# Citizenship 9 — Studyable Content **Purpose:** Testable material organized around the Nova Scotia Citizenship 9 curriculum indicators. Each unit section lists the indicators it covers, the vocabulary and concepts students need to know, and sample test items modeled on the Mi'kmaw Studies 11 June Study Guide format. **How to use:** Items tagged **[HIGH]** appear on unit tests. Items tagged **[MEDIUM]** appear on quizzes. Items tagged **[LOW]** or **[CONTEXT ONLY]** are background — useful for understanding but unlikely to be tested directly. **Recycling note:** Units 2 and 5 draw on Mi'kmaw Studies 11 material, simplified to Grade 9 reading level. Where the source MM Studies content is technical (e.g., the Gladue funding gap, Bill C-5), it has been simplified or removed. Dates and facts come from the MM Studies June Study Guide. Where a date or detail depends on the local community, the file flags **"teacher verify"** — do not put it on an assessment without checking. **Curriculum verbs this content targets:** Evaluate, Analyse, Investigate, Reflect, Compare, Predict. --- ## Unit 1 — Who Am I as a Citizen? (WHERE Project + Government Foundations) *Unit 1 is assessed through the **WHERE Project Portfolio (10%)** and the **Civic Foundations portfolio** — there is no U1 unit test. The Class 8 content check is formative. The Service Learning spine relaunches in Term 2 (Classes 26–30) — its vocabulary lives at the bottom of this section.* ### Curriculum Indicators (the filter) - Compare rights and responsibilities as current and future citizens - Investigate how worldview impacts understanding of citizenship - Investigate the structure and operation of government in Canada *(early foundation — deepened in Unit 5)* ### Key Vocabulary (the Class 8 check draws from these) - **Civic identity** [HIGH] — who you are as a member of your school, community, province, country, and world. - **Worldview** [HIGH] — the lens (culture, family, experience, place) through which a person understands citizenship and belonging. - **Jurisdiction** [HIGH] — the authority of a government to make and enforce laws over an area or subject. - **Federal jurisdiction** [HIGH] — powers assigned to Canada under the *Constitution Act, 1867* (s. 91): defence, currency, criminal law, Indigenous matters, trade and tariffs, postal service. - **Provincial jurisdiction** [HIGH] — powers assigned to the provinces (s. 92): healthcare, education, highways, natural resources, property and civil rights. - **Municipal delegation** [HIGH] — municipalities have only the powers the province gives them: zoning, transit, recreation, garbage, local bylaws. - **Bylaw** [HIGH] — a law made by a municipal government under delegated authority (e.g., an HRM zoning bylaw). - **Directive** [MEDIUM] — an instruction from a provincial ministry governing how schools and agencies operate (e.g., the NS school cellphone directive). - **Statute** [MEDIUM] — a law passed by a federal or provincial legislature. - **YCJA** [MEDIUM] — the *Youth Criminal Justice Act* (2003), the federal law governing 12–17-year-olds. - **Accountability, proportionality, rehabilitation** [MEDIUM] — YCJA s. 3 principles: young people are accountable, consequences must fit the offence, and the system aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate. ### Core Concepts 1. **Citizenship is layered and personal.** [TESTABLE] A Grade 9 student is a citizen of a school, a neighbourhood, a province, a country, and a world — and their five significant places can span all of those layers. 2. **Worldview shapes what "good citizen" means.** [TESTABLE] A worldview built on individual rights frames citizenship as personal freedom; one built on collective responsibility frames it as reciprocity. Neither is automatically correct — both are real. 3. **Government in Canada is layered by enumerated powers.** [TESTABLE] Federal (s. 91), provincial (s. 92), municipal (delegated). Knowing which level holds which power tells you *who can actually act* on an issue. 4. **Every policy issue has a level — often more than one.** [TESTABLE] Housing = municipal zoning + provincial directives + federal programs. Tariffs = federal trade law with provincial ripple effects. The school cellphone ban = a provincial directive implemented by schools. 5. **Youth justice balances accountability with rehabilitation.** [TESTABLE] The YCJA treats young people as accountable but developing — consequences should be proportionate and aim at reintegration, not just punishment. ### NS-Specific Content - **Housing:** HRM zoning bylaws (municipal), provincial housing directives, federal housing programs — all three levels, one issue. - **Cellphone directive:** announced June 2024, in force since the 2024–25 school year — personal devices off and out of sight during instructional time in all NS public schools. - **Minimum wage (for Unit 3):** NS minimum wage is **$16.75/hr (April 1, 2026)**, rising to **$17.00/hr on October 1, 2026**. - **WHERE Project:** five Places of Significance mapped in the StoryMap Studio; graded asynchronously on the Progress Dashboard (place authenticity, caption evidence, range, completion). ### Sample Test Items (Class 8 formative check — full bank in `cit9-u1-quiz-bank.md`) **Q1 — Multiple choice.** The rule that personal cellphones must be off and away during class exists because of: - a) An HRM bylaw - b) A provincial directive - c) A federal statute - d) A school fundraiser decision **Answer:** b **Q2 — Multiple choice.** Tariffs on imported goods are set by which level of government? - a) Municipal - b) Provincial - c) Federal - d) School boards **Answer:** c **Q3 — Multiple choice.** A rule about what can be built on a specific Halifax street is an example of: - a) A federal statute - b) A provincial directive - c) A municipal bylaw - d) A YCJA provision **Answer:** c **Q4 — Short answer.** Why do we say municipal powers are "delegated" rather than "enumerated"? **Model answer:** Municipalities get only the powers the province gives them (delegation). Federal and provincial powers are written directly into the Constitution (enumerated, s. 91 and s. 92). A city can't invent a power the province hasn't handed over. **Q5 — Scenario.** A harbour's water quality is making people sick. Name one action each level of government could legally take. **Model answer:** Federal — navigation/shipping and fisheries law, criminal-law penalties for pollution. Provincial — environmental regulations, health directives. Municipal — local sewer/stormwater bylaws, waterfront zoning. (Any reasonable action per level.) **Q6 — Reflect.** Name one responsibility you already carry as a citizen and one that arrives at 18. **Model answer:** Any honest current responsibility (following school rules, contributing to household/community); at 18 — voting, jury duty eligibility, contracts, full legal adulthood. ### Service Learning Project — spine vocabulary (Terms 2–3; assessed by project rubrics, no unit test) - **Service learning** [HIGH] — learning by doing real work that helps a community; combines action with reflection (volunteering helps others; service learning also helps the citizen grow). - **Community need** [HIGH] · **Stakeholder** [MEDIUM] · **Action plan** [HIGH] · **Reflection** [HIGH] · **Citizenship skills** [HIGH] · **Reciprocity** [MEDIUM] — the partner gives as much as they receive; the opposite of extractive "charity" · **Sustainability** [MEDIUM] · **Community partner** [MEDIUM]. --- ## Unit 2 — Who Am I as a Citizen? ### Curriculum Indicators (the filter) - Compare rights and responsibilities as current and future citizens - Investigate how worldview impacts understanding of citizenship - Evaluate personal strengths and skills and how these contribute to communities - Predict how a citizen's role may change over time - Investigate how and why citizenship rights have changed for various people in Canada - Evaluate the importance of treaties as integral to citizenship rights and responsibilities - Analyse the role of all citizens in reconciliation ### Key Vocabulary - **Citizenship** [HIGH] — Being a member of a country, with rights and responsibilities. More than a document — it is also how you take part. - **Rights** [HIGH] — Things you are entitled to by law (free expression, education, equality, vote, safety). - **Responsibilities** [HIGH] — Duties you have as a member of a community (obey laws, vote, pay taxes, respect others). - **Worldview** [HIGH] — The set of beliefs and values through which a person understands the world. Shaped by culture, family, and experience. - **Treaty** [HIGH] — A formal agreement between nations. In Canada, this refers both to historical treaties with Indigenous nations and to the Constitution Act, 1982. - **Peace and Friendship Treaties** [HIGH] — Treaties between the British Crown and the Mi'kmaq (1725–1779 series; key NS instruments **1752** and **1760–61**). These were agreements of coexistence and trade — *not* surrenders of land. The **1760 truckhouse clause** promised Mi'kmaq the ability to bring goods to trade at Crown truckhouses — the legal seed of the "moderate livelihood" right confirmed in *R. v. Marshall* (1999). (See Timeline.) - **Netukulimk** [MEDIUM] — Mi'kmaw concept: "the use, protection and stewardship of the land and resources provided by the Creator for the sustenance and well-being of the Mi'kmaq" (Assembly of NS Mi'kmaw Chiefs). A worldview of reciprocity and stewardship — not maximizing yield. Connected to **msit no'kmaq** ("all my relations"). - **Seven Districts of Mi'kma'ki** [MEDIUM] — the traditional districts: **Unama'kik** (Cape Breton), **Sipekne'katik** (central mainland NS), **Kespukwitk** (southwestern NS), **Eskikewa'kik** (eastern shore NS), **Epekwitk** (PEI), **Siknikt** (Chignecto isthmus region), **Kespek** (Gaspé). Spelling varies across sources; verify current usage with Mi'kmaw sources before assessing. (Verified against heritage.nf.ca, Mi'kmawey Debert Cultural Centre, and MKI materials, Sept 2026.) - **Reconciliation** [HIGH] — The ongoing work of building respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, addressing past harms and current inequities. - **Residential schools** [HIGH] — Government- and church-run schools that took Indigenous children from their families (late 1800s–1996). The TRC described their legacy as *cultural genocide*. - **Indian Act** [MEDIUM] — A federal law first passed in 1876 that controls status, bands, and reserves. It still has many rules from that era and is widely seen as unfair. (See Cross-Reference.) - **Section 35** [MEDIUM] — Part of the *Constitution Act, 1982* that recognizes and protects existing Indigenous and treaty rights. - **Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)** [HIGH] — A commission (2008–2015) that listened to residential school survivors and issued 94 Calls to Action. - **Mi'kma'ki** [LOW] — The traditional territory of the Mi'kmaq: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, parts of Quebec (Gaspé), and Newfoundland. (Teacher verify the full list before quoting on a test.) - **Intergenerational trauma** [MEDIUM] — Trauma passed from survivors to their children and grandchildren through family disruption, loss of language, and ongoing stress. ### Core Concepts 1. **Citizenship is layered and changing.** [TESTABLE] A Grade 9 student is already a citizen of a school, a neighbourhood, a province, a country, and a wider world. Rights and responsibilities change over time — voting at 18, full legal adulthood at 19, future digital rights that don't exist yet. 2. **Worldview shapes what "good citizen" means.** [TESTABLE] A worldview built on individual rights frames citizenship as personal freedom. A worldview built on collective responsibility frames citizenship as reciprocity — what you owe your community. Both are real; neither is automatically more correct. 3. **Indigenous citizenship rights in Canada changed slowly and painfully.** [TESTABLE] Mi'kmaw people are the original peoples of Mi'kma'ki. They signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the British Crown. Even after those treaties, they were denied basic citizenship rights for generations — they could not vote federally without giving up *Indian Act* status until 1960 (teacher verify year), and they were forced into residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and other policies that broke up families and tried to erase culture. 4. **Treaties are still important.** [TESTABLE] Peace and Friendship Treaties (1725–1779) are not historical footnotes — they are the legal basis of the relationship between the Crown and the Mi'kmaq today. Section 35 of the Constitution (1982) recognizes and protects Indigenous and treaty rights. 5. **Reconciliation is ongoing work, not a finished event.** [TESTABLE] The TRC's 94 Calls to Action (2015) set out what needs to happen in child welfare, education, language, health, justice, and reconciliation. As of April 2025, only **15 of 94** were marked complete (CBC's "Beyond 94" tracking). Reconciliation involves: learning the truth, following the Calls to Action, building relationships, and respecting treaty rights. 6. **Residential schools aimed to erase Indigenous identity.** [TESTABLE] Their stated goal was *forced assimilation* — separating children from families, banning languages and traditions, replacing them with English/French and Christianity. The system is now officially described as cultural genocide. ### MM Studies → Cit9 Cross-Reference *Recycled from Mi'kmaw Studies 11, simplified for Grade 9.* - **Peace and Friendship Treaties (1725–1779)** [from MM Unit 10/11] — *not* land surrenders. Agreements to share territory peacefully. - **Indian Act (1876)** [from MM Unit 11] — A federal law still in force that controls Indigenous status, bands, and reserves. Contains many rules from the 1800s that are widely seen as unfair. - **Section 88 (1951)** [from MM Unit 11/14] — Added to the *Indian Act*. Allowed provincial child welfare laws to apply on reserves. This opened the door to the Sixties Scoop. - **1920 mandatory attendance law** [from MM Unit 10] — Made residential school attendance compulsory. Parents who refused could have their children taken by welfare agents or police. - **Shubenacadie Indian Residential School (NS)** [from MM Unit 10] — The *only* residential school built in the Maritimes. Open February 5, 1930 – June 22, 1967. Very poor conditions. Students were forced to forget their language and culture. - **Sixties Scoop** [from MM Unit 11] — From the 1960s to the 1980s, provincial child welfare agents took Indigenous children from reserves and placed them with non-Indigenous families. Same goal as residential schools: break the link to family, language, and culture. - **IRSSA (2006–2007)** [from MM Unit 10] — Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The largest class-action settlement in Canadian history. Five pillars: (1) Common Experience Payment, (2) Independent Assessment Process, (3) Truth and Reconciliation Commission, (4) Commemoration, (5) Health and Healing Services. - **TRC and 94 Calls to Action (2008–2015)** [from MM Unit 10] — Education-related calls (most relevant to Grade 9 students): - *#1* — reduce barriers to cultural education for Indigenous students. - *#7* — support survivor communities and integrated school programming. - *#10* — equitable funding for Indigenous schools. - *#62–65* — integrate Indigenous history, residential schools, treaties, and Indigenous contributions into school curriculum. - *#83–84* — leadership preparation and culturally appropriate curricula. - Teacher verify precise wording of any Call quoted on a test. - **Donald Marshall Jr.** [from MM Unit 13] — A Mi'kmaw teenager in Sydney, NS, wrongly convicted of murder in 1971. Spent 11 years in prison. The 1989 Royal Commission proved systemic racism caused the wrongful conviction. - **Gladue Rights** [from MM Unit 13, simplified] — Judges must consider an Indigenous person's background when sentencing and look for alternatives to jail. (Grade 9 version: skip the funding gap nuance. Stick to the basic right.) ### NS-Specific Content - **13 Mi'kmaw First Nations in NS** (teacher verify the current official list with UNSI or the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq). Commonly named: Membertou, Eskasoni, Sipekne'katik, Millbrook, Pictou Landing, Paqtnkek, Potlotek, We'koqma'q, Wasoqopa'q, Acadia, Annapolis Valley, Glooscap, Indian Brook. Use the community's own name — not "the reserve" or a band number. - **Mi'kma'ki:** All of NS sits on Mi'kma'ki and is covered by the Peace and Friendship Treaties, especially the 1752 Halifax Treaties (teacher verify the precise content with the NS Archives before quoting on a test). - **NS civic history for "evolving citizenship":** the Persons Case (1929, women as persons — relevant nationally); women's suffrage (NS women won federal vote 1918, provincial vote 1920s — teacher verify exact year); Mi'kmaw federal vote (1960 — teacher verify exact year with primary sources). ### Timeline — Grade 9 Essentials *Less is more. These are the dates students should be able to place.* - **1725–1779** — Peace and Friendship treaty series era. *Why it matters:* These are coexistence and trade agreements — not land surrenders — and they remain the legal basis of the Crown–Mi'kmaq relationship today. - **1752** — Treaty signed at Halifax (Governor Hopson and Chief Jean-Baptiste Cope). *Why it matters:* A key NS instrument promising peace, hunting/fishing rights, and trade protection — the treaty at the heart of the `Leo-1752` simulation. - **1760–1761** — Treaties signed in Halifax and elsewhere, including the **truckhouse clause** (Crown-run trade houses where Mi'kmaq could sell goods). *Why it matters:* The truckhouse promise is the legal seed of the "moderate livelihood" right the Supreme Court confirmed in 1999. - **1876** — *Indian Act* first passed. *Why it matters:* Created the legal framework that has controlled Indigenous identity, bands, and reserves ever since. - **1920** — Residential school attendance made mandatory by law. *Why it matters:* Made forced removal of children a legal duty, not a choice. - **1930–1967** — Shubenacadie Indian Residential School (NS) is open. *Why it matters:* The only residential school in the Maritimes; a direct NS link. - **1951** — Section 88 added to the *Indian Act*. *Why it matters:* Let provincial child welfare laws apply on reserves — opened the door to the Sixties Scoop. - **1960s–1980s** — Sixties Scoop peaks. *Why it matters:* Mass removal of Indigenous children into non-Indigenous families, with the same goal as residential schools. - **2008–2015** — Truth and Reconciliation Commission operates. *Why it matters:* Survivors gave testimony; the 94 Calls to Action set out the work that still needs to happen. - **2015 / 2025** — TRC final report issued in 2015; as of April 2025, only 15 of 94 Calls to Action are complete. *Why it matters:* Reconciliation is not finished. ### Sample Test Items **Q1 — Multiple choice.** What is the main difference between the Peace and Friendship Treaties and a typical land purchase? - a) The treaties gave all the land to the British. - b) The treaties were agreements to share territory peacefully — *not* surrenders of land. - c) The treaties gave all the land to the Mi'kmaq. - d) The treaties had no effect after they were signed. **Answer:** b **Q2 — Short answer.** Name the three main goals of the residential school system. **Model answer:** (1) Separate Indigenous children from their families. (2) Ban their languages and traditions. (3) Replace Indigenous culture with English/French language and Christianity (forced assimilation). **Q3 — Short answer.** What was Section 88 of the *Indian Act* (1951) and why does it matter? **Model answer:** Section 88 (1951) let provincial laws — including child welfare laws — apply on reserves. It matters because it gave child welfare agencies the legal power to take Indigenous children off reserves, which is what made the Sixties Scoop possible. **Q4 — Multiple choice.** As of April 2025, how many of the TRC's 94 Calls to Action were marked complete (per CBC's "Beyond 94" tracking)? - a) 94 - b) 75 - c) 15 - d) 0 **Answer:** c **Q5 — Scenario.** A Mi'kmaw elder in your community is asked to come to your class to talk about the Peace and Friendship Treaties. (a) What is one thing your class should do *before* the visit to show respect? (b) What is one question you would ask? **Model answer:** - (a) Examples: send questions ahead of time; learn a bit about the treaties first; introduce the Elder properly; offer tobacco (if culturally appropriate and instructed to); thank them honestly; pay them if a gift/honorarium is the cultural norm. - (b) Any respectful question connected to the unit — for example, "How do the treaties affect the lives of Mi'kmaw youth today?" or "What does reconciliation look like in your community?" - The teacher should mark on respect, preparation, and a clear connection to the unit, not on a single "correct" question. **Q6 — Evaluate.** A classmate says, "Indigenous people in Canada have all the same rights now — that was a long time ago." Using at least two concepts from this unit, write a respectful response (2–4 sentences). **Model answer (sample):** I hear what you're saying, but the rights Indigenous people have today are recent and uneven. Mi'kmaw people could not vote federally without giving up status until 1960, the last residential school closed in 1996, and the TRC says only 15 of 94 Calls to Action were complete as of 2025. Treaties like the Peace and Friendship Treaties are still the legal basis of the relationship today. So the work of reconciliation is ongoing, not finished. **Q7 — Short essay (Unit 2).** Choose *one* TRC Call to Action from the education list (Calls 1, 7, 10, 62–65, or 83–84). In 3–5 sentences, explain what the Call says and why it matters for a Grade 9 classroom. **Model answer:** Any of the listed Calls is acceptable. Example for Call #62–65: these Calls ask schools to integrate Indigenous history, residential schools, treaties, and Indigenous contributions into the curriculum. They matter for a Grade 9 classroom because students need to learn the truth about this history to participate in reconciliation. Without this teaching, the Calls stay on paper. ### Indigenous Sensitivity Notes (Unit 2) - **Consider inviting an Elder or knowledge keeper.** Before teaching this unit, contact a local Mi'kmaw community or organization (e.g., Treaty Education Nova Scotia — TENS — or the Union of Nova Scotia Indians — UNSI) to ask whether an Elder visit or a video call is possible. Confirm protocols in advance (gifts, opening/closing prayers, language, who introduces whom). - **Prioritize Indigenous-authored sources.** Where possible, use texts, videos, or guest speakers from Mi'kmaw or other Indigenous communities rather than only outside accounts. - **If a student pushes back ("Why do we have to learn this?"):** the response framework is **validate, redirect, do not argue**. - **Validate:** "That's a fair question. A lot of Canadians are still catching up on this history." - **Redirect:** "This is part of how citizenship and treaty rights actually developed in Canada — we are looking at it the same way we look at any other piece of history." - **Do not argue.** Stay factual. Move on. The goal is accurate learning, not winning a debate. - **Use precise names.** "Mi'kmaq" is a noun for the people. "Mi'kmaw" is an adjective (Mi'kmaw territory, Mi'kmaw language). Avoid "Indian" as an everyday word; it only appears as part of historical policy names (*Indian Act*, *Indian Status*). - **Treat the Sixties Scoop and residential schools with care.** Some students may have family connections. Lead with the historical facts, not with images or stories that retraumatize. Avoid framing Indigenous people as only victims — also name resistance, survival, and reclamation. --- ## Unit 3 — Financial Citizenship ### Curriculum Indicators (the filter) - Investigate different cultural ideas surrounding needs, wants, money, and value - Investigate the purpose, value, and types of taxation - Investigate the relationship between government priorities and economic equality with regard to indigenous peoples - Investigate economic disparity between various groups of people - Compare the concepts of economic fairness and economic equality - Investigate personal financial management practices, including short- and long-term goal setting - Investigate the impact of informed financial choices on personal goals - Investigate the direct and indirect impacts of informed financial choices on others - Analyse internal and external factors that affect personal financial capability ### Key Vocabulary - **Needs** [HIGH] — Things you must have to survive and be well (food, shelter, safety, clothing). - **Wants** [HIGH] — Things you would like but can live without (the latest phone, designer clothes). - **Taxation** [HIGH] — Money governments collect from people and businesses to fund public services. - **Progressive tax** [MEDIUM] — Tax where people with higher incomes pay a higher *percentage* of their income. - **Regressive tax** [MEDIUM] — Tax where lower-income people pay a higher *share* of their income (e.g., sales taxes). - **Budget** [HIGH] — A plan for how money will come in and go out over a period. - **Compound interest** [MEDIUM] — Interest earned on both the original amount and on interest already earned. Savings grow faster over time. - **Credit** [MEDIUM] — Borrowed money that must be paid back, usually with interest. - **Debt** [MEDIUM] — Money you owe to someone else (loans, credit cards). - **Minimum wage** [MEDIUM] — The lowest hourly rate an employer can legally pay in a province. - **Living wage** [MEDIUM] — The hourly wage needed to afford basic necessities in a specific community. - **Economic inequality** [MEDIUM] — Unequal distribution of wealth, income, or opportunity between groups. - **Financial literacy** [LOW] — The skills and knowledge needed to make informed money decisions. - **Sustainability (economic)** [LOW] — Economic activity that can keep going without using up resources or hurting people. ### Core Concepts 1. **Needs vs. wants, and why culture matters.** [TESTABLE] Different cultures and families draw the line between needs and wants in different places. A culture that emphasizes saving may treat the same item as a "want" that another culture treats as a "need." Neither view is automatically right. 2. **Taxation pays for public services.** [TESTABLE] Income tax, sales tax (HST in NS is 15%), payroll taxes (CPP, EI), and property tax fund schools, hospitals, roads, transit, and other services. Tax choices are also political choices — they show a government's priorities. 3. **Government priorities affect economic equality.** [TESTABLE] Where a government spends money — and what it leaves out — shapes who benefits. Investments in Indigenous communities, settlements of specific claims, and resource-revenue-sharing agreements directly affect economic equality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. 4. **Economic disparity exists between groups.** [TESTABLE] Some examples: rural vs. urban NS incomes; the fishery's ups and downs; Indigenous communities that face higher poverty rates because of the *Indian Act* and colonization; newcomers whose incomes differ from non-immigrant peers in the first generation. 5. **Equality, equity, and fairness are not the same thing.** [TESTABLE] **Equality** = everyone gets the same. **Equity** = people get what they need to reach a fair outcome. **Fairness** = a judgment about whether outcomes are just. A flat tax is *equal* but not always *equitable* or *fair*. A progressive tax is *equitable* but not *equal*. They often conflict. 6. **Personal financial choices have ripple effects.** [TESTABLE] Spending choices support some businesses and not others. Fast fashion and electronics carry global labour and environmental costs. Where you bank and invest can fund activities you would or would not support. ### NS-Specific Content - **NS taxes:** HST = 15% (5% federal GST + 10% provincial). Provincial income tax. Municipal property taxes. *Teacher verify current rates.* - **NS minimum wage and living wage:** *Teacher verify the current published figures.* The living wage for NS is published periodically by groups like the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (NB&NS office). - **NS economy examples:** fishery (especially relevant to Mi'kmaw food sovereignty and treaty fishing rights); Irving (NB-based company with forestry, shipbuilding, retail extending into NS); Nova Scotia Power / Emera; the public sector; tourism; agriculture (apples, wild blueberries, wine); shipbuilding at Halifax Shipyard. - **Indigenous economic context:** Indigenous communities in NS have faced documented economic disparities for generations. Causes include colonization, the *Indian Act*, and ongoing policy choices. Modern resource-revenue-sharing agreements and the Mi'kmaq–Nova Scotia–Canada Framework Agreement (signed around 2007 — teacher verify) are attempts to address these gaps. ### Sample Test Items **Q1 — Define.** What is the difference between a need and a want? **Model answer:** A need is something required for basic survival and well-being (food, shelter, safety, clothing). A want is something desired beyond that. The line between them can change by culture, era, and personal situation. **Q2 — Multiple choice.** Which type of tax is generally considered *regressive* in effect? - a) Progressive income tax - b) HST (sales tax) - c) Property tax on luxury homes - d) Inheritance tax above $5 million **Answer:** b **Q3 — Short answer.** Choose one NS tax type (income tax, HST, payroll tax, or property tax). Explain (a) who pays it, (b) what it funds, and (c) one argument for and one against it. **Model answer:** Any of the four is acceptable as long as all three parts are answered. Sample for HST: (a) consumers at the register, (b) part of public services and infrastructure, (c) for — easy to collect and a broad base; against — regressive, because lower-income people pay a larger share of their income. **Q4 — Compare.** Explain the difference between economic *equality* and economic *equity*, and give one example where they conflict. **Model answer:** Equality = everyone gets the same. Equity = people get what they need to reach a fair outcome. Example: a job training program open to all residents is *equal*, but if it is held only in English on weekdays, it is not *equitable* for single parents or newcomers who need evening classes or childcare. **Q5 — Evaluate.** Your friend says, "Everyone pays the same sales tax, so it's fair." Using economics concepts, evaluate this statement. **Model answer:** Marked partially or mostly unfair. A flat sales tax is *equal* — everyone pays the same rate — but it is *regressive* in effect, because lower-income people spend a higher share of their income on consumption. So "the same" is not the same as "fair." A progressive income tax is closer to *equitable* because higher earners pay a higher share. **Q6 — Apply.** Aaliyah earns $120 from babysitting this month and wants to save for a $300 concert ticket in 5 months without taking another job. Build a simple plan. **Model answer:** She needs about $60/month. Realistic options: cut spending (e.g., skip one snack-buying trip a week), set aside $12 from each babysitting payment plus carry over any extra, open a savings account (or jar) so the money is separate and harder to spend, avoid using the savings for any other purpose. (Accept any reasonable plan that shows budgeting logic.) **Q7 — Reflect.** How does a culture that emphasizes shared resources (like Mi'kmaw gift and potlatch traditions or family ROSCAs) differ from a culture that emphasizes personal saving? Give one example. **Model answer:** A shared-resource culture may treat savings as something that circulates — you save to give, to lend, to support a family member in need. A personal-saving culture may treat savings as private security. Example: in many Indigenous communities, money saved for a ceremony or funeral is treated as belonging to the family or community, not just the saver. Neither is wrong; both are reasonable views. **Q8 — Short essay (Unit 3).** Pick one of these: progressive vs. regressive tax, or equality vs. equity vs. fairness. In 3–5 sentences, define each term and explain how the tension between them shows up in NS government decisions. **Model answer:** Any clear definition of the three terms plus one NS example. Example for equality/equity/fairness: *equality* means everyone gets the same, *equity* means people get what they need, and *fairness* is a judgment about whether outcomes are just. In NS, the HST is *equal* (everyone pays 15%), but lower-income households pay a larger share of their income — so it is not *equitable*. Whether it is "fair" depends on what you think fairness means. --- ## Unit 4 — Digital Citizenship ### Curriculum Indicators (the filter) - Evaluate how various groups are represented or omitted in media and the influence this has on people's perspectives - Analyse how social and mass media impact the awareness of certain issues - Investigate how citizens' and governments' choices can be affected by different media - Evaluate the opportunities and risks of being digitally engaged or connected - Investigate how a digital footprint influences others' perceptions - Investigate the role of anonymity in both the production and consumption of media ### Key Vocabulary - **Digital citizenship** [HIGH] — Acting responsibly and ethically when using digital tools and online spaces. - **Digital footprint** [HIGH] — The trail of data you leave online — posts, shares, searches, likes, and what others post about you. - **Digital identity** [MEDIUM] — How others see you online based on your accounts, posts, and comments. - **Media representation** [HIGH] — How groups of people are shown (or not shown) in media: overrepresented, underrepresented, stereotyped, or absent. - **Algorithm** [HIGH] — A set of rules a platform uses to decide what to show you, in what order, and how often. - **Filter bubble** [MEDIUM] — When an algorithm mainly shows you views that match your own, narrowing what you see. - **Echo chamber** [MEDIUM] — A social environment (online or offline) where you mostly hear views that match yours. - **Confirmation bias** [LOW] — The tendency to notice and trust information that supports what you already believe. - **Media literacy** [HIGH] — The ability to ask: Who made this? Why? For whom? With what effect? What is missing? - **Cyberbullying** [MEDIUM] — Repeated aggressive behaviour toward someone using digital tools. It is a crime in Canada. - **Anonymity** [MEDIUM] — Being identifiable by no real name online. Can enable good (whistleblowers, marginalized voices) or harm (harassment, lies). - **Disinformation** [LOW] — False information shared on purpose to mislead. ### Core Concepts 1. **Media shows some people more than others.** [TESTABLE] Some groups (wealthy, urban, white, able-bodied) appear in media more than their share of the population. Indigenous, Black, disabled, 2SLGBTQIA+, low-income, and rural people appear too little or in stereotyped ways. What we see shapes what we assume is normal. 2. **Algorithms shape what we notice.** [TESTABLE] Your feed is not a neutral window on the world. It is built to keep you engaged, which often means emotionally charged content. Filter bubbles and echo chambers can make you think "everyone" agrees with you when they do not. 3. **Citizens and governments react to media framing.** [TESTABLE] People vote partly based on what they see. Governments also respond to media — fast for short-term news, slower for big policy questions. The question to ask of any story: *Who decided this was news? Who is quoted? Whose voice is missing?* 4. **Being online has real risks and real opportunities.** [TESTABLE] *Opportunities:* connection, learning, voice for movements (Idle No More, climate strikes, Mi'kmaw-led solidarity), organizing petitions and fundraisers. *Risks:* privacy loss, cyberbullying, permanent record, misinformation, mental-health effects. 5. **Your digital footprint is mostly permanent.** [TESTABLE] Adults, including employers and admissions officers, form impressions from your online presence. Deletion is rarely complete. Treat social media as public speech. 6. **Anonymity cuts both ways.** [TESTABLE] Anonymity lets whistleblowers and marginalized creators speak safely. It also lets people harass with little consequence. In Canada, anonymity does *not* protect anyone from law enforcement when a crime has been committed. ### NS-Specific Content - **NS media outlets:** CBC Nova Scotia, CTV Atlantic, *Halifax Examiner*, *Cape Breton Post*, community papers, and radio stations. *Teacher verify current ownership — many NS papers have been bought and merged in recent years.* - **NS digital divide:** rural NS still has limited high-speed internet in some areas; the provincial government has invested in projects like the Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative. *Teacher verify current status.* - **NS school cyberbullying:** school codes of conduct apply to online behaviour between students, including off-campus speech in many cases. *Teacher verify the current NS Department of Education resources.* - **Indigenous representation in media:** Mi'kmaw people are often shown in historical costume (feather headdresses, pre-contact) rather than in modern life. Look critically at news coverage of treaty disputes, fisheries, and protests — whose voice is in the lead? ### Sample Test Items **Q1 — Define.** What is a *digital footprint*? **Model answer:** The trail of data a person leaves online — posts, shares, likes, searches, comments, and what others post about them. It is mostly permanent and can be seen by people they do not know. **Q2 — Multiple choice.** A colleague says, "Algorithms are neutral — they just show people what they like." Evaluate this claim. - a) True — algorithms have no bias. - b) False — algorithms are designed to keep users engaged, which often means emotionally charged or self-confirming content. - c) True — algorithms only show verified facts. - d) False — but only because they sometimes crash. **Answer:** b **Q3 — Short answer.** What is a filter bubble, and how does it affect what a citizen thinks other people believe? **Model answer:** A filter bubble is what happens when an algorithm mostly shows you views that match your own. It can make you think most people agree with you when they do not. Citizens end up overestimating support for their own views and underestimating the views of others. **Q4 — Apply.** Tomas gets a Snapchat from a friend asking him to circulate a video making fun of a classmate's appearance. What should Tomas consider before responding? **Model answer:** He should consider: (1) it is cyberbullying, which is harmful and can be a crime; (2) it would add to his digital footprint and the classmate's; (3) it does not solve anything; (4) the classmate's feelings and safety come first. The right move is to refuse, tell the friend why, and consider telling a trusted adult if it keeps happening. **Q5 — Analyse.** Pick one NS media outlet. Whose stories does it cover most? Whose voices are quoted? Which group or perspective is less often represented? Give one example. **Model answer:** Accept any clear example with reasoning. The test is on the analytical move — naming whose voice is missing and why that matters — not on a single "correct" answer. **Q6 — Compare.** Compare media representation of Indigenous people in news vs. in entertainment vs. as content creators. What patterns do you see? **Model answer:** In news, Indigenous people are often shown in conflict (protests, court cases, fisheries) or as historical figures. In entertainment, they are often stereotyped (noble warrior, mystic, sidekick) or absent. As content creators, Indigenous people make their own work, often on their own platforms, controlling the story. The pattern: outside groups frame; Indigenous people themselves reframe. **Q7 — Reflect.** Audit your digital footprint. What would someone new to your life learn about you from your last 10 posts? What would you change? **Model answer:** Personal reflection. Accept honest answers that show real thinking about content, audience, and consequences. There is no single "right" audit. **Q8 — Short essay (Unit 4).** "Anonymity should be banned online because bad actors ruin it for everyone." Evaluate this claim in 3–5 sentences, using at least one concept from this unit. **Model answer:** Banning anonymity would silence whistleblowers, survivors, and marginalized creators who depend on it to speak safely. At the same time, anonymity does let harassers and trolls cause harm with little consequence. A better approach is targeted: strong rules against harassment and disinformation, while protecting anonymity for those who need it. The claim is too simple. --- ## Unit 5 — Governance ### Curriculum Indicators (the filter) - Analyse the role that worldview plays in personal and societal values & decision-making - Investigate concepts of perceived Canadian values and identity - Analyse the values of various political parties by examining their platforms - Reflect on reasons a personally-chosen issue could be valued by society - Investigate how various types of governments in Canada are formed - Investigate interactions and decision-making in indigenous and non-indigenous governance models - Evaluate ways to work within and outside of government structures to affect change - Investigate ways that citizens can advocate for change, awareness, or action - Investigate the impact of resistance and protest as political and social actions - Analyse how unequal access to democracy makes some groups' voices more powerful than others ### Key Vocabulary - **Government** [HIGH] — The system, institutions, and people who make and enforce rules for a community, region, or country. - **Democracy** [HIGH] — A system where citizens hold power, usually through elected representatives or direct votes. - **Parliamentary system** [MEDIUM] — Canada's system: the Prime Minister and Cabinet come from the elected legislature. - **Federalism** [MEDIUM] — Power is shared between a national government and provincial/territorial governments. - **Constitution** [MEDIUM] — The supreme law of a country. In Canada: the *Constitution Act, 1867* and the *Constitution Act, 1982* (which includes the *Charter of Rights and Freedoms*). - **Charter of Rights and Freedoms** [MEDIUM] — Part of the Constitution since 1982; guarantees specific rights and freedoms. - **Political party** [HIGH] — A group with shared values and policy goals that tries to win elections and form government. - **Party platform** [HIGH] — A party's written set of policies and promises during an election. - **Ideology** [LOW] — A broader set of beliefs about how society should be organized. - **Advocacy** [HIGH] — Public support for a cause; can be education-based, lobbying, protest, or community organizing. - **Protest** [HIGH] — Public expression of opposition or grievance; protected in Canada by freedom of expression and assembly. - **Lobbying** [MEDIUM] — Communicating with elected officials or public servants to influence decisions; regulated in Canada. - **Civil disobedience** [MEDIUM] — Deliberately breaking a law believed to be unjust, accepting the consequences, to draw attention to the cause. - **Indigenous governance** [HIGH] — Indigenous-led governing structures: traditional Mi'kmaw governance (District Chiefs, Grand Council) and modern band councils or self-government bodies. - **Self-determination** [MEDIUM] — The right of a people to govern themselves and make decisions about their lands, communities, and futures. ### Core Concepts 1. **Worldview shapes political values.** [TESTABLE] Three NS voters can all want a stronger economy but prefer different tools — depending on worldview. A market-led view (right-of-centre), a targeted-programs view (left-of-centre), and an Indigenous-led treaty view will each point to a different answer. 2. **"Canadian values" is a contested phrase.** [TESTABLE] Sometimes "Canadian values" is used to include everyone; sometimes it is used politically to exclude newcomers, Indigenous people, or minority views. Students should be able to spot the difference. 3. **Government in Canada is layered.** [TESTABLE] Federal (Canada), provincial/territorial (e.g., NS), municipal (cities/towns), and Indigenous (traditional and modern). Each level has its own areas. Section 35 of the Constitution affects how the federal and provincial governments interact with Indigenous governments. 4. **Citizens can work inside or outside government.** [TESTABLE] *Inside:* voting, running for office, writing elected officials, joining civic organizations, registered lobbying. *Outside:* petitions, protests, social media campaigns, mutual aid, civil disobedience. Both are legitimate. Many rights Canadians have today were won by movements outside government. 5. **Protests and resistance have shaped Canada.** [TESTABLE] Idle No More (2012–), the 1999 Burnt Church fishery dispute, the 2020 Sipekne'katik lobster dispute, the Ipperwash Crisis (1995, Dudley George), women's suffrage marches, climate strikes — all are examples of citizens acting outside formal political structures. Protest is protected under the Charter — **Section 2(b) guarantees freedom of expression; Section 2(c) guarantees freedom of peaceful assembly** — and limited by **Section 1**; hate speech, incitement, and violence are crimes. *(Do not teach 2(b) as "assembly" — that is the 2(c) right. This correction matters: it appeared incorrectly in earlier test drafts.)* 6. **Democracy is uneven.** [TESTABLE] Some voices are more powerful than others, based on wealth, location, language, race, age, time, and networks. Voter turnout in Canada is lower among young people, low-income people, and Indigenous communities — for reasons of access, trust, distance, and historic exclusion. 7. **Mi'kmaw governance is both traditional and modern.** [TESTABLE] Traditionally, Mi'kmaw communities were led by District Chiefs and the Grand Council (Santé Mawio'mi), with decisions made collectively. The *Indian Act* (1876) imposed elected band councils that replaced (and sometimes ran alongside) traditional structures. Many NS communities are now working toward self-government agreements that recognize Mi'kmaw authority. ### MM Studies → Cit9 Cross-Reference *Recycled from Mi'kmaw Studies 11, simplified for Grade 9.* - **District Chiefs and the Grand Council (Santé Mawio'mi)** [from MM Unit 11] — Traditional Mi'kmaw governance. One Chief per district; the Grand Council meets to make collective decisions for the people. (Teacher verify the seven-district map and current names with UNSI or Kwilmuk Maw-klusuaqn before quoting on a test.) - ***Indian Act* band councils (1876)** [from MM Unit 11] — The federal government imposed elected band councils, which changed (and sometimes ran alongside) traditional governance. - **Marshall Decision (1999)** [from MM Unit 11] — Supreme Court confirmed that Mi'kmaw people have treaty rights under the 1760–61 Treaties to hunt, fish, and gather to earn a *moderate livelihood*. Led to ongoing disputes with DFO and non-Indigenous fishers about who regulates the fishery. - **Sipekne'katik 2020 lobster dispute** [from MM Unit 11 / context] — NS Mi'kmaw fishers exercised self-regulated treaty rights outside the federally regulated commercial season. Sparked a national debate about treaty rights, food sovereignty, and Indigenous jurisdiction. *Treat with care; approach as a case study, not an argument.* - **Idle No More (2012–)** [from MM Unit 12 / 14] — Indigenous-led movement across Canada with strong NS and Atlantic support. Used round dances, teach-ins, social media, and direct action to push for Indigenous rights and environmental protection. - **Ipperwash Crisis (1995)** [from MM Unit 12] — An Anishinaabe protester named Dudley George was shot by Ontario Provincial Police at Ipperwash Provincial Park during a land reclamation. Became a national case study on protest, police violence, and Indigenous rights. - **Sentencing Circles vs. Western courts** [from MM Unit 13, simplified] — Two different approaches to justice. Western court: hierarchical, focused on punishment, judge decides. Sentencing circle: chairs in a circle at the same height, includes an Elder and the community, focused on repairing harm. (Grade 9 version: keep the basic comparison, skip the deeper Gladue funding gap detail.) - **Gladue Rights** [from MM Unit 13, simplified] — Judges must consider an Indigenous person's background when sentencing and look for alternatives to jail. (Skip the funding gap nuance for Grade 9.) - **Donald Marshall Jr. (1971 / 1989)** [from MM Unit 13] — A Mi'kmaw teenager wrongly convicted of murder in 1971 in Sydney, NS. The 1989 Royal Commission found systemic racism caused the wrongful conviction and pushed for restorative justice programs in NS (e.g., the Mi'kmaw Legal Support Network — MLSN). ### NS-Specific Content - **NS parties (current):** Nova Scotia Liberal Party, Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party, Nova Scotia NDP, Nova Scotia Green Party. *Teacher verify current standings through Elections Nova Scotia.* - **NS political topics in class:** healthcare (ER closures, doctor shortages), housing affordability, fisheries, climate change, Indigenous reconciliation, post-secondary funding, ferry and rural transit. - **Mi'kmaw governance bodies:** - **Union of Nova Scotia Indians (UNSI)** — political body representing NS Mi'kmaw communities in treaty negotiations. - **Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey (MK)** — Mi'kmaw education consortium. - **Treaty Education Nova Scotia (TENS)** — Mi'kmaw-led resource for schools. *Teacher verify current status.* - **Native Council of Nova Scotia** — represents off-reserve Indigenous and Métis people. - **Mi'kmaw people as NS citizens:** Mi'kmaw people have their own governance *and* participate as NS citizens in the broader provincial democracy. Both/and, not either/or. - **Use community names.** "Sipekne'katik First Nation" — not "the reserve" or a band number. *Teacher verify each name with the UNSI list.* ### Timeline — Grade 9 Essentials *Less is more.* - **1760–1761** — Peace and Friendship Treaties signed in NS. *Why it matters:* Basis of Mi'kmaw–Crown relationship; later confirmed in the 1999 Marshall Decision. - **1876** — *Indian Act* passed. Imposed elected band councils, replacing or running alongside traditional governance. *Why it matters:* Created the governance structure (and many of the problems) that Indigenous communities still navigate. - **1971** — Donald Marshall Jr. wrongly convicted of murder in Sydney, NS. *Why it matters:* Direct NS case of wrongful conviction caused by systemic racism. - **1989** — Marshall Royal Commission report released. *Why it matters:* Forced NS to address systemic racism in the justice system. - **1995** — Ipperwash Crisis; Dudley George shot by Ontario Provincial Police. *Why it matters:* National case on Indigenous protest, land rights, and police violence. - **1999** — Marshall Decision; Supreme Court confirms Mi'kmaw treaty right to a *moderate livelihood*. *Why it matters:* Still shapes NS fishery disputes today. - **2012** — Idle No More begins. *Why it matters:* Major Indigenous-led movement with strong NS and Atlantic presence. - **2020** — Sipekne'katik lobster dispute. *Why it matters:* Direct NS case of Mi'kmaw fishers exercising treaty rights; national debate about jurisdiction. ### Sample Test Items **Q1 — Define.** What is the difference between *lobbying* and *protest*? Give one example of each. **Model answer:** Lobbying is communicating with elected officials or public servants to influence decisions (e.g., a registered lobbyist meeting an MLA to discuss a bill). Protest is public expression of opposition or grievance (e.g., a march, a round dance, a sit-in). Both are legitimate forms of civic action. **Q2 — Multiple choice.** In Canada's parliamentary system, who forms the government after a federal election? - a) The party whose leader wins the most seats in the House of Commons - b) The Senate - c) The Supreme Court Chief Justice - d) The Governor General alone **Answer:** a **Q3 — Short answer.** Name two ways citizens can act *inside* government and two ways they can act *outside* government to create change. **Model answer:** Inside — vote, run for office, write or visit an elected official, join a civic organization, lobby (registered). Outside — petitions, protests, social media campaigns, mutual aid, civil disobedience, direct action. (Any two of each.) **Q4 — Compare.** Compare how Mi'kmaw traditional governance (District Chiefs, Grand Council) and *Indian Act* band councils differ in where authority comes from. **Model answer:** Traditional governance gets its authority from Mi'kmaw people and customary law; decisions are made collectively by Chiefs in council. *Indian Act* band councils get their authority from a federal law (1876); members are elected under rules set by the federal government. Both can exist in the same community today. **Q5 — Scenario.** You want the NS government to act on a local issue (e.g., public transit in your community). Outline one inside-government strategy and one outside-government strategy. **Model answer:** Inside — write to or meet with your MLA; organize a delegation; start or sign a petition to the Legislative Assembly. Outside — organize a public rally, start a social media campaign, build a coalition with a local group, hold a community meeting. (Many correct answers; the test is on the strategic thinking.) **Q6 — Evaluate.** A classmate says, "Canada is a true democracy — everyone has an equal voice." Evaluate this claim. **Model answer:** Marked partially true. In a formal sense, every citizen over 18 has one vote. In practice, voice is uneven: wealth, location, language, race, age, time, and networks all shape whose voice is heard more. Voter turnout is lower among young people, low-income people, and Indigenous communities. So democracy in Canada is real, but it is *uneven*. **Q7 — Short answer.** What was the 1999 Marshall Decision, and why does it still matter in NS today? **Model answer:** The Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that Donald Marshall Jr. — and all Mi'kmaw people — had treaty rights under the 1760–61 Treaties to hunt, fish, and gather to earn a *moderate livelihood*. It still matters because the court did not clearly define "moderate livelihood" or who regulates the fishery, which is why disputes (like the 2020 Sipekne'katik lobster dispute) keep happening in NS. **Q8 — Short essay (Unit 5).** Pick one of: the Ipperwash Crisis (1995), the Sipekne'katik lobster dispute (2020), or Idle No More. In 3–5 sentences, describe what happened, who was involved, and what it teaches citizens about protest as a form of political action. **Model answer:** Any of the three is acceptable. Example for Sipekne'katik 2020: Sipekne'katik Mi'kmaw fishers in NS exercised self-regulated treaty fishing rights outside the federally regulated commercial season. Non-Indigenous commercial fishers and DFO objected; tensions ran high. The dispute became a national conversation about treaty rights, Indigenous self-determination, and who regulates the fishery. It teaches citizens that protest and direct action can force a public conversation on rights that would otherwise stay invisible. ### Indigenous Sensitivity Notes (Unit 5) - **Consider an Elder or knowledge keeper.** Before teaching Indigenous governance content, contact a local Mi'kmaw community, UNSI, or TENS to ask whether a guest visit is welcome. Confirm protocols in advance. - **Mi'kmaw governance is not a single model.** Communities are not identical. Some lean on traditional structures, some on elected band councils, some on self-government agreements. Do not speak of "the Mi'kmaw position" as if all communities agree — there is real diversity. - **If a student pushes back ("This is anti-government / anti-police"):** the response framework is **validate, redirect, do not argue**. - **Validate:** "I hear you. Some of this history is uncomfortable." - **Redirect:** "We are looking at how citizens — Indigenous and non-Indigenous — have used protest to push for change. This is part of how rights get won in Canada." - **Do not argue.** Stay factual. Move on. - **Treat protests and crises with care.** Idle No More, Ipperwash, and Sipekne'katik involve real people, some of whom are still alive. Frame them as case studies, not debates. - **Prioritize Indigenous sources.** Where possible, use texts, articles, or guest speakers from Mi'kmaw or other Indigenous communities rather than only outside accounts. - **Use precise names.** Use "Sipekne'katik First Nation," not "the reserve" or "the band." Use "Mi'kmaq" (noun) and "Mi'kmaw" (adjective) correctly. --- ## Unit 6 — Global Citizenship ### Curriculum Indicators (the filter) - Investigate a global issue from differing perspectives - Evaluate the intended and unintended consequences of an action or inaction in regard to a global issue - Analyse the relationship between universal human rights and globalization - Evaluate Canada's response to a selected global issue ### Key Vocabulary - **Globalization** [HIGH] — The increasing interconnection of people, economies, cultures, and politics across borders. - **Global citizen** [HIGH] — A person who sees themselves as part of a wider world and acts with awareness of how choices affect people in other places. - **Human rights** [HIGH] — Basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person; not granted by any state. - **Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)** [MEDIUM] — A 1948 UN declaration outlining civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Not legally binding but foundational. - **Sustainability** [HIGH] — Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. - **Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)** [MEDIUM] — 17 UN-adopted goals (2015) addressing poverty, inequality, climate, peace, and more; to be worked on by 2030. - **Climate justice** [MEDIUM] — A frame linking climate action with social justice — those least responsible for climate change often suffer most. - **Refugee** [MEDIUM] — A person who has fled their country because of persecution, war, or violence and cannot return safely. - **International organization** [LOW] — A body whose members are countries working together on shared concerns (UN, WHO, NATO, WTO). - **Unintended consequences** [HIGH] — Results of an action (or inaction) that were not planned or expected — sometimes harmful. - **Perspective (global)** [MEDIUM] — How a global issue looks from a different location, culture, generation, or social position. - **Inaction** [MEDIUM] — The choice not to act or to delay action. Inaction is itself a choice with consequences. ### Core Concepts 1. **A global issue has many perspectives.** [TESTABLE] Climate change, for example, looks different to a young person in coastal Bangladesh, a senior in NS worried about insurance, a CEO focused on costs, and a Pacific Island leader talking about state survival. All describe "climate change" — and all are accurate. 2. **Actions and inactions both have consequences.** [TESTABLE] Intended consequences are what you tried to do. Unintended consequences are what happened that you did not plan. Cutting a forest may bring jobs (intended) and cause flooding downstream (unintended). Choosing not to act is also a choice. 3. **Human rights are universal in theory and uneven in practice.** [TESTABLE] The argument for universal human rights is that every person has the same basic rights. The reality of globalization is that the *experience* of those rights is uneven — some people move freely; others cannot. 4. **Canada's actions on global issues can be measured against its words.** [TESTABLE] Evaluate Canada's response to a global issue by asking: What was Canada's stated position? What did Canada actually do? Did it match its rhetoric? Who decided the Canadian position? Whose interests were prioritized? 5. **Acting globally can start locally.** [TESTABLE] NS students can take climate action, support newcomers, advocate for Indigenous rights, choose sustainable products, and learn about other places without leaving the province. "Think globally, act locally" — but always with critical thinking, not bumper-sticker acceptance. ### NS-Specific Content - **NS-relevant global issues:** - **Climate change and coastal erosion:** NS has one of the longest coastlines in Canada; rural coastal communities face specific flooding and storm impacts. - **Fishery sustainability:** an export-dependent economy exposed to global market forces and ecosystem change. - **Newcomer settlement:** NS has welcomed significant numbers of newcomers in recent years. *Teacher verify current statistics.* - **Marine debris / plastic pollution:** NS coastline accumulates North Atlantic plastic. - **Mi'kmaw environmental leadership:** Mi'kmaw traditional knowledge and treaty rights include stewardship responsibilities over water, fish, and land — increasingly cited in global environmental discussions. Frame with care and permission. - **NS organizations engaged in global citizenship** (teacher verify current): - **Ecology Action Centre** — climate, food, transportation. - **Nova Scotia Environmental Network** — umbrella organization. - **Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC)** — global citizenship, refugee support, international development. ### Sample Test Items **Q1 — Define.** What is the difference between an *intended* and an *unintended* consequence? Give one example of each. **Model answer:** An intended consequence is what you planned to happen. An unintended consequence is what happened that you did not plan — sometimes positive, often harmful. Example: clearing a forest for jobs (intended), then losing habitat and increasing downstream flooding (unintended). **Q2 — Multiple choice.** Which of the following best describes "climate justice"? - a) Justice done by the climate. - b) Linking climate action with social justice — those least responsible often suffer most. - c) Punishing countries with cold climates. - d) A type of insurance for climate damage. **Answer:** b **Q3 — Investigate.** Pick one global issue (climate, migration, plastic pollution, water access, etc.). Identify the perspectives of three different groups (e.g., affected community, decision-maker, youth) and describe each in 1–2 sentences. **Model answer:** Any clear example with three distinct perspectives. The test is on the analytical move — naming whose voice is missing — not on a single "correct" issue. **Q4 — Evaluate.** Evaluate the claim: "Canada is a global citizen." Use one chosen global issue. **Model answer:** Pick any global issue (climate, refugee resettlement, development aid — teacher verify current Canadian commitments). State Canada's stated position, what it actually did, and whether they matched. The mark is on the structure of the evaluation, not on the political conclusion. **Q5 — Apply.** You want to act on climate change from Nova Scotia but feel "small" actions don't matter. Identify 3 SDG-aligned actions your class could take this term and explain each. **Model answer:** Any three actions connected to specific SDGs are acceptable. Examples: food waste audit (SDG 12 — responsible consumption), clothing swap (SDGs 12 and 13), advocacy letter to the MLA on transit (SDG 11 — sustainable cities), tree planting (SDG 15 — life on land). **Q6 — Compare.** Inaction vs. action on a global issue — give one example of each from the past year, then compare consequences. **Model answer:** Action example: Canada's reduction of certain emissions (teacher verify). Inaction example: delayed climate targets in various countries. Action: measurable progress; risk of economic cost. Inaction: short-term savings; long-term rising insurance, fishery collapse, displacement. Comparison: action is harder now and cheaper later; inaction is easier now and more expensive later. **Q7 — Reflect.** Whose perspective on the issue you investigated in Q3 do you find it easiest to identify with — and why? What might be missing in your answer? **Model answer:** Personal reflection. Marked on whether the student shows genuine thinking and names what they might be missing (e.g., a perspective from a directly affected community they do not belong to). **Q8 — Short essay (Unit 6).** What does it mean to be a "global citizen" without leaving your province? In 3–5 sentences, give one example from Nova Scotia. **Model answer:** Being a global citizen does not require travel. It means understanding that NS choices — what we buy, how we vote, who we welcome, how we treat Indigenous treaty rights — affect people in other places. Example: choosing sustainable seafood in Halifax connects to fishery rules and Indigenous food sovereignty in Mi'kma'ki and to global ocean ecosystems. The "global citizen" part is the awareness; the "from NS" part is where the action happens. --- ## Cross-Unit Reference — Quick Glossary of Sensitive Indigenous Terms When working with these terms in class, teachers and students should: - **Use precise community names.** Say "Sipekne'katik First Nation," not "the reserve" or a band number. *Teacher verify each name with UNSI or the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq before quoting on a test.* - **Be careful with "Indian," "Indian Act," "Status Indian," "Treaty Indian," "non-Status."** These are legal-administrative categories from the *Indian Act*. They describe a legal relationship but can be hurtful as everyday labels. If the term appears in a source, frame it as historical policy language. - **Avoid "discovery" and "empty land" language.** These were European justifications for colonization, not neutral descriptions. - **Use "Treaty" with weight.** Saying "the treaties" as if they were one event misses that there are many treaties with different content and ongoing implementation. - **Mi'kmaq = noun** ("the Mi'kmaq"). **Mi'kmaw = adjective** ("Mi'kmaw territory, Mi'kmaw language"). *Teacher verify community-preferred usage locally.* - **Acknowledge Land First.** Many NS schools begin with a territory acknowledgement — these should be ongoing relationships, not just formal openings. *Anywhere this document says "teacher verify," the fact depends on a current source (community, treaty text, government publication, UN/Canadian data, or the affected Mi'kmaw community directly). Do not put it on an assessment without checking.* --- ## End Note This document is the **studyable content** for Citizenship 9 — the testable material aligned with curriculum indicators. Assessments should draw from the vocabulary, concepts, and sample items here, and should always be paired with classroom discussion, primary-source engagement (news, government publications, Indigenous community resources), and the service learning project that anchors Unit 1. Indigenous content in this file comes from the Mi'kmaw Studies 11 June Study Guide and has been simplified for Grade 9. Where specifics depend on a current community, treaty, or policy position, the file flags **"teacher verify"** so the assessment is built on up-to-date, respectful, primary-source information. Grade 9 citizenship is unusual: it asks students to be *practising* citizens, not just learn about citizenship. The vocabulary, concepts, and items here should help students explain their world, debate respectfully, and act effectively — locally, provincially, and globally.