They continued to resist against the Canadian government's attempts to assimilate them, and to use their land for projects that would cause their communities harm, such as building oil pipes, and an incredible amount of other causes impacting Indigenous peoples. Throughout the history of Indigenous people, before Canada was even a country, they have resisted the attempts of colonizers to take their land, and attempt to take their culture as well. Paragraph #2 for Response Questions #4 A specific historical moment mentioned in the timeline that connects particularly well to “The Right to be Cold” by Sheila Watt-Cloutier is the education heading in Dr. Susan Dion’s talk. The policy paper detailing more Indigenous control of their own communities' education under the Education headline was fought for by the National Indian Brotherhood, and it led to the Canadian government giving back control of Indigenous education back to Indigenous people.
As a child born and raised in Canada however, I am a descendant of immigrant parents who left their country to provide a better life for their children. The better life includes an aspect known as education. However, the heinous Canadian Government viewed education as a tool to “assimilate... children into Euro-Canadian Christian society” (Forsythe, 2023b, para. 1). The adage of the adage. When the Indian Act was put into legislation, like many parents “Indigenous leadership was not opposed to schools for their children” (Forsythe, 2023b, para. 2).
In his essay “To be Indian in Canada today”, Richard Wagamese relies on logos to explain the struggles and obstacles that come with the Federal Court’s decision to recognize Metis and non-status Indians in Canada as “Indians” under the Constitution Act. He then begs the question, “what does it mean to be Indian in Canada today?”(Wagameses). Being First Nations himself, Richard Wagamese knows firsthand all barriers that come with being Indigenous in Canada today. While using logos Richard Wagamese implements many different statistics and percentages in his essay to show the hurdles that Indigenous people face: “To be Indian in Canada today is to see youth languish in chronic unemployment and malaise, endure high rates of alcohol, drug and solvent
“Indian School Road” by Chris Benjamin sheds light on the horrific experiences of Indigenous children and families at residential schools. It is a non-fiction book that explores the impact of the residential school system in Canada on Indigenous Communities. The author focuses specifically on the Shubenacadie Residential School in Nova Scotia, where Indigenous children were taken and forced to attend the school from 1930-1967. The Canadian government established these schools intending to indoctrinate Indigenous children into Christian ways, with churches as the main locations and priests and nuns as educators. The book uncovers the history of the Shubenacadie Residential School, exposing the responsible individuals, the government's passive
Over the past few decades, there has been many distinct perspectives and conflicts surrounding the historical context between the Indigenous peoples in Canada and the Canadian Government. In source one, the author P.J Anderson is trying to convey that the absolute goal of the Indian Residential School system in Canada has been to assimilate the Indian nation and provide them with guidance to “ forget their Indian habits”, and become educated of the “ arts of civilized life”, in order to help them integrate into society and “become one” with their “White brethren”. It is clearly evident throughout the source that the author is supportive of the Indian residential school system and strongly believes that the Indian residential School System
Indigenous people across Canada have been suppressed by the government, system, and settlers still to this day. The residential school system was a system of boarding schools that were established by the Canadian government and administered by various churches to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. Many of these children suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from school staff. Even though residential schools have been abolished they can still affect indigenous people today. The book “Indian Horse” clearly represents the intergenerational trauma of Indigenous communities in Canada.
Canada is often regarded as multicultural country with a high human development, great education, high life expectancy and extraordinary healthcare, proving it is an over all exceptional place to live. Although this might be the case, a fraction of Canadians who are “Indians” believe their native culture is being compromised and quality of life does not reflect that of the over all population. In the Globe and Mail article , To be Indian in Canada Today… by Richard Wagamese’s the author argues the pros and cons to granting Métis and non-status Indians status under the Constitution Act. As well as, when it comes to nationalism how are Indians regarded and what role do the first nations play in the construction of Canadian culture (Wagamese,
Critical Summary #3: First Nations Perspectives In Chapter eight of Byron Williston’s Environmental Ethics for Canadians First Nation’s perspectives are explored. The case study titled “Language, Land and the Residential Schools” begins by speaking of a public apology from former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He apologizes for the treatment of “Indians” in “Indian Residential Schools”. He highlights the initial agenda of these schools as he says that the “school system [was] to remove and isolate [Aboriginal] children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them[…]” (Williston 244).
The Indian Act passed in 1876, and amended countless times, in its present state, is a portrayal of the complicated and problematic relationship between First Nations and Canadian Society, distinguished through power imbalances, historical injustices and problems, and current inequalities. Through its many conditions, laws, and arrangements, The Indian Act portrays paternalistic control, giving the Canadian government power and control over Indigenous peoples and communities. Further causing discrimination, and alienation, along with current and ongoing inequalities and power imbalances, further demanding reconciliation. The Indian Act passed in 1876, was an oppressive way to gain control of Indigenous people and Land and further assimilate
For every 100 American Indian/Alaska Native kindergartners, only seven will earn a bachelor's degree, compared to 34 of every 100 white kindergartners” (NCSL). Indigenous children mostly have to deal with these issues when going to schools on their reservations. The schools they attend are often low on budget and do not deliver the education they need fully. Due to their low-quality schools, it can cause them not to understand the material and drop out, can cause behavioral issues, and make them not pursue higher education. Though Natives not only face issues in their education system, but face medical issues as well, “In general, Indigenous populations have higher rates of certain medical conditions than the general U.S. population.
The Indian Act was constructed to reflect the Canadian government’s primary goal of assimilation. The government anticipated that the process of organized assimilation through legislation would reduce the number of status Indians in Canada, remove the government from the responsibility of First Nations affairs, and make available the land that was currently reserved for First Nations. Without the responsibility of the ‘Indian problem’, the Canadian government would no longer be required to spend limited federal funds on its burdensome inhabitants. However, the ‘Indian problem’ did not go away and instead produced gender-based discrimination towards the women of Canada’s First Nations communities, resulting in a loss of status, status rights, and identity for generations to come.
One way that the Indigenous studies requirement would aid in combating racism is through diminishing harmful stereotypes that surround Indigenous peoples. According to Maclean’s, “one in three prairie residents believe that many racial stereotypes are accurate” and that 52% of prairie residents also agree that “Aboriginals’ economic problems are mainly their fault” (Macdonald, 2015) in a poll conducted by the Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration. Canada has had a long history of racism against and the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples, including but not limited to the residential school system and the more recent issue of the high rates of Indigenous children in Child and Family Services (CFS). It is estimated that 150,000 Indigenous children were placed into residential schools from 1874 to 1996 (Fee, 2012) and it is believed 6,000 of these children died while attending, although this number is difficult to determine due to the government ceasing recordings of deaths in residential schools around 1920. Indigenous children were taken from their homes, from their parents and from their way of life to be put into schools that were meant to rid them of their Indigenous culture and assimilate
Imagine being ripped apart from family members, culture, tradition, and labelled a savage that needs to be educated. Imagine constantly facing punishment at school for being one’s self. Unfortunately, these events were faced head on for many First Nations people living in Canada in the late 20th century. These First Nations people were the victims of an extensive school system set up by the government to eradicate Aboriginal culture across Canada and to assimilate them into what was considered a mainstream society.
One of the worst punishments in residential schools was for speaking their own language. The use of residential schools on First Nations has led to substantial loss of the indigenous languages, therefore, causing further cultural losses to First Nations people. One
I particularly agreed with the authors’ argument about blending cultural and academic knowledge (McKinley & Brayboy, 2005, p. 435). I think it is institution’s responsibility to respect their cultural knowledge but also provide appropriate academic knowledge, relative to Indigenous students to be able to actively engage in reciprocal learning with their cultural knowledge, which, then, adds value to their survivance practice. I find that this piece opened up a new way of looking at the challenges which Indigenous students encounter and the ways to move forward with the situation through changing the perception of education not only from Indigenous students, but also from the perspectives of non-Aboriginal members in institutions by providing a way to
