Nathan Tidridge MSM FRCGS
Nathan Tidridge with Governor General Julie Payette. September 12th, 2019.
Since 2004 Nathan has been a teacher at Waterdown District High School teaching Civics, Treaty Studies, as well as Canadian and World History.
Nathan has authored six books, chapters, and many articles exploring the Crown in Canada, including its relationships with Indigenous Peoples, as well as Canadian identity and local history. One of his most important works, The Queen at the Council Fire: The Treaty of Niagara, Reconciliation and the Dignified Crown in Canada, was launched by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Nathan has been published in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Maclean's Magazine, The Public Policy & Governance Review and appeared on a number of television and radio programs.
Nathan currently serves as vice president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada (2005-present), advisor to the Princes Charities Canada/Princes Trust Canada and as a Keeper of the Chapel Royal Tobacco Beds. He has been involved with a number of Boards and committees including the Flamborough Heritage Society (2005-present day), Ontario Heritage Trust (2015-2021, Chair of the Heritage Programs Committee 2017-2021), Magna Carta Canada Education Committee (2015), the Flamborough Grant of Arms Committee (2009-2011), and the Chapel Royal Committee at Massey College (2015 – 2021).
Nathan Tidridge has dedicated himself to promoting the role of the Crown in our country’s history.
Through his work, he has taught a new generation of students about Canadian politics, our constitutional monarchy and civics.
He has also deepened our understanding of the complex relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Crown,
thereby bringing attention to the important issue of reconciliation.
Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) Citation
From 2010-2013 Nathan lobbied the Ontario Ministry of Education to correct serious errors in the curricula surrounding the province's approach to Civics. His article, entitled Why Ontario shouldn’t ditch high school civics classes, published in Maclean's Magazine, contributed to the government's decision to retain the course. He was presented the 2013 Canadian Royal Heritage Award in recognition of his efforts.
Working with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Nathan chaired a committee that resulted in the dedication of the 55 acre Souharissen Natural Area by the Honourable David C. Onley, 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and Giima Bryan Laforme and Council of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation in 2014. The area continues to promote reconciliation and the community’s Treaty relationship with the Mississauga Nation.
Honours and Awards
Working with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Nathan chaired a committee that resulted in the dedication of the 55 acre Souharissen Natural Area by the Honourable David C. Onley, 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and Giima Bryan Laforme and Council of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation in 2014. The area continues to promote reconciliation and the community’s Treaty relationship with the Mississauga Nation.
Honours and Awards
- Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
- Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2008 Teacher of the Year)
- Charles Baillie Award for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching (2011)
- Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal (presented by HRH Prince of Wales, 2012)
- Sharon Enkin Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education (2014)
- Presented one of fifty specially commissioned Canadian Flags by the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper for “tremendous contributions to our great country" (2015)
- Flamborough-Glanbrook Nation Builder's Award (2017)
- First Honorary Fellow of the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada (2018)
- OHASSTA Alan Skeoch Teaching Award (2018)
- Hamilton Municipal Heritage Committee: Education in Heritage Award (2018)
- Meritorious Service Medal, Civil Division (2018)
- Mississaugas of the Credit Historical Gathering Award (2020)
- Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching (2020)
- Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell's Challenge Coin (2021)
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society (2022)
- Paul Harris Fellowship from both the Flamborough AM & Waterdown Rotary Clubs (2022)
- Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal (Nova Scotia, 2023)
Nathan lives in Waterdown, Ontario, with his wife Christine and daughters Sophie, Elyse and Maya. He is known locally as “Waterdown's flag aficionado.”
Previous Speaking Engagements, Media Appearances, and published articles :
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Conferences
- 7th Annual Historical Gathering and Cultural Series Showcasing the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation (Lecture: The Crown and Reconciliation), Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation (February 15th, 2017)
- 8th Annual Historical Gathering and Cultural Series Showcasing the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation (Lecture: The Souharissen Natural Area: Restoring Indigenous Voice in Suburbia), Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation (February 14th, 2018)
- ALOC/Government of Ontario Educational 2016 Conference (Lecture: "The Crown as a Conduit of Reconciliation"), Association of Law Officers of the Crown (November 9th, 2016)
- Canadian Association of School System Administrators 2016 Conference (Lecture: "Creating a Culture of Caring Around Reconciliation as a Non-Indigenous Teacher"), Canadian Association of System Administrators (July 9th, 2016)
- Celebrating Resilience - Moving Forward (Speaker), Champions for Change Indigenous Education Conference, Six Nations Polytechnic (November 3rd, 2016)
- Community Lecture Series - What is Reconciliation? (Opening Lecture: "The Crown as a Conduit of Reconciliation"), Friends and Neighbours of the Woodland Cultural Centre & Wilfrid Laurier University (October 19th, 2016)
- The Crown in Canada: A Diamond Jubilee Assessment Conference (Discussant), Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina (October 28th, 2012)
- The Crown in the 21st Century: Deference or Drift? (Panelist with "Aboriginal Peoples and the Honour of the Crown: The Implications for Canada Today"), Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada (January 16th, 2016)
- Sask LEADS Annual Conference (Presentation: Teaching as Treaty: What a school board should know about teaching Indigenous Studies as a non-Indigenous Instructor), League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents (March 6th, 2017)
- 2017 Sources of Knowledge Forum: Accounting for the Past, Envisioning the Future: a Seven Generations–Based Framework for the Bruce Peninsula (Presentation: Decolonizing the Crown in Canada), Sources of Knowledge Forum (May 6th, 2017)
- Welcome Reception of The Canadian History of Education Association's 19th Biennial Conference: Teaching Nation?: Histories of Education and the Politics of Commemoration (Member of feature panel "The Politics of Commemoration"), Canadian History of Education Association (October 27th, 2016)
Writing about the Crown and Indigenous Issues
Letter to the Editor "It's a Canadian Monarchy, not UK" - Hamilton Spectator, 2009
Op Ed piece on the role of the Crown in Canada - Hamilton Spectator, July 2010
This Jubilee day is also a sad anniversary: George VI was a good king and important to Canada - Hamilton Spectator, Feb 6th, 2012
Prince Edward Augustus: Father of the Canadian Crown - Prince Arthur Herald, June 29th, 2013
Guest Blog: Honourable Effort at Queen's Park - The Agenda with Steve Paikin, September 16th, 2013
The Royal and Viceregal Fort at York - Fife and Drum (The Newsletter of The Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common), Oct 2013
Once a weapon, education is now key to reconciliation - Op-Ed for CBC Aboriginal, June 7th, 2015
Magna Carta: A Guide for Educators - LawNow Magazine, November 4th, 2015
The key role of The Queen and her representatives in Reconciliation - The Public Policy & Governance Review, University of Toronto - March 19th, 2016
Why It's Time to Define the Crown's Role With First Nations - Maclean's Magazine, June 21st, 2016
Ontario may ditch high school civics classes. That's a mistake - Maclean's Magazine, November 1st, 2016
It’s time to embrace the ‘Mother of Confederation’ - Maclean's Magazine, March 28th, 2017
Abolishing monarchy in Canada will complete colonization of Indigenous people - Toronto Star, February 11th, 2020
Indigenous people teach the importance of ceremony - Toronto Star, August 23rd, 2020