resources, pressures to integrate new technology into classroom learning, and a relatively static and aging work force have all contributed to this situation. For the first time in quite a few years, newly graduated teachers are beginning to enter the system in sizable numbers.

Another important discovery in our research is the almost total lack of mention, in any multicultural/anti-racism resources, of the media?s portrayal of minorities and aboriginal peoples, and of the media?s influences in shaping perceptions about other peoples and cultures. There is the occasional unit in several media education texts and a few NFB productions were produced in the early nineties. There is one video specifically about minorities in the media called A Voice to Be Heard produced by the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, but, in the opinion of the CCCJ?s director, it is inadequate. We pored through education kits, book and film lists, and listings of workshops, only to find the topic of portrayal of diversity in the media completely absent. Even in Canadian Heritage?s extensive 1996 teaching kits for elementary and secondary teachers entitled Racism: Stop It!, there is only brief mention of the influences of the media.

This situation is ironic, given the number of references to media portrayal which we found scattered throughout the learning outcomes for Language Arts, Social Studies and other subjects, references such as:

• evaluating the influence of mass media on stereotyping
  
• demonstrating the influences of family, media, community, peers, gender and culture on attitudes and values describing ways in which advertising and the media can influence an individual?s perception of self, the world and consequent behaviour examining how advertisers and propagandist can use the various forms of the media to promote their interest
  examining the portrayal of culture in oral, print and media texts
  
• analyzing how language, symbols and images are used to include or exclude people across cultures
  
• explaining ways in which languages and texts express and shape the perceptions of people
  
• comparing individuals and situations portrayed in oral, print and other media texts

This gap in resources is also in sharp contrast to the enthusiastic reception of educators to the idea of exploring the role of the media in shaping Canadian?s ideas about minority and aboriginal peoples. Everyone knows the media are an influential, unofficial "curriculum", being absorbed daily by children and young people. Most people know that much of the television, video and film entertainment we watch has been imported, and that white, young, middle class people dominate the media, on-screen and off. And most educators acknowledge the importance of children seeing their cultures positively represented and given a voice in mainstream media. Yet for some reason this has not translated into concrete resources and workshop content in the education sector.

There are almost no resources to guide teachers and students in exploring who is represented, and not represented, in mainstream media, who is misrepresented through bias and stereotyping, what lies behind these portrayal patterns, and how this affects our perceptions of the world and others.

And there is absolutely no information on how to grapple with the emerging presence and power of racism and hate propaganda on the Internet. This is particularly worrisome, given the tendency for young people to be surfing the Internet, much sooner, and more deeply, than the adults in their lives.

3. Media Education in Canada ? An Overview

3.1 Background

Ontario was the first Canadian province to introduce media education into the curriculum in 1987. For a long time, it was the only province addressing media literacy. During the past three years, however, it has become widely accepted in education circles that in order to be literate, children and young people must be able to "read", understand, and bring critical thinking skills to information in many different forms. This thinking is broadly reflected in the new English Language Arts curricular frameworks that have been developed by Canada?s two education consortia, the Western Canada Protocol (WCP) and the Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation (APEF).

3.2 Western Canada Protocol ? British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

The Western Canada Protocol Language Arts Framework (for which Manitoba was the lead province) was completed in 1997. The member provinces are now developing their own curriculum or implementation documents that provide teachers with concrete teaching strategies and ideas, based on the Framework outcomes. Four concept areas from the framework strongly support multicultural/anti-racism and media education from K- 12. They are: Respond to Texts; Understand Forms and Techniques; Encourage, Support and Work with Others; and Develop and Celebrate Community ? Appreciate Diversity.

For details on specific learning outcomes attached to these concepts see Appendices D-1 to G-1.

Independent of this new framework, media education courses (Film and Television, Media Studies, Journalism) are currently being offered in Grades 11 and 12, in Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The Open School distance education agency in British Columbia is developing a Film and Television course for implementation next fall and Alberta is in the process of creating a secondary stand-alone media course as part of its new Language Arts curriculum.

3.3 Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation ? Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland

The four provincial members of the Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation are using the Language Arts Framework (for which Nova Scotia was the lead province), as the blueprint for Language Arts education in their provinces. Although each province could interpret and/or expand the Framework for use within the province, careful study shows that there is almost no difference in the Language Arts learning outcomes for the four provinces. The curriculum builds on the concept that literacy means going beyond competency in the written word to the ability to use and understand visual and technological means of communication. Concepts are organized under three main headings: Reading and Viewing; Speaking and Listening; and Writing and Other Ways of Representing and there is frequent reference to portrayal, bias and stereotyping. Nova Scotia is currently working on a Grade 12 Film and Television Arts course which incorporates production, technical theory and media education. New Brunswick offers an elective Media Studies course, and a Journalism course in Grade 12. Newfoundland offers a stand-alone Media Studies credit at the Grade 10 level.

3.4 Ontario

The media education outcomes embedded in the new Ontario curriculum document for Language, Grades 1 - 8, leave much less room for Portrayal of Diversity learning resources than do the Language Arts outcomes for the western and eastern provinces. The media education components of the Ontario 1995 Grades 1 ? 9 Common Curriculum have been pared back, with, in the opinion of the Association for Media Literacy (AML) executive members, much less emphasis on critical thinking. The new Ontario media education outcomes pertain mostly to identifying the elements in media works, understanding the jobs behind these elements, and creating media works. There is no mention of bias or stereotyping in the outcomes.

Concrete information for media education at the secondary level in Ontario cannot be given at this time, as curriculum policy documents are currently being drafted. It would appear, however, that Ontario, once a leader in media education, is decreasing the media education content in its curriculum. When it was learned in October 1998 that the one stand-alone secondary media education course was to be cut, there was an outcry from media educators and others in Ontario. There is no definite word on the fate of this course at the time of writing.

3.5 Quebec

Media education has never been part of the French-language Quebec curriculum. Massive curricular reform is currently taking place in Quebec however, and media education is to be represented and integrated throughout the entire curriculum. The Media Awareness Network is on the Ministry?s media education committee and is helping to construct the province?s media education component. The various new curricula are scheduled to be implemented between September 1999 (Elementary) and September 2003 (Secondary 4). So far, no information is available.

4. Race Relations/Multicultural Education in Canada - An Overview

4.1 British Columbia

British Columbia appears to be the most active province in offering anti-racism education today.

A study, giving the percentage of recent graduates of teacher education programs in BC from 1988 to 1996 who reported that social issues were addressed in their teacher-education programs, revealed that discussion of First Nations issues rose from 28.6% to 74.5%; anti-racism from 33% to 72.1%; and multiculturalism from 61.1% to 90.9%.

The BC Ministry of Education, Skills and Training is developing a new multiculturalism/anti-racism policy, which should be released in 1999. Anti-racism education is embedded mainly within the Social Studies curriculum and Career and Personal Planning. There are also opportunities for anti-racism education within English Language Arts, Fine Arts (Media Studies) and Drama (Television and Film). All subject areas are supported by Integrated Resource Packages (IRPs) which give teachers ideas and resource suggestions for implementing the curricular learning outcomes. Multiculturalism/anti-racism options are outlined in the appendices to all 86 Integrated Resource Packages and the Cross-Curricular Index, for general application, but they are not mandated. The BC Ministry of Education, Skills and Training still maintains a specific staff position for multiculturalism.

In 1997, the BC Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism, which focuses on multicultural, anti-racism, Aboriginal and Human Rights education, began awarding outstanding efforts to eliminate racism in BC. The ministry promotes Multiculturalism Week in February and the Day for the Elimination of Racism on March 21st. It also distributes a new video, created by Caribou Hill secondary school, on enhancing tolerance in the school environment. It is being distributed to all school districts with a teacher?s guide.

The BC Teachers' Federation Program Against Racism, formed in the early 80?s, has been actively promoting race relations in the province's schools, and its promoters have been working closely with the BC Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism. The program has developed a series of 20 workshops which address topics such as: creating a racism-free school; how to teach human rights; and encouraging teachers and students to talk about social issues. The program has a contingent of volunteers who deliver these professional development sessionsto teachers throughout BC. In 1999 the workshops will be published in a ten-lesson Professional Development Handbook.

Viren Joshi, director of the program, says that while there is still active interest in his program, he would judge that interest in anti-racism education has waned somewhat since its peak in about 1992.

The Consortium on Diversity in Education (CODE) formed in 1992, is still active, bringing together members of the Ministries of Education and Multiculturalism, the BC Teachers Federation and members of provincial associations with a common commitment to multicultural and anti-racism education, and to Aboriginal and Human Rights. CODE hosted the Building Bridges conference on multicultural education, which took place in Vancouver on October 23 and 24th, 1998.

We examined anti-racist education in two school boards, the Vancouver School Board and the Greater Victoria School Board. The Vancouver School Board's 1995 Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Policy states that " the curriculum must present a global view of society which includes the experiences and achievements of culturally diverse groups." It also offers in-service programs to all employees, promoting the principles of multicultural and anti-racism education. Staff to carry out this professional development activity has been cut, and our information indicates that issues of racism are taking second seat to sexual harassment. In Victoria, individual schools are encouraged to incorporate multiculturalism into their school improvement plans and the board is currently compiling activities and workshops from national programs and local multicultural camps into a handbook for teachers. The Greater Victoria board has offered multicultural/anti-racism leadership camps since 1991 in the four Victoria-based districts. The board offers Aboriginal Studies at Gr. 10/11 and Black History at the Senior High level. Both the Vancouver and Victoria boards take curriculum direction from the ministry IRPs.

For details on learning outcomes which relate to anti-racism education and media education in the BC Language Arts framework and the Social Studies and Career and Personal Development curricula, see Appendix D-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent Internet sites, and teachers' publications for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in British Columbia can be found in Appendix D-2.

4.2 Alberta

The Alberta Department of Education has no specific multicultural policy, though values of respect and intercultural understanding are incorporated throughout the curriculum. The Alberta Teachers? Association (ATA) does have a Multicultural Education Policy, and, as the body that represents Alberta teachers, it has officially urged the Department of Education to develop and implement a policy for multicultural education and to "ensure the compulsory core of provincial curriculum includes diverse cultural perspectives."

In Alberta, multicultural education is integrated into the Health curriculum and the Social Studies curriculum in Grade 3 (looking at different cultures and different lands), Grade 7, (multicultural Canada), and Grade 10 (citizenship in the 20th century and anti-racism). It is also part of the Junior High ethics course and the Health Education and Career and Life Management courses at the Senior High level. There are also Native Studies programs at some schools into which anti-racism education can be integrated. Department of Education representatives say they are in a period of transition, but that they are aiming for a school system which "leaves no one out."

Much of Alberta?s multicultural activity has focused on ESL programs, equity in hiring, interpretation services, reception services and integration assistance to newly immigrated families. In 1994-95, a Committee Against Racist Education was formed in Calgary but it was cut the next year for financial reasons.

The Alberta Teachers? Association and the Department of Education, in response to violence and racism in the schools, have recently spearheaded a Safe and Caring Schools project. The program, which aims at "encouraging socially responsible and respectful behaviours", includes the integration of violence prevention into the curriculum and the community, the provision of professional development workshops, the creation of "common attributes to foster safe and caring school cultures, and facilitating the development of a complementary community. The program explores five topics:

• Building a Safe and Caring Classroom
  
• Developing Self-esteem
  
• Respecting Diversity and Preventing Prejudice
  
• Managing Anger and Dealing with Bullying
  
• Working It Out Together

The program is to be launched in September 1999 at the elementary level. The development of a secondary level program is currently underway.

As part of this program, a document entitled Attributes of a Safe and Caring School will provide a common vision, framework and clear philosophy to guide school staff. Three brochures are also in development. They are:

• Media Violence ? The Children Are Watching
  
• Managing Behaviours in the Classroom ? A Guide for Teachers/A Guide for Parents and Students
  
• Bullying ? What You Can Do About It: A Guide for Parents and Students

The Edmonton Public Schools Multiculturalism Policy Statement (1996) states "The board believes in the promotion of individual and group relations in which ethnic, racial, religious and linguistic similarities and differences are valued, respected and exchanged. In the Edmonton Board, multiculturalism is included in the Social Studies and Health program, although the provincial health curriculum is currently being rewritten. The Safe and Caring Schools project will be piloted in six to eight Edmonton schools in autumn 1999. The program will offer resources for children, families and teachers.

In the early 1990s, with philanthropic funding, students were selected from Calgary high schools to attend a "Connection Camp" where they would learn about their different backgrounds and cultures (including aboriginal) and make connections about the environment, cultures and decision-making. The idea was that the participants would take what they learned back into the schools, forming clubs and participating in student government. These camps are no longer running.

The Arusha Centre in Calgary provides teachers with many resources on cultures, development countries and social justice issues.

For details on learning outcomes which relate to anti-racism education and media education in the Alberta Language Arts framework and the Social Studies and Health curricula, see AppendixE-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent Internet sites and teachers' publications for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in Alberta can be found in Appendix E-2.

4.3 Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is committed to a curriculum that reflects the diversity of the province, particularly with respect to First Nations peoples. Although Saskatchewan is part of the Western Canada Protocol, it has gone farther than the other western provinces in developing policy for Native and Métis education, and its own unique curricula from the common frameworks.

A perusal of Saskatchewan?s learning objectives in English Language Arts, Journalism, Media Studies, Social Studies, Health and Art shows a concrete approach to tolerance, cross-cultural understanding, ethnocentrism, the concepts of bias and stereotyping, cultural perspectives, identity and respect for others. This is further supported by documents on Saskatchewan?s Evergreen web site which outline rationales and strategies for including Indian and Métis content and perspectives in the implementation of all curricula, and guidelines. The Department has developed three comprehensive Native Studies courses for Grades 10, 11 and 12. Professional development in the area of Native Studies and inclusion of Native perspectives has been delivered in three main ways: i) by in-service training delivered by the Indian and Métis Advisory Committee; ii) by integrating cross-cultural education into teacher education at the faculties of education; and iii) by workshops delivered by the Education Equity consultant, a position that is currently vacant.

Saskatchewan, represented by its Director of Indian and Métis Education, is the lead province for the aboriginal component of the Western Canada Protocol?s new Social Studies Framework, scheduled for completion in 2002.

In August 1997 the Saskatchewan Department of Education released Our Children, Our Communities and Our Future: Equity in Education: A Policy Framework, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Teachers? Federation, the Saskatchewan School Trustees Association, the League of Education Administrators, Directors and Superintendents, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, and the Indian and Métis Education Advisory Committee.

Regina School Division 4 has developed 40 theme units on Indian and Métis education.

The Division has a program called ACT 2000, designed to promote a school environment in which everyone, regardless of race, religion, class, gender, age, ability and personal difference is afforded equality of opportunity and benefit. The program orients teacher leaders who in turn facilitate in-depth training for student leaders in anti-racist and cross-cultural education.

For details on learning outcomes which relate to anti-racism education and media education in the Saskatchewan Language Arts framework and the Social Studies and Health curricula, see Appendix F-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent Internet sites and teachers' publications for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in Saskatchewan can be found in Appendix F-2.

4.4 Manitoba

The integration of cross-cultural education, multicultural education, anti-racism and aboriginal education across the curriculum, K ? S.4 (Gr. 12) will be central to the curricular renewal process currently underway in Manitoba. Previously, these approaches were limited to Language Arts and Social Studies. There has been a radical departure in the development process for the new Social Studies curriculum, scheduled to be ready by 2002, in that the Foundation Document is being developed, from the outset, by educators representing the Anglophone (including multicultural), francophone, and aboriginal communities.

Manitoba still abides by the 1992 policy document Multicultural Education: A Policy for the 1990s. The Race Relations Guidelines for Schools document, scheduled for release in the mid-nineties, was never completed. Its content will be folded into the Foundation Document, the first draft of which will be ready in February 1999. Its creators are committed to instilling greater tolerance and broader acceptance of all people, to reflect current growth and changes in the province as a whole.

From 1988 to 1996 the Manitoba Department of Education and Training held a three-week intensive Summer Institute on Multicultural and Anti-Racism Education with the University of Manitoba. This program, which emphasized a "whole school approach," has not been held for the last two years, as most of the interested teachers have already participated. The Department anticipates reinstating this program when the need arises.

The Manitoba Department of Education and Training currently provides, online, extensive listings of books, kits, videos and multimedia resources for anti-racism/multicultural education.

For the last two years, Winnipeg School District #1 has run an Anti-Racism Harmony Camp. Each session involves 40 students for two-and-a-half days in which they are given intercultural training. Last year, when the topic of racism was introduced into the Grade 7 curriculum, the District in-serviced half its Grade 7 teachers on the topic. It will provide training for the other half in autumn 1999. Nine individuals from the largest ethnic communities in the district help to develop cultural units for the classroom, and assist teachers in bringing people from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds into the classroom.

For details on learning outcomes which relate to anti-racism education and media education in the Manitoba Language Arts framework and the Social Studies and Health curricula, see Appendix G-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent Internet sites and teachers' publications for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in Manitoba can be found in Appendix G-2.

4.5 Quebec

The entire school program in Quebec is currently under reform, and should be available to report on by September 1999. Our information is that anti-racism education will, for the first time, be officially integrated across the curriculum from K- Secondary 4.

Until now, multicultural education has had no specific place in the Quebec curriculum. This does not mean that it has not been present in Quebec schooling, but simply that it has been left to the discretion of the individual teacher. Normally, multicultural education has been integrated by interested teachers into Religious and Moral Education, or citizenship units within Social Studies.

The Centre d?éducation interculturel et de compréhension international (CEICI), sponsored first by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in 1987 and subsequently by the Ministère de l?Éducation du Québec, has undertaken professional development in multicultural education throughout the nineties. Organizations which have partnered with CEICI include La Centrale de l?enseignement du Québec (CEQ), L?Association provinciale des enseignantes et enseignnants protestants (APEP/PAPT), l?Association québecoise des commissions scolaires (AQCS), l?Association des directeurs généraux des commissions scolaires du Québec (ADIGECSQ), l?Association québecoise des doyens et directeurs pour l?avancement des études de la recherche en éducation (ADEREQ) and the Ministère de l?Éducation du Québec (MEQ). As well, the ministry has sponsored two theme weeks each year, in November and in March, focusing on citizenship and intercultural relationships. Resources to support these theme weeks have been distributed by the ministry to the schools, but the choice to participate has rested with the individual school and teachers.

Over the years CEICI has produced about 25 multicultural teaching resources (kits, fact sheets, lesson plans, videos). It has also set up a documentation centre containing more than 2,800 items that can be ordered by teachers. CEICI?s newsletter Liaison-CEICI, is included with CEQ?s Nouvelles CEQ which distributes 100,000 copies throughout the province.

From 1992 to 1994, CEICI funded 84 projects in Quebec, for a total of $144,845. The first regional network was set up in the Eastern Townships, with the objective of delivering 12 professional development days over several years, to representatives from all the region's school boards. This idea caught on, and was carried out in subsequent years by the following regions: Québec, Bas Saint-Laurent, Bois Franc, Montérégie, Outaouais, Montrail, Laval-Laurentides, Lanaudière, Abitibi/Témiscamingue and Mauricie/Bois Franc.

During this period, CEICI developed a network of 70 activist-teachers who each had 22 days of professional development training over three years. Once trained, the members acted as "multipliers" in their respective regions. In addition, CEICI offered a total of 295 workshops to 8,666 educators across the province.

The main bulk of this activity took place before 1995, when CEICI had the support of CIDA. Now, with much-reduced support from the Quebec ministry of education only, CEICI?s intention is to collect information on what is actually happening in Quebec schools in intercultural education, stimulate further education and innovation in this field, and ensure that intercultural education becomes an important challenge for schools, and society at large, by the year 2000. The training delivered by CEICI should be evident when the anti-racism/multicultural threads are integrated throughout the new Quebec curriculum.

A list of Quebec multicultural and anti-racism contacts and organizations can be found in Appendix M.

4.6 Nova Scotia

In the Nova Scotia Public Schools Program (1997-1998) released by the Department of Education and Culture, there are six overall Graduation Learnings. Cross-cultural understanding is referred to in four of these: Aesthetic Expression, Citizenship, Personal Development and Problem Solving.

Of the four Atlantic provinces, Nova Scotia has the most well-defined anti-racism policy and has developed the most rigorous programs to address racism and lack of tolerance between cultures. The Nova Scotia ministry has established the Office for Race Relations and Cross-cultural Understanding, within which three consultants are responsible for the African-Canadian Services Division, Mi'kmaq Education and Multicultural Education.

The mandate of the African-Canadian Services Division (ACSD), established in 1996, is to implement the 45 recommendations of the BLAC Report (Black Learners Advisory Committee Report on Education, 1994). Its director, Robert Upshaw, is interested both in resources to address minority portrayal in the media for black students, and for students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. ACSD has created an African-Canadian Studies course (ACSII) which has been offered as a Social Studies credit since September 1997. A ministry program to provide 20 scholarships a year for 10 years to African-Canadian teachers-in-training provides an opportunity to reach black teachers with Portrayal of Diversity resources.

Mi'kmaq Program director, Lorraine Collins-Smith is concerned that popular culture is eroding the heritage of native children, and that on reserves kids are managing their own time more and more, watching a great deal of TV and playing video games. She was interested in the possibility of having teaching units on the portrayal of First Nation peoples. The Mi?kmaq Program was established in 1997. An Aboriginal Studies program for Grade 10 was introduced in the fall of 1998.

The Multicultural Division oversees the four major school divisions in Nova Scotia, each of which has its own race-relations consultant. These consultants are responsible for in-service professional development programs.

The Halifax Regional School Board released a new Race Relations, Cross Cultural Understanding and Human Rights Policy (RCH) in February 1997. The Halifax board "assigns a high priority to its RCH policy and is dedicated to fully implement this policy, including budget, the development of guidelines and ongoing evaluation." Clause 5 of the board?s curriculum policy document says that "anti-racism ?education shall become integrated into curriculum commencing with the addition of specific units and material resources; progressing through the incorporation of developed and new materials into the general curriculum; and, culminating in the automatic inclusion of relevant information as new materials are developed."

The coordinator of the Board's Department of Race Relations, Cross Cultural Understanding and Human Rights (RCH) program, stressed that the focus for the Halifax board is anti-racist education and not multiculturalism, though she conceded that many teachers are more comfortable with the latter terminology. The Halifax board intends anti-racism education to be part of the curriculum in Grade 4 ? 12. It plans to focus first on the secondary level, eventually "moving down" to lower grade levels. One hundred of the Halifax board's 143 schools have identified RCH liaison representatives who could be contacted with information about future Portrayal of Diversity resources.

The board offers two specific courses into which Portrayal of Diversity resources could be integrated at the Grade 10/11 level -- Aboriginal Studies and African Canadian History. One school, the Nelson Winder School, has been established as an Afri-centred school for promoting black culture.

A model school program in the Halifax Board is the African Percussion Group at Ross Road School, which, over the last two years has developed into a cultural group. Students learn about the art forms of African song, music, dance and culture and, during performances to schools and communities, teach the audience about the background and symbolism of the performance. The school has a diverse student body, including African Canadians and First Nations students, but the project welcomes all students. Due to its success, there is a movement within the board to incorporate parts of this program into the curriculum.

Outside the school system, but nevertheless connected to it, is a new organization called Black Journalists of Nova Scotia. This organization of journalists and journalism students has produced a video advocating unbiased reporting. The organization is being called upon to take part in panel discussion presentations in Nova Scotia schools.

As a result of her research trip to Nova Scotia, MNet?s Education Coordinator was invited back to do two one-day workshops for elementary and secondary teachers, to demonstrate how MNet's online resources, including existing resources on media stereotyping, meet the demands of the new Language Arts learning outcomes. In collaboration with the Ministry she has also linked MNet teaching resources, online, to individual learning outcomes throughout the Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum, thus paving the way for the dissemination of future Portrayal of Diversity resources.

For details on learning outcomes which relate to anti-racism education and media education in the Nova Scotia Language Arts framework and the Social Studies and Health curricula, see Appendix H-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent teachers publications and Internet sites for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in Nova Scotia can be found in Appendix H-2.

4.7 New Brunswick

One of the goals of the New Brunswick Department of Education is to teach students to "respect the attributes, gender, race and ethnic origins of others."

New Brunswick is the lead province for an impressive new Social Studies curriculum for the four Atlantic Provinces. The curriculum revolves around six strands, one of which is "Canadian Heritage and Diversity." The senior curriculum (9 - 12) and the Grade 8 course are now set. The focus on race relations is at the Grade 9-10 level. Curriculum developers are now working on a new Social Studies curriculum for the primary and elementary grades. A Native Studies course is offered at the Grade 12 level. For details on related learning outcomes for New Brunswick, see Appendix I-1.

Two special community programs which may lend themselves, in future, to the integration of Portrayal of Diversity resources in this province are the S.T.A.R. Program (Student Team Against Racism) and PRUDE INC (Pride of Race, Unity and Dignity through Education). S.T.A.R., which began in 1996, is an RCMP-backed program to involve students, teachers and the community in a variety of pro-active anti-racism activities. PRUDE, a Saint John-based organization which goes back to 1981, is dedicated to the full participation of the Black Community in the social, cultural and economic fabric of mainstream New Brunswick life. It runs a wide range of special committees, including a Television Committee and Cross-cultural Awareness Committee. Both organizations have web sites that can be used as vehicles for promotion.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent teachers publications and Internet sites for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in New Brunswick can be found in Appendix I-2.

4.8 Prince Edward Island

The Prince Edward Island Department of Education has no specific policy for race relations. The Department's approach to multicultural education is to integrate it into curriculum, classroom implementation and staff development. PEI's race relations/multicultural curriculum is based on the Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation outcomes for English Language Arts. Curriculum developers are presently integrating race relations into Social Studies as well. Racism and anti-racism strategies will be part of the Grade 9 Social Studies program, which has been developed by New Brunswick. In this province, curricula come directly from the Ministry, with little or no board input.

Three years ago the ministry initiated a new Race Relations Consultant position. The Social Studies consultant, who added this portfolio to other responsibilities, has organized two summer institutes: the first with the government of PEI, focusing on anti-racist education; the second, in collaboration with the PEI Teachers Federation and the University of PEI, for teachers throughout the Atlantic provinces. They were quite successful but this past summer the Institute had to be canceled due to low registration. From now on, they will be conducted bi-annually. The Social Studies/Race Relations consultant, Wanda Whitlock, thinks that depending on volunteers for anti-racism education is a problem, and that a more structured system is needed to support teachers as they take their training back into the classroom. She would also like to see race relations education hooked up to specific curricula to reach more teachers, and not just those who volunteer out of personal interest.

For details on Prince Edward Island curricular learning outcomes relating to multiculturalism and media literacy, see Appendix J-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent teachers publications and Internet sites for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in Prince Edward Island can be found in Appendix J-2.

4.9 Newfoundland

Newfoundland has a Multicultural Education Policy (1992) but the policy is not formally reflected in curricula for Newfoundland and Labrador, except insofar as Newfoundland is part of the Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation. The policy does state that "multiculturalism", "tolerance" and "the unique position of Aboriginal peoples" will be integrated into new curriculum documents as they are developed.

The Social Studies consultant at the Ministry of Education says there is very little curriculum-supported race relations education in Newfoundland and Labrador. He feels this is wrong, because, although their region is the most homogeneous in Canada, many of Newfoundland?s young people leave for the mainland.

The only specific race relations curriculum unit offered in Newfoundland is the Human Rights section of Global Issues, Gr. 12, which deals with discrimination.

For details on Newfoundland curricular learning outcomes relating to multiculturalism and media literacy, see Appendix K-1.

Government, school board and community contacts, as well as pertinent teachers? publications and Internet sites for the future promotion of Portrayal of Diversity resources in Newfoundland can be found in Appendix K-2.

4.10 Ontario

Ontario was an early leader in multicultural and anti-racist education. The province was active in multicultural education in the 80s, and in the early 90s, the ministry of education produced A Resource Guide for Anti-racist and Ethnocultural-Equity Education (1992) (1992) (1992) and Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity in School Boards: Guidelines for Policy Development and Implementation (1993).

This area of activity has been dealt a severe blow in the curriculum reform currently underway. The Antiracism and Ethno-Cultural Equity Branch was disbanded almost two years ago. We have been unable, during the period of this research, to arrange meetings with officials at the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. Curriculum directors and consultants were too busy and preoccupied with the design and writing of the new Grades 9 to 12 curricula to meet with us.

We have, however, been able to review the new curriculum documents for Grades 1 to 8, which were implemented in autumn 1998. In stark contrast to the curriculum documents prepared by the western and eastern provinces, there are only eight references to different cultures within Canada in Ontario's Social Studies curriculum document for Grades 1 to 8 and no references to Canada's multicultural fabric in the Grades 1 - 8 curriculum documents for The Arts, Health and Physical Education, and Language.

Telephone interviews with educators from major Ontario school boards, however, would indicate that, so far, momentum and clearly identified needs are still moving multicultural and anti-racism education along, in spite of curriculum reform.

The Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario?s Anti-Racist Education Committee, established in 1992, reaffirmed, in 1997/98 the organization?s commitment to develop a resource which could "assist members in implementing anti-racist curriculum... identify anti-racist materials for use at faculties of education... and ...provide anti-racist education strategies" for inclusion in their publications Post Haste and The Newsletter.

The Toronto Board of Education?s approach to anti-racism education is to integrate it across the curriculum, at every level, in every subject. There are three generations of equity/anti-racism policy at the board ? 15 years ago, three years ago and this year?s, in which all equity issues ? gender, race, sexuality ? are combined into the new Human Rights policy. The board also organizes anti-racism camps for students and anti-racism staff courses. It offers a native studies course created and run with the help of the native studies advisor. The Board has an Equity Committee with a representative from each school.

The Peel Board of Education has an anti-racism coordinator who works in staff development, community liaison and conflict resolution. She uses the 1997 Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario teaching kit Untie the Knots of Prejudice extensively at the elementary level.

The York Region Board currently has its own Anti-racism and Ethnocultural Equity Policy, a Coordinator of Race Relations and a Race Relations Advisory Committee. The Director of Education has set up an Action Group on Race Relations whereby schools are developing and sharing successful anti-racist education practices. Anti-racism is one of the Board?s stated learning outcomes and it has recently produced Ensuring Our Successes: Anti-racist Indicators for an Inclusive School, Sharing Our Successes which promotes best practices to combat racism in schools, and School Plans for Continuous Improvement to help principals, in consultation with staff, communities and, where appropriate, students, ensure that anti-racism education and practice are addressed. The Board publishes a regular newsletter Pathways to Equity that highlights best practices and interesting race relations projects. The June ?98 issue features a report on the Together We?re Better conference, the Fourth Annual Conference for Students of African Heritage, the Sumaj/Understanding conference for students of South Asian Heritage and June 21st National Aboriginal Day.