Nipissing First Nation Summary

The mistreatment of Aboriginal children at residential schools caused detrimental impacts on their identity and even led to death. Furthermore, this has led to many repercussions that negatively affect their communities and made them more prone to criminal acts. There have also been rising tensions between the Aboriginal population and the Canadian government due to the protests for compensation. The imposition of residential schools has negatively impacted the lives of the Aboriginal population and the government must take action for the betterment of their

The social and psychological effects of Residential Schools on Canada’s First Nations Peoples Residential Schools were and still are a significant part of Canada’s history. They have had negative social and psychological effects on survivors and even their families. Grant Severight, Richard Wagamese, and Rita Joe and so many more are incredible authors who share their experiences on Residential Schools from either their or their families’ perspectives.

Aboriginal persons in Canada have been facing oppression ever since colonization began. Even when Canada gained independence from the British Empire, the oppression continued and still goes on today. One major contributing factor to the oppression of Aboriginal people in Canada is the actions taken by the Government. The Government of Canada has in fact mistreated and found to be partaking in wrongdoing when dealing with the Aboriginal population in this country. With this ugly truth being revealed, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had to be tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past. (cite)

Although the Canadian government has done a great deal to repair the injustices inflicted on the First Nations people of Canada, legislation is no where near where it needs to be to ensure future protection of aboriginal rights in the nation. An examination of the documents that comprise

Knockwood explains the enforcement of residential ideologies as a “combination of physical intimidation and psychological manipulation which produced terror and confusion” (12). The premise of residential schools was to strip Indigenous children from their culture and Indigenous identity, forcing them to only speak English, or face severe consequences. Despite the government and churches best efforts, many Indigenous children still maintained their cultural roots and kept their language while at home. This governmental need for assimilation has had lasting impacts far beyond the scope of active residential schools. Neeganagwedgin notes, “while the schools may be physically closed, the legacy lingers” (34). Beyond this, she urges, present-day institutions still function in a way that continues to undermine and systematically deny, “Indigenous peoples their inherent rights as First Peoples” (Neeganagwedgin 34); such as the justice system, child welfare and the education systems.

From the late 1800’s to 1996 more than 100,000 aboriginal children attended residential schools in Canada. At a majority of these government operated schools there were reports of emotional, physical, sexual and spiritual abuse along with punishment for cultural activities. Residential schools were implemented to liberate aboriginal people from their savage ways in order for them to survive in the modernizing society.1 To a majority of the current Canadian population, impacts of residential schooling are a part of a distant past, disassociated from today’s events, this misconception. Long lasting impacts as a result of residential schooling include minimal education leading to poverty, stigmatization by the non-aboriginal public, abuses of aboriginal rights in areas such as land and the environment and the growing loss of Indigenous cultures in younger generations. With the continuing misconception of the history and lasting impact of residential schools conflict between Indigenous people and the Canadian Government has not ceased, but increased.

The Fallen Feather documentary analyses both the creation of the Canadian Residential Schools and the effects of these schools. The documentary states that these schools were created as a plan to end what was referred to as Canada’s Indian problem. The documentary used survivor accounts, primary documents, and professional accounts in determining the motivation behind the creation of these schools. These schools were full of physical and psychological abuse that still has an effect on the First Nations people today.

Throughout history, First Nations rights and privileges has been a highly controversial subject in Canada, and remains a debatable topic in society, even in the present-day. Whether it has been the controversies surrounding the missing and murdered Indigenous women or the funding of First Nation’s education, concrete results have yet

To many people, Canada exemplifies a country that fulfills human rights and equality being the country of ‘freedom’. However, the Canadian government has distorted certain information including poverty that impacts many Aboriginal individuals daily. In theory, it is impossible to effectively analysis the impact that the past has imposed on

Thomas Flanagan disapproves the idea of Native sovereignty ever coexisting with Canadian sovereignty. Flanagan identifies the flaws in Townshend’s arguments referring to them as a theoretical approach and not a practical approach. It is true that the sharing of jurisdictional power is the essence of the Canadian state but this cannot apply to the Aboriginals of Canada. One reason a third level of government cannot work in Canada is “In the 10 provinces, Canada has over six hundred Indian bands living on more than 2200 reserves, plus hundreds of thousands of Métis and non-status Indians who do not possess reserves,” (Flanagan 44). Flanagan draws the fact that “No one has proposed a workable mechanism by which this far-flung archipelago could

Charlie Angus was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2004, a role which took him to the Forgotten Children of Attawapiskat. It was his experiences prompted him to write his book, Children of the Broken Treaty: Canada’s Lost Promise and one Girl’s Dream, which tells the story of Indigenous persons of Canada’s struggles, including treaty rights, residential schools, as well as the fight for education and safe housing. The book provides a challenge to many common assumptions, and it also explores many themes which are used to explain the events which have shaped Canadian culture and policies. Angus begins his book by touching on some of the original treaties signed between the first Canadian government and the members of the bands that are indigenous to the land. One of these was Treaty 9, which promised education for Indigenous children. The book then developed into the foundation of residential schools, and the horrors that are endured there. In addition to the horrendous amounts of verbal, physical and sexual abuse which took place in these schools, the students who attended these institutions faced the mass genocide of their culture, as the unspoken purpose of these schools was “to kill the Indian in the child” (Angus, 2015, p. 14). The beginning of the book, while very dark, provides an honest introduction to some of the themes that can be spotted throughout the book, and history itself. The three themes that primarily stood out to me as a reader were: cultural

During the whole of this article, Denis tactfully presents the almost stereotypical uncaring view of the European-Canadians. On the outside these people portray a positive, supportive front, however, this is taken down as Denis uncovers an apathetic mentality towards Residential Schools. Countless people push the blame to the past as they did not commit these insufferable acts; wanting to move on and leave these events behind. However, we are shown throughout this article that this is not always the mindset European-Canadians have. Many European-Canadians feel strongly towards making amends and taking action in supporting these people who were so severely influence by Residential Schools. The Anishinaabe see the shift of blame and worry that no change will commence as part of the apology. Denis communicates to the reader that this is only a step

The case being presented is the Kahkewistahaw First Nation v. Taypotat, which is a 2015 Supreme Court of Canada decision. The Kahkewistahaw First Nation developed an election code, which required that candidates who wished to be a Band Councilor or Chief must have achieved at least a grade 12 education (CanLII, 2015). The Chief for the majority of the previous three decades (27 years), 76 year old Louis Taypotat, had only attained a grade 10 education, which caused him to be disqualified from candidacy (CanLII, 2015). Taypotat opposed the process of the development of the election code, his disqualification, and the constitutionality of the election requirement (CanLII, 2015). His main argument was that the requirement for a candidate to possess a Grade 12 education violated section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which states that, “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability”, and that educational attainment is analogous to race and age (Canadian Charter of Rights

INTENT OF RESOURCE A majority of Canadians, including teachers, have a limited understanding of Aboriginal people, their culture, history and experiences. Instead, they have been informed by dominant discourses (see Schick & St Denis, 2005 as cited in Dion, 2007). Aboriginal learners and their families are often misunderstood and judged. The blame is often placed on them for their failure to achieve in the educational systems (Battiste, 2000; Kulchyski, McCaskill, & Newhouse, 1999 as cited in Hare & Davidson, 2015). The intent of the resource’s use is to bring to light and expose the cruel practices of the entire residential school system and the hardships and the sufferings experienced by the generations of Aboriginal victims taken into this system. This is in order to enlighten and

There have been many significant cases that have dealt with the issue of jurisdiction. Among these cases was the Sparrow case of 1990. The Court determined that “Aboriginal Rights were constitutionally protected, and that those rights can only be extinguished with First Nations consent.” Moreover, the Court ruled that