First Contact (Canada)

- Season 1

(2018)

The six travelers begin their journey in the heart of Canada; Winnipeg, Manitoba. Here they meet prominent Indigenous activist Michael Redhead Champagne who sheds some light on the journey ahead. He outlines their upcoming work alongside two community driven movements; the Bear Clan patrol which works to keep Winnipeg's notorious North End streets safe, and Drag the Red which takes on the sobering task helping to solve cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women by searching the river, and the riverbank, for remains or other evidence. From Winnipeg the group ...

The group arrives in Muskrat Dam, one of several fly-in reserves in Northern Ontario. Most Canadians do not understand why people continue to live in remote places like this one. Their stay will open the group's eyes about why relocating isn't an option for the families whose families have been here for generations. They will also hear about the impact of the legacy of residential schools, including a firsthand story of a man who watched his younger brother be taken away in a plane, before having the same happen to himself. Finally, they learn tough lessons about ...

So far on the journey the travelers have had their views confronted and their emotions pushed to the limit, but the travelers are about to face their biggest test yet. Heading south to Calgary, the group hits the front lines to experience life on the streets, getting a glimpse into the humanity of both those working to help and those struggling with their circumstances. After, they go north to an Edmonton prison to learn about life on the inside, speaking to both male and female inmates. Here the divide in the group is at a breaking point, with some participants ...