{"id":3914,"date":"2019-08-17T08:35:17","date_gmt":"2019-08-17T13:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/?p=3914"},"modified":"2023-03-10T10:25:36","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T15:25:36","slug":"a-call-to-action-to-help-update-the-education-and-tourism-systems-in-tiotake-montreal-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/a-call-to-action-to-help-update-the-education-and-tourism-systems-in-tiotake-montreal-2\/","title":{"rendered":"A Call to Action to Help Update the Education and Tourism Systems in Tiot\u00e0:ke \/ Montreal!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a Call to Action to help\nupdate the Education and Tourism systems in Tiot\u00e0:ke \/ Montreal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a licensed tour guide and History\nteacher, I have recently been working on updating Montreal’s Tourism Industry\nand Education System because they are unbearably colonial, Euro-centric and\nmis-representative of First Nations, women and Other marginalized communities.\nThis unfortunate situation is a direct result of the Quebec Department of\nEducation’s ongoing insistence of mis-educating the general population,\nincluding with its recently debunked “History” curriculum<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, since the early 1600s,\nEuropean colonial cultures have been revising historical facts to promote\ncolonial projects on Turtle Island \/ North America, and this continues into the\npresent. One needs only look at the 1606 Theatre of\nNeptune in New France<\/a> and “The Society of Notre-Dame of\nMontreal for the Conversion of Savages of New France” (1639) as early\npieces of Euro-centric “education” and revisionism.<\/p>\n\n\n

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More recently, the Residential School System<\/a> has achieved the\nsame effect of cultural genocide against Indigenous people for what is arguably\nthe same Euro-centric colonial project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is time to stop this deceitful\nand colonial power imbalance dead in its tracks, if anything because the racist\nand sexist “History” curriculum renders everyone except white\ncolonial males invisible, marginal or outright misrepresented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those excluded from the Quebec Education Department’s “History” curriculum include Women, First Nations, Black, Irish, Jewish, Muslim, LQBTQ, Disabled, Impoverished, Immigrant, Refugee and Other important communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Quebec Education Department’s\nongoing refusal to allow a real History program results in not only\nmis-education and generalized ignorance, but can lead to racism, sexism, homophobia,\nintolerance and hate against misrepresented and marginalized communities – and\nsometimes even more devastating consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n

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In the local Tourism Industry,\nthings are just as outdated and Euro-centric. For example, Montreal\nby-law G-2<\/a> has created a monopoly\/cartel of mostly white\ncolonial-ancestry tour guides (A.P.G.T.) within the City’s boundaries. There is\nnot even one First Nations guide operating legally on the un-ceded Indigenous\nterritory of Tiot\u00e0:ke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, the A.P.G.T. has\nreceived complaints about racist language and discourse among its mostly white\ntour guides. For example, on May 18, 2017<\/strong>, a letter of complaint, from a\nconscientious local citizen, was sent via email to the A.P.G.T. and Tourisme\nMontr\u00e9al<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Good afternoon,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I live in Montreal and work in Old\nMontreal.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday of this week, as I was\nwalking by the statue of Maisonneuve in front of the church, I could hear an\nEnglish speaking tour guide telling his group (of about 20 tourists) about the\n\u2018savages\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He kept on talking and repeating\n\u2018savages\u2019 (with emphasis) and then I realized he was referring to our First\nNations people.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was at first very ashamed\nthat we (Montreal) are referring to our native people this way- and the\nimpression it must leave with the tourists. After all, we invaded their land\nand they were just defending themselves.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not react at that time- so I\ndid not see which\/if any \u2018badge\u2019 the tour guide had, therefore I am unable to\nsay for whom he worked.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I feel it is your responsibility\nto make sure ALL tour guides do not continue to refer to our natives as\n\u2018savages\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will return every day during my\nlunch hour to that square- with my camera so if I see\/hear this sort of\nlanguage again- I will be able to film it. (if I do film this, I will send you\na copy).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I sure hope that you are able to\nremedy this situation asap<\/em><\/strong>.\nBecause it is not kind nor fair and I am embarrassed to be associated this.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please advise your employees not to\nrefer to them as savages.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you very much for taking the\ntime to read this.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The racist guide was repeatedly\npointing at the 1895 Maisonneuve Monument, which occupies the heart of\nMontreal’s tourist district in the center of the Place d’Armes<\/em>.\nSurprisingly, this racist centerpiece of Montreal’s Tourism Industry was recently refurbished<\/a> in 2009 instead of being\nremoved from public sight and placed behind glass in a museum, where it belongs\nas a colonial relic of the past. 21st Century historiographical norms demand\nnothing less.<\/p>\n\n\n

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This tour guide’s performance is as disgusting as the racist statue that prompted it!\u00a0I can only imagine him, frothing at the mouth like a rabid, savage animal that has yet to be captured by the S.P.C.A., as he delivers this outrageously racist monologue! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the problems is that Montreal bylaw G-2 has created a monopoly of mostly white tour guides. The bylaw states that it is illegal to be a tour guide unless “educated” at the ITHQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is not easy trying to update\noutdated systems such as Education and Tourism, but it is a crucial first step\ntowards decolonization. A good starting point is to see what the local First\nNations themselves are doing in regards to Education and Tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recently\nvisited  Kahnaw\u00e0:ke and had an amazing experience with guide Dwayne Stacey<\/a> of Kahnaw\u00e0:ke Tourism,<\/a> who is also a History\nand Archaeology teacher at the Kahnaw\u00e0:ke Survival School. His tour was very\nauthentic and Indigenous – the exact type of experience 2.0 (next generation)\ntourists are thirsting for!<\/p>\n\n\n

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As a professor of History and\nArchaeology at the at the Kahnaw\u00e0:ke Survival School, Mr. Stacey enjoys\nthe right to teach real, authentic history because Kahnaw\u00e0:ke is an\nindependent First Nation and creates its own curriculum, based on historical\nfacts, unlike the Quebec Education Curriculum’s Euro-centric\n“History” course (which I must teach). Sadly, this distorted\n“History” course was first ordered by a minority-government Parti\nQu\u00e9b\u00e9cois<\/em> in 2013, which aimed to employ the course to promote Quebec’s\nstruggle for nationhood. It has since been widely-exposed as a piece of political propaganda<\/a> and not actually a real\nHistory course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These issues in Tourism and\nEducation require immediate attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you help?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Begin by (re)educating\nyourself. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due to ongoing mis-education by government “Education” systems, it can be very challenging to accept that we have not been taught properly and to try and seek out the Truth, as recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. One good starting point is the Indigenous Ally Toolkit<\/a>, which states that “Educating yourself is an ongoing process. Change will not be easy and you will never truly be an expert on Indigenous challenges and realities, but you can work in allyship.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Please be aware of problems in Tourism and Education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal’s Tourism Industry has been described as too Euro-centric, as evidenced by Tourisme Montreal<\/em> refusing to engage with the 2019 UN Year of Indigenous Languages, a mostly white cartel of tour guides (A.P.G.T), a tourism school (I.T.H.Q.) that fails to teach guides Indigenous history, vocabulary or perspectives and a by-law (G-2) that excludes guides from marginalized communities from operating legally. In line with the Recommendations and Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the M.M.W.G.I Calls to Justice, the Tourism and Education systems need to be updated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Please join 2.0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us in these important updates\nby requesting to join the 2.0 (Montreal Tour Guides\/Guides touristiques de montr\u00e9al)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\nFacebook Group where we are actively discussing these issues with the view of\ntaking future action to ensure the updates are not snarled by colonial viruses\nand whatnot. Please email optatif@gmail to request to join the secret group of\npost-colonialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.0 was created because the original\nGuides touristiques de montr\u00e9al<\/em> group (run by the A.P.G.T.) does not\nallow guides outside of their monopoly, does not allow political discussion\nabout important activist issues, such as Truth and Reconciliation, censors\npolitical discourse and refuses to discipline its members who use racist\nlanguage and create racist imagery against indigenous people, on whose\nterritory we operate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal exists on the un-ceded\nKanien’keh\u00e1:ka (Mohawk) territory of Tio’tia:ke in\nnorthern Kanien’keh, also known as the Land of the Flint. The A.P.G.T.\nrefuses to publicly acknowledge this fact on its website or do a territorial\nacknowledgement, in line with ancient Indigenous protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The 2.0 page is a safe space to\ndiscuss all post-colonial matters relating to Montreal Tourism, Education,\nJournalism, Social Services and Arts & Culture. Any members who use racist\nlanguage or deny that Montreal is on un-ceded indigenous territory will be\nimmediately expelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.0 is not only for tour guides and\nthose wishing to guide, but also for post-colonial educators, activists,\njournalists, social workers, co-conspirators and supporters of Truth and\nReconciliation initiatives and decolonization. If we build strong enough\nalliances and bonds, we can urgently update these broken systems sooner rather\nthan later.<\/p>\n\n\n

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4. Prepare for action.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step is to challenge\nMontreal’s Euro-centric by-law G-2 so we will be launching a campaign in early\n2019 to officially scrap it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will need activists to send\nemails, post messages, help raise awareness and potentially carry out direct\nactions to liberate guided walks in Montreal from the oppressive by-law G-2.\nGuided walks are an ancient form of street performance and they are likely\nlegally protected under Freedom of Expression, which takes precedence over\nmunicipal by-laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will also have to lobby the new\nCAQ Minister of Education to update the offensive and racist\n“History” course being taught throughout colonial Quebec.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I look forward to working and\nperforming in activist campaigns with you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Solidarity,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donovan King, MFA, BEd, BFA, ACS,\nDEC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Griffin Tours<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please have a look at recent media reports about 2.0 members working on these issues and share with anyone who you think might be interested in these updates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal Gazette.\u00a0Our streets are haunted, especially in Old Montreal<\/a>. Bill Brownstein. October 27, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global News. Mohawk Mothers demand investigation into potential unmarked graves at McGill University<\/a>. Olivia O’Malley. October 20, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Door. Mohawk question ignored by city<\/a>. Laurence Brisson Dubreuil. August 27, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

APTN. “What to do with Canada\u2019s colonial statues, street names?<\/a>“. Lindsay Richardson. June 26, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Door. Montreal Bylaw Hinders Indigenous Tour Guides<\/a>. Sarah Cooke. May 15, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal Gazette. Montreal\nmulls bylaw change to allow unlicensed Indigenous tour guides<\/a>. T’Cha\nDunlevy, May 15, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OCPM. Submission for Public Consultation regarding Systemic Racism and
Discrimination in Montreal<\/a>. Donovan King. October 30, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


CKUT Radio with Sarah Deshaies. Interview with Donovan King about Griffin Tours and Problems in Montreal’s Tourism Industry<\/a>. August 15, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CJAD Radio 800 with Anne Lagac\u00e9\nDowson. Interview with Donovan King about Haunted Montreal and\nGriffin Tours<\/a>. July 9, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

APTN National News. Local guide calls for revisions to Montreal\u2019s colonialist\nmonuments<\/a>. Lindsay Richardson. July 3, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC Radio One – Daybreak with Ainslie MacLellan. Interview with Donovan King of Haunted Montreal<\/a>. June 27, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC Montreal. On the 140th anniversary of Mary Gallagher’s murder, historian appeals to city to mark Griffintown sites<\/a>.  Elysha Enos. June 27, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal Gazette. Will Montreal\u2019s most infamous ghost appear Thursday night?<\/a> Bill Brownstein. June 26, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC Radio One. All in a Weekend with Ainslie MacLellan. Interview with Donovan King<\/a>. June 13, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC Montreal. Dream of memorial park in Montreal to honour Irish famine\nvictims inches closer<\/a>. March 17, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio-Canada. Bient\u00f4t un parc comm\u00e9moratif \u00e0 Montr\u00e9al pour les victimes de\nla famine d’Irlande<\/a>. 17 mars, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC News TV \u2013 Montreal. Great\nFamine Walking Tour<\/a>. March 16, 2019. (clip runs 8:45 – 10:32)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Door. Montreal Tourism To Better Reflect Native History<\/a>. \nLindsay Richardson. March 16, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Irish Central. “Green Season” celebrates and commemorates Irish\nin Montreal<\/a>. Miles Murphy. March 15, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC News. Controversy over Indigenous representation pursues Robert\nLepage play as it opens in Paris: Abenaki filmmaker attends premiere, says play\noverlooks history of Indigenous activism<\/a>. December 17, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC News. Inuit children in Quebec youth protection left in ‘no man’s\nland’<\/a>. Ainslie MacLellan. December 13, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC News. Indigenous youth in Quebec child protection told not to\nspeak their own languages, sources say: ‘How can we still be doing this?’ asks\nNakuset, executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal<\/a>.\nAinslie MacLellan. December 12, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC News. Why losing her sister changed everything for Nakuset, and\nhow she hopes to break the cycle<\/a>. Nakuset. December 11, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University of Calgary Alumni Association.\nCareers in Motion: King of Montreal\u2019s Hidden Histories\nDonovan King, MFA\u201904<\/a>. Deb Cummins. December 11, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC News. Found and lost: Nakuset was separated from her sister Sonya\nduring the Sixties Scoop, but reunited with her as an adult \u2014 only to lose her\nagain to suicide<\/a>. Ainslie MacLellan. December 11, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC Indigenous. Montreal tour guide wants more Indigenous history\nincorporated into industry training<\/a>. Jessica Deer. November 8, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal Times. Montreal Haunted Mountain Tour<\/a>. Deborah Rankin.\nNovember 6, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McGill Tribune. Montreal tour guide highlights indigenous history<\/a>.\nLeyla Moy. December 5, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Door. Guide Wants Full History Of City During Tours<\/a>.\nLachlan Madill. November 2, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CityNews Montreal. TV interview with tour guide Donovan King<\/a>,\nNovember 2, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBC Radio One \u2013 Daybreak with Mike Finnerty. Interview with Donovan King of Haunted Montreal<\/a>. November 2, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*** PLEASE SHARE WIDELY ***<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a Call to Action to help update the Education and Tourism systems in Tiot\u00e0:ke \/ Montreal! As a licensed tour guide and History teacher, I have recently been working on updating Montreal’s Tourism Industry and Education System because they are unbearably colonial, Euro-centric and mis-representative of First Nations, women and Other marginalized communities. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3914"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5111,"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3914\/revisions\/5111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}