Canada: A Living History

A living timeline of Canada’s race relations for Canada150

Initiative Background

Through an interactive journey through lesser-known events and policies in Canada’s history, participants discovered both the historical depth and continuing effects of race issues.

In collaboration with local Edmonton youth, the Centre for Race and Culture created a living timeline to explore racism and racial discrimination in Canada’s history and present.

In collaboration with local Edmonton youth, the Centre for Race and Culture created a living timeline to explore racism and racial discrimination in Canada’s history and present. This timeline was presented to the Edmonton community through a live, interactive installation, followed by a reflective dialogue with the student actors.

As we observed Canada’s 150th year since confederation, we reflected on the stories of this land and the peoples that live here.

As we observed Canada’s 150th year since confederation, we reflected on the stories of this land and the peoples that live here. This initiative highlighted the diversity of experiences that make up our communities while raising awareness of the impacts of certain events and policies. The students used art to explore race, discrimination, power, privilege, empathy, and justice by creating vignettes.

Filmmaker Abdul Malik helped us create this short film.

Initiative Funders

This initiative is made possible by the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th, a collaboration between the Edmonton Community Foundation, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast and the Government of Alberta and the City of Edmonton.