- Definition
A Métis Senator is a respected Métis person who knows a lot about their culture and traditions, and works to keep them alive. In Ontario, each Métis community council has one of these Senators to help guide them.
A Métis Senator might share traditional stories with children to teach them about their history.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A Métis Senator is like a wise grandparent for the whole community, who shares important stories and helps everyone remember their family's special ways.
Ask your child: Who in our family tells the best stories?
Common mix-up: A child might confuse a Métis Senator with a government senator. A Métis Senator is a respected elder chosen by their own community to help lead and protect their culture.
Examples
- Helping a community council make important decisions that honour Métis traditions.
- Showing young people how to do traditional beadwork or jigging.
Métis Senator is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
