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The Pros And Cons Of Enfranchisement In Canada

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In the year 1857, under the gradual civilisation act, enfranchisement was introduced and became an option for the indigenous population of Canada. Enfranchisement was to lose the status of being indigenous, either by choice or by force. It was assumed that the Indigenous people would agree to surrender their indigenous status in order to gain the ‘privilege’ of Canadian citizenship. The granting of voting rights could be viewed as a symbol of equality and inclusion. However, for indigenous communities, the prospect of enfranchisement comes with many negatives. Status is connected to the cultural identity of indigenous people, many feel that it is an affirmation of their ancestry. Indigenous people have many reasons to resist the movement of …show more content…

Despite being enfranchised, indigenous people were not guaranteed equal rights, there were still controls in regards to enfranchised indigenous people. Those who were enfranchised still did not have full autonomy. Discriminatory practices, systemic racism, and limited access to education and healthcare continued to marginalize indigenous communities. Indigenous people also faced high levels of poverty as well as a lack of access to employment opportunities. The right to vote may not even seem worth enfranchisement in the mind of an indigenous person when they take into account the barriers still in their way of voting. These include ID laws, gerrymandering, and the closure of local polling places. The enfranchisement of Indigenous peoples in Canada comes with a lot of problems. The decision to resist enfranchisement is rooted in indigenous people’s desire to preserve many aspects of their lives that are affected by their status. For Indigenous communities, enfranchisement meant giving up important parts of their culture and identity in order to become Canadian citizens. Losing their status meant losing access to things like housing, healthcare, and land

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