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Improving Indigenous Health Starts With Reconciliation By Anna Banerji

902 Words4 Pages

Like many articles on Aboriginal Peoples issues, Anna Banerji’s CBC article “Improving Indigenous Health Starts With Reconciliation” (Banerji, 2015), is a critique on the treatment of Native Peoples in Canada. Her main thesis focuses on the inequality that exists in Canada, by underscoring the biases and discriminations perpetrated on Indigenous Peoples, in terms of basic human rights. Banerji’s advocacy, although commendable, leaves an empty space, in terms of both a governmental (policy) perspective, and her own assertion’s credibility, due to her writing style and content. These ingredients are essential for an understanding by the target audience (Canadians, in general), as it could allow for a powerful critique on the human rights violations …show more content…

These credentials, amongst other impressive associations should lend authenticity to her voice, as an ally of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, but instead, detract from her perspective because of the articles poor composition.
The article in question, titled “Improving Indigenous Health Starts With Reconciliation,” attempts to outline some of the prominent discriminatory acts currently being endured by Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Citing empirical experiences and voicing issues that range from child starvation and a lack of clean water, to under-funded education and marginalizing medical practices, Banerji attempts to garner attention by using a pathos rhetorical appeal. In addition, she implies an ethos (expert) rhetorical appeal, to underpin her knowledge and authority in Aboriginal …show more content…

The CBC, which represents Canada (by the nature of it’s funding), and its government, bares a responsibility in its publishing practice, to: (1) provide proper editing (spelling, at least), and (2) some sort of editorial counter-argument for the news it delivers. In the case of the Banerji article, the author and/or the CBC are responsible for citing the specific policies that this report refers to. Using broad statements like “The Indian Act,” instead of pointing out specific statutes within the act to premise statements, would give the federal government their voice, and thereby show how Canada’s governmental policy contravenes the Human Rights code with respect to the indigenous population; juxtaposing the treatment of Aboriginal Peoples and those of non-Aboriginal

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