| Solving the “Aboriginal and Canadian Problem” |
| Taylor Hollis |
| 11/25/2015 |
Tim Shouls
POL 308
Word Count: 2285
Canada is founded on three important peoples: Aboriginal, French and British. The first peoples are known as Aboriginal, having specific types: First Nations, Inuit and Metis (King). Each have existed and prospered within their respective territory since time immemorial. Aboriginal people have coexisted with European colonists for centuries. The Canadian relationship towards the Aboriginal people has been one of paternalism, alienation, marginalization, suppression and assimilation. The Canadian government has written colonial legislation to control Aboriginal people, decide who is or isn’t deemed as status Indians, could revoke status and prohibit ceremonies and cultural traditions. Aboriginal Leaders have not been idle in these processes, while Nations in Canada are still alive and prosperous today. With the hundreds of years of attempting to eliminate the Aboriginal people, today, the Canadian government is recognizing and apologizing for the wrongdoings of Canadian legislation, such as its implementation of the Indian Act. We cannot perpetuate the myth that Canada is solely founded on British and French that denies what it means to be Canadian, for it is founded on French, English and First Nations peoples. Aboriginal history is Canadian history and I believe in the future Canada will reach a solution for the “Aboriginal and Canadian problem.”
Aboriginal people have existed and prospered since time immemorial. Each nation throughout the county has always been: self-sustaining, formed their own political organization, housing structures, subsistence strategies, ideologies and ways of preserving their culture. Elders preserved the culture as orators within longhouses where the echoes of the ancestors resonated through language, songs and stories. Many of them believed that their culture is their identity that of which defines who they are as unique Aboriginal people. Semi-sedentary and nomadic nations would travel through terrain by canoe and foot to broaden their network with other nations and families. Aboriginal people’s social and political systems are parallel to pre-contact, with chiefdoms and nuclear and extended families (Muckle). Today, Aboriginal people in Canada have the same connection to the land that their ancestors had, for it has always provided for them whether it be physically or spiritually.
The arrival of Europeans in Canada has been the biggest catalyst of change for Aboriginal peoples. There have been many dark chapters of legislative oppression towards Aboriginal peoples since their arrival, depriving them the inherent right to practice their culture, hunt and gather, engage in ceremonies, and hand down their oral traditions and making them subjects of the Crown. This was implemented through the Royal Proclamation of 1763, and the Indian Act. It is the Canadian government’s fiduciary responsibility to govern and educate the Aboriginal people and their future generations. Canadian Prime Ministers since Sir John A. MacDonald, Ministers of Indian Affairs, and Justice Ministers have been working together on solving the “Indian Problem.” Department head of Indian Affairs Duncan Campbell Scott shed persuasive negative ideas stating that, “I want to get rid of the Indian problem,” “Our objective is to continue until there a is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department… (Canada)” That denies the morality of the “Canadian” identity, a Nation that is founded on Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people have been invisible and alienated in their own land since the arrival of Europeans, and it is time for reconciliation and to recognize that Aboriginal history is Canada’s history. With that being said, colonial legislation is still prevalent today such as: treaties, bills and most importantly the Indian Act. Aboriginal leaders cannot afford to be idle and must work parallel to the Crown and with the Canadian government’s agenda for they are Canadian’s too.
The arrival of Europeans has been a great catalyst of change, for Aboriginal people and their traditions cannot return back to where they were pre contact or before Residential Schools, but today they can draw forward on their knowledge and Nations can begin to revitalize their cultures (Rogers, Degagne and Lowry). With that being said, as the head of the Canadian Government, the Prime Minister of Canada, I would do everything in my power to resolve the “Aboriginal problem” we have today. A problem created decades ago that created preconceived ideas of Aboriginal people, made them seem inferior and caused them and their generations great harm. I would ensure that there is a new relationship between all Aboriginal people of Canada and the Canadian government. I would acknowledge the rich and vibrant cultures of the Inuit, First Nations and Metis, then follow through with reiterating Stephen Harper’s Statement of Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools, and acknowledging the tenacity and resilience that all of the residential school survivor had, and those who never returned home (Harper). To acknowledge the Aboriginal people’s history, every year, I would put forward a Bill that resembles National Aboriginal Day, but create a National statutory holiday called Day of Reconciliation. A day where Canadians come together to reconcile in their own ways, to live in harmony with Aboriginal people for generations.
As a Prime Minister, my main priorities would address several existing issues that affect all Aboriginal people including women, men and children, those who live on and off reserve, and those with Aboriginal ancestry. I would like to engage Aboriginal Leaders in strengthening Nation-to-Nation relationships with the Crown. For example, more federal governments should have face-to-face conversations around truth and reconciliation, justice and healing. Aboriginal people cannot do this alone; all Canadians will be encouraged to participate in community discussions, gatherings over food, and celebrating the rich diversity of Aboriginal cultures. Working together, I would put aside any instances of superiority and work towards inclusiveness, lateral kindness, mutual respect, mutual understanding and healing. This is the only way we can move forward in this era, Aboriginal people and Canadians are both here to stay, so it’s pertinent that we are substantially improving our relationship.
First and foremost, there needs to be direct action and programs provided for Aboriginal people to achieve a better living. There are Aboriginal people living in abject poverty despite the richness of their culture and bountiful lands. This is due to an entrenched incapacity burdened upon nations. As Prime Minister, I want to express my desire to rethink education and narrow an income gap between the majority of Canadians and Aboriginal people. Canada failed Aboriginal people when they took the children from their parents, and put them in Residential Schools and Day Schools for a period of over a hundred years. They were taught through assimilation and coercion (Residential School). The atrocity of neglectful abuse in the schools followed the former students into today. Aboriginal people still have a resentment towards authority figures, this trauma has to be resolved through accommodating healing centers, program that reintroduced culture, and having a Government that is culturally competent (Rogers, Degagne and Lowry). To begin this process, I abide by following the points laid out in the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (Canada) . Here would be a prime time for Aboriginal leaders and Canadian Education Ministers to come together and work towards forming age-appropriate curriculums on Residential Schools, treaties and Aboriginal peoples. At the same time, provide more funding for Aboriginal Schools, while the mainstream public and private schools receive more funding for their students (Canada). This will ensure more equality for Canadian students.
My powers as Prime Minister can make a significant differences in the everyday lives of Aboriginal people. I think what they want today is to just be in a secure living condition with their family. Looking back decades ago, there was the “Sixties scoop’ where there was a dramatic increase of Aboriginal children apprehended from their families from the 1960s and onwards. Again, taking children from their traditional families deprives them of a rich cultural upbringing. Today, children in care prevents a resurgence of culture, and proves that the impacts of colonialism is still ubiquitous. My solution to this would be inviting each party: Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Minister of Justice, and Aboriginal leaders to form policies and program funding within reserves to resolve this problem with the best interest of children. Aboriginal people and all of Canadians need to feel like they matter. There is a crisis that has been continuing for decades due to colonialism, negligence and the stereotype of Aboriginal women and girls, this is the case of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. These women are mothers, daughters, granddaughters, nieces, cousins and sisters to tens of thousands of Aboriginal people in Canada. The statistics of the missing and murdered women and girls are disproportionate to non-Aboriginal women. The Canadian government policy has deprived Aboriginal people from having a solid family that left many Aboriginal women vulnerable to exploitation and harm. Today, as a Prime Minister, I would immediately begin a national public inquiry on missing and murdered indigenous women and hold the government and police force responsible for putting an end to violence and harm of Aboriginal women. It is visible that Aboriginal people still struggle today due to colonialism. Residential and Day schools created trauma in survivors that is passed through from generation to generation. Providing funding for community wellness, opportunities for more Aboriginal people in the health field and cultural revitalization will support the Aboriginal people in being as strong and powerful as they were before the imposed colonial legislation. I encourage Aboriginal leaders from: youth councils, chief and councils, regional chiefs and Aboriginal political organizations to engage with their municipal, provincial, regional, and national government for Canada is ready for reconciliation, and growing towards a harmonious future.
As a young Aboriginal leader today, my colleagues and I face the “Canadian problem.” Aboriginal people want to decolonize, we do not want to be treated as wardens of the state. Aboriginal leaders do not want to manage poverty, but we want to be respectfully consulted and prosper together, as Canadians. We as Aboriginal people are very grateful of our elders and instructors for their rich teachings. Their teachings instilled pride in our responsibilities to be representatives of our people. Today, I implore the British Columbia government: city councils, members of the legislative assembly, members of parliament and the premier to seek a compromise through reconciliation. A compromise that replaces the previous relationship with a new relationship between Canadian government and Aboriginal people. A relationship that would be founded on mutual respect, honesty, transparency, and legitimacy. British Columbia is home to a third of the nation’s Aboriginal population, beginning this new relationship here will be a start of healing and reconciliation that will take several generations to achieve a visible impact in societies.
Today, as Aboriginal leaders, we have more power than ever. We have opportunities for economic development, and preserving the protocols, rights and rituals of all Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people are creating their own Environmental Assessments, and in solidarity with other Canadians strongly opposing large corporations going onto their territory with or without consent. There are nations through who are less fortunate and need a plan, there is adequate funding provided to create community comprehensive plans, in order to create vision statements and values for reserves, strategize, submit achievable goals and to put them into action (Government of Canada). I want to encourage aboriginal people to participate in capacity building because the people don’t want handouts, they want an opportunity to grow.
Systemic racism took a toll on Aboriginal people. As an Aboriginal leader I strongly urge the Canadian government to follow and work I hand with Aboriginal people’s Constitutional and inherent rights (Myers). Aboriginal people work hard to preserve their Aboriginal rights and title and that in court cases like the Delgamuukw of 1997 had the trial judge ignore the oral histories and accepted that the federal legislation had extinguished land claims (Coates). That denies the foundations of Aboriginal people’s lives, as orators. We as Aboriginal people must hold the Canadian government and colonization responsible for colonialism, that of which is not sustainable for the future of Aboriginal peoples.
I am optimistic and excited for the future of Canadian and Aboriginal peoples. We are presently in an exciting era of Truth and Reconciliation. This is an opportunity to move forward and, strengthen unity without shame, blame or judgement. I am very honored by being in the presence of courageous Residential school survivors, and the ancestors who never assimilated and preserved their culture for their people. I implore you to ask yourself, “How must we grow and mature as a society? What does reconciliation mean to you personally, and for Canadians?” Together it is desirable and achievable to balance a life of an Aboriginal and Canadian person.
Works Cited
Canada, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of. “Honoring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future Summary of the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.” Summary. 2015.
Coates, Kenneth. The Marshall Decision and Native Rights. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s UP, 2000. Print.
Government of Canada; Aboriginal Affarirs and Northern Aboriginal Development Canada; Communications Branch. 15 September 2015. 1 November 2010.
Harper, The Right Honourable Stephen. “Statement of Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools .” Government of Canada, 15 September 2010.
King, Thomas. The Inconvenient Indian A Curious Accout of Native People in Canada. Anchor Canada, 2012.
Muckle, Robert J. Indigenous Peoples of North America: A Concise Anthropological Overview . University Of Toronto Press, 2012.
Myers, Patrick Malcolmson & Richard. The Canadian Regime An Introduction to the Parliamentary Government in Canada. University of Toronto Press, 2012.
Rogers, Shelagh, et al., Reconciliation & The Way Forward Collected Essays & Personal Reflections. Ottawa: Aboriginal Healing Foundation, 2014.
“The Residential School System.” The Residential School System. N.p., n.d. Web.