Homelessness Of Indigenous People

From the late 1800s to the later 1900s Residential schools were used to force white Catholic culture onto Indigenous Peoples. This had a great effect on Aboriginal Peoples and ended up ripping families apart, destroying Aboriginal culture and effecting aboriginal peoples far into the future after the events that happened at the schools. This essay will shed some light on one of Canada's darkest parts of history. Residential schools pull Aboriginal families apart because they remove the culture holding them together and put distance between them. To begin, residential schools were designed to remove Aboriginal peoples culture thus pushing family members apart.

From the start of colonisation, Indigenous Australian populations were demolished due to the introduced diseases, the loss of land and livelihood. Nothing was done to provide health services despite loss of life and widespread disease. The crises currently occurring in Indigenous health is due to generations of mistreatment, failure to provide adequate resources and lack of understanding. Up until 1967 Indigenous Australians has no right to healthcare services and had little power to change this due to the policy decisions set in place that restricted them from making their own decisions. (REFFERENCE)

I believe that the Canadian government is guilty of genocide against the aboriginal people of Canada because of the residential schools, the creation of the Indian act and the enfranchisement of first nations people. The first reason I think the Canadian government is guilty of genocide is the residential schools. The schools were government sponsored religious schools established to assimilate aboriginal children into the dominant Canadian culture. Their policy was to remove children from the influence of their families, cultures and traditions.

Beginning in the mid 1700’s, after the Europeans invaded the country, was when it all began to go downhill for the Indigenous people of Canada. The higher government has continuously made a gap in the middle of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people regarding human rights. Despite living in one of the world’s wealthiest countries, Indigenous families and communities in Canada continue to confront some harsh challenges as many of them suffer through economic and social barriers. The article “Stolen Sisters, Second Class Citizens, Poor Health: The Legacy of Colonization in Canada” written by authors Wendee Kubik, Carrie Bourassa and May Hampton explains a view on the most vulnerable, which are the Indigenous woman as they are being declined their quality of life and being violently victimized from men.

Political activism movements of aboriginal communities in Canada have been occurring since the late 19th century in an attempt to organize political associations to pursue equality and fairness throughout the nation. Throughout persistent criticism of the Canadian federal government (especially the “White Paper” policy from 1969), major aboriginal organizations – most commonly known is the Assembly of First Nations – that began gaining political recognition and was later joined in 2012 by the national advocacy movement of “Idle No More.”

Loss of land - The Land is fundamental to the wellbeing of aboriginal people but all of that changed aboriginal people were unhappy with the dispossession of their land, because of this situation the dispossession of aboriginal people from their land resulted in a drastic decline of their population, as well as people both aboriginal and white settlers were killed from violent clashes and deaths were caused over the right of settlement on the land. The violent conflicts happen because of the cultural misunderstandings over land, fear and curiosity over the white settlers also. The war between both cultures became desperate and brutal as both felt like they were fighting for their survival. Not all contact

government started to civilize them and moved to control all aspects of their lives through passing the Indian Act and residential schools. According to Carole Blackburn “although assimilation was the stated goal, in actuality, the Indian Act facilitated the ongoing supervision of aboriginal people as a racially segregated population, marking their externality from the nation and separation from the rights and duties of Canadian citizenship” ( ). Therefore, biology has been used as an ideology to maintain capitalism and used to determine society behavior. In the other words, prejudice, discrimination and racism become the reason that they occupied the subordinate position in the political, economical and ideological relations of Canadian’s society.

Indigenous populations in Canada face severe disadvantages related to their health. The racism that Indigenous people face is further compounded by the disadvantages that women face making the situation even for difficult for Indigenous women. With this said Indigenous women do share many issues with the rest of the Aboriginal population as a result of colonization, loss of land, forced time in Indian Residential Schools, loss of language, and racial, political, and economic marginalization (McNab). Furthermore, Indigenous peoples in remote communities face the difficulty of lacking access to healthcare, education, employment, and income equality (McNab). Indigenous women face a unique combination of oppression through their intersectionality

The arrival of Europeans in 1788 led to the widespread dispossession of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people. They wrenched the indigenous population from their lands and sacred sites severing their cultural connections and depriving them of their livelihoods. They no longer had a way to hunt & gather food or make bush medicine. Almost overnight their whole lifestyle and reason for being became defunct. This has a continuing effect on indigenous people today as many battle feelings of hopelessness and struggle to find a balance with their traditional lifestyle and culture as well as exist in a white dominated, highly urbanised

Canada is known for its amazing healthcare and it is considered one of the best in the world. In Canada, healthcare is ‘universal’ to its citizens under the Heath Care Act. However, not everyone has equal access to healthcare, Aboriginals being some of them. Aboriginals have trouble getting the access they need because of socio-economic status, geography, lack of infrastructure and staff, language or cultural barriers an more. Aboriginals on reserve face many barriers when it comes to access to healthcare, they include cost, language, distance, climate, education and more.

The Aboriginals are an important and impactful group of individuals in Canadian history. They show how Canada has come a long way but also represent how we have a long way to go as well in ensuring the protection of Aboriginals and their culture. Aboriginals have been oppressed by the Canadian government for many years and continue to fight against restrictions in order to preserve their traditions. The mistreatment of Aboriginals is significant to Canadian history because of the mental and physical abuse they endured from Residential schools, the progressive changes from the Indian act, and the lack of basic needs being deprived on the reserves.

Society does not treat indigenous people with the same level of respect as non indigenous people are treated. They are treated as if they are below society and are given less opportunities to function in modern society. The Canadian government and the Canadian community as a whole need to integrate the indigenous community into contemporary Canadian society. " The lack of opportunities and resources that are afforded to the rest of Canadians are not being afforded to our people.

The Metis have faced difficulties because of dealing with the segregation from the other majority cultures in Canada. This is shown through the treatment they received

Canadian Whiskey is the prized, pride of Canada and renowned around the world. Canadian dignitaries and citizens alike, gift bottles of the golden brew when they are wanting to make an impression to international parties. The well-known and finely crafted liquor symbolizes a timely process and centuries of perfection. The often forgotten symbol of Canadian Whiskey’s heritage is the original trade brew that the First Nations called ‘firewater’. A whiskey that is said to be the demise of the First Nation communities in the 1800’s and even today.

Post-Reflection 1) What did I learn from this assignment? From reading Chelsey Vowel's novel, I learned plenty about myself as an Indigenous person living in "Canada". The greatest thing I took away from this assignment is that I need to embrace my Indigenous culture more and be proud to be who I am.