Dan Levy took this free Indigenous history course and you can too

24- hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866 925-4419

Last summer, Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy asked fans on social media to enroll in a free Indigenous history course with him to better understand Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.

Levy encouraged those enrolled to send him Q&A questions so they could have weekly discussions with the professors about the class on Instagram Live.

Come learn with me? I’ve signed up for a (free) course through the University of Alberta called Indigenous Canada. 12 lessons that explore Indigenous histories and contemporary issues from an Indigenous perspective.

This little video explains it all. Sign up via link in my bio! pic.twitter.com/LccboMO8X2

— dan levy (@danjlevy) August 18, 2020

“If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to actively re-learn history. History that wasn’t taught to us in school. To better understand and contextualize our lives,” he said.

The course is still being offered for free online from the University of Alberta. It is called “Indigenous Canada” and explores through 12 key lessons the issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective.

It is taught by Dr. Paul Gareu, a Métis and assistant professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta.

This course can be a helpful starting point to educated about injustices in Canada that Indigenous people endured, like residential schools.

Last week, remains of 215 Indigenous children were found buried at a former residential school in BC, which has been devastating news to communities and families.

• See also:
  • Dan Levy asks Canadians to take Indigenous history course with him
  • Remains of 215 children found buried at former residential school in BC
  • Memorial growing to honour children buried at BC residential school site

One of the modules in the course is called “Killing the Indian in the Child,” which discusses the intergenerational impact of the residential school system, and the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Levy addressed the residential school tragedy on his Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dan Levy (@instadanjlevy)

“This isn’t just a part of Canada’s history, it’s a part of its present and future as well. And categorizing this tragedy as something the past should be responsible for takes all accountability off the shoulders of Canada and Canadian settlers today,” he said in his post.

To learn more, anyone can take the course online for free by auditing it on Coursera. It is also offered for credits to students studying at the University of Alberta.