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The White Paper By Pierre Trudeau

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The White Paper, published by Pierre Trudeau's administration in 1969, was a watershed point in Canadian Indigenous history. This paper examines the White study's relevance and long-term impact. It aims to shed light on the complex dynamics of Indigenous rights and assimilationist policies in Canada during the late twentieth century by evaluating proposed legislation, Indigenous reactions, and subsequent political and public debate. The White Paper, which was designed to address Indigenous concerns, provoked tremendous controversy and opposition, eventually altering the direction of Indigenous rights discourse in Canada. Examination of the White Paper The White Paper, formally named "Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy," offered a thorough plan with the goal of drastically …show more content…

In spite of the government's best efforts, the White Paper highlighted long-standing conflicts and inequalities in the relationships between Indigenous people and colonists, laying the groundwork for current discussions over Indigenous rights and self-determination. Indigenous Perspectives on the White Paper Indigenous perspectives did not welcome the white paper with open arms. It resembled a slap across the face. Imagine being informed that your identity, culture, and way of life are all suddenly subject to negotiation. That was the feeling in many Indigenous communities. They see it as an assault on their rights, autonomy, and sovereignty. It was believed that the plan to do away with the Indian Act and give provincial governments authority over Indigenous territories would directly jeopardize the Indigenous peoples' ability to remain separate. They see it as an attempt by the government to quickly and completely obliterate centuries' worth of history and

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He present this by discussing the illegality of the treaties pertaining to the Indian Act being passed, the government not fulfilling their treaty promises, the government starving the aboriginals, and by oppressing them and stealing their land. The interpretation of the situation by Harring does differ James Daschuk’s. Harring explicitly states that the aboriginals were starved on purpose “local Indian Affairs authorities were given direct orders to starve able-bodied Indian men and issued inadequate rations for Indian women and children” (Harring 120), when Daschuk only provides information pertaining to the famine, and not that it was done on purpose. Harring was the most convincing as he blatantly blames the government for the harm caused on the aboriginals and sets the stage for how maltreated the aboriginals were by the government. Conclusively, James Daschuk provides two fairly convincing chapters, pertaining to the aboriginal people in Western Canada and on the plains, who were ravaged with disease, fighting, famine and an immense loss of land.

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