The Treaty Relationship Between Canada And First Nations

Canada is a nation of opportunity and freedom. People from all around the world immigrate to Canada to start a new life, to get away from war or poverty. Canada opens their arms to them and accepts them, and gives them money to get them started. But how about those who were here from the very beginning, before anyone else landed in Canada; the ones that are called First Nation people, or Aboriginals? What is the government doing for them? Why are First Nations people suffering the worst in Canada? “55.6% of the poor are aboriginals and a lot of them live in reserves around Canada that Canadian government have put them in. For those who leave the reserves to get a better living the suffer from racism from Canadian society” (“Aboriginal”).

The impact of colonization on First Nations peoples in Canada is unsurpassable, regarding every aspect of Aboriginal life and well-being. Throughout Canadian history, the government has been aiming to assimilate and annihilate Aboriginal people by way of racist policies, ethnocentric institutions, discriminatory laws and destructive capitalist behaviours. Because of this, Aboriginal people have suffered many losses, both physically and culturally. One of the main perpetrators of enacting this loss is the education system. The education system in Canada has and continues to threaten the relationship First Nations peoples have with the land. The connection First Nations peoples have with the land is crucial to their cultures, traditions, ceremonies and beliefs. Colonization and colonialism jeopardize this relationship and that is what this essay will address.

Since the colonization of Canada First Nations people have been discriminated against and assimilated into the new culture of Canada through policies created by the government. Policies created had the intentions of improving the Aboriginal people’s standard of living and increasing their opportunities. Mainly in the past hundred years in Canadian Society, policies and government implemented actions such as; Residential schools, the Indian Act, and reserve systems have resulted in extinguishing native culture, teachings, and pride. Policies towards the treatment of Aboriginal Canadians has decreased their opportunities and standard of living because of policies specified previously (Residential schools, the Indian Act, and reservation systems).

This is a powerful quote, and to each individual, it has its own meaning. When I read this quote, what I understood was that if one believes they are powerless, then they are. The oppressor cannot control what is in your head, or your spirit. This quote is relevant because it corresponds to Canada’s relationship with the Indigenous people. My paper will be ranging from the topics of residential schools in Canada, and the aftershock of them; the positive influence New Zealand could have on Canada’s struggle to decolonization, and looking deeper into how Canada can take New Zealand as an example and try to incorporate it into our own values and system. Although this paper includes a broad range of subjects, it will be focused solely on my

Often times, when it came to the discussion on equality within Canada, the actions of Canada were compared to those of the United States, and often times, a comment is made stating that the United States could learn from Canada’s example when it came to racial harmony. However, this idea was often criticized as the racial problems within Canada were just as severe. The respect and the livelihood of the First Nation were violated for years even before the start of the twentieth century. However, the issues of the First Nations were hardly ever brought to light by other Canadians because these issues were often hidden deep within the reserves that these First Nations were forced into. From taking their land away to disregarding their cultures, the government rarely ever acknowledged the needs of the First Nations until they could no longer be ignored. The government continuously stressed assimilation, especially with the Indian Act , and expected the First Nations

The history of Canada is the era of where colonization all began towards aboriginal peoples. Over the past decades, aboriginal peoples have been mistreated and misused by the white-Europeans. They have been oppressed by Canadian society that we are known still by today and continue to live under racism resulting in gender and class oppression. The history of colonialism has been playing a big part in the way of how aboriginal people have been constructed and impacted on how aboriginal people are treated and viewed in Canadian Society. They have been dealing with the struggles, inequality, and discrimination that we have been putting them through for over three centuries, we’ve been also failing them with Canada’s racist policies

Conflict between Canada and the First Nations has been going on since the Europeans first arrived. After their arrival the First Nations way of life was hindered severely; The Europeans brought many diseases that the Aboriginal people were unfamiliar with and had no resistance to, or cure for. “By the 16th century about 80% of Canada's Native population had died from the various diseases (Renneboog, 5).” The Europeans also came to Canada with the intentions of taking all of the land for themselves, disregarding the people who occupied the land before them. Over time the Europeans had manipulated the First Nations to their will and the Aboriginals were discriminated for their different complexion, culture, customs, and way of life. But

According to Statistic Canada 2011 survey, “aboriginals represent 4.3% of the total Canadian population, about 1,400,685 people”(2011 National Household Survey, n.d.). Aboriginal people have a long history in Canada since the 17th century, but most of them were not a good experience. For example, Indian Act: they were forced to integrate

The relationship between the Indigenous people of North America and the monarchies of Western Europe began over three centuries ago after it was realized there was more than fish and fur to be had across the Atlantic Ocean. Indigenous nations inhabited every corner of what is now Canada when France and Britain began to colonize the North East of the continent. Between these European states and many Indigenous nations there was trade, wars fought, treaties written, all of the standard practices of Nation to Nation relationships. Eventually with the defeat of the French imperial power, Britain effectively expanded their empire to include most of North America. The acquirement of those French claimed territories lead to the infamous Royal Proclamation of 1763. From here the relationship between the British Crown and the Aboriginal nations changed monumentally. Today the British Crown has been replaced by the Canadian Crown in Canada, a legally separate entity, as mentioned by Nathan Tidridge (2016) in “The Crown and Indigenous Peoples” (p.1). The relationship between First Nations and Settlers has gone from being between; “Nations and Tribes” (Royal Proclamation of 1763) and the Empire of Britain, to Institutions of the Federal Government (Indian/Indigenous and Northern affairs) and the many First Nations and Inuit Bands of Canada. However; the Proclamation has continued to stand and influence policy and decision making by colonial powers in regard to Aboriginal people in

It can be said without a doubt that the indigenous peoples of Canada have had to undergo much turmoil in order to reach the point that they are at today. When one looks at the timeline of events and the laws implemented since the arrival of the Europeans in North America it can be considered a miracle that so many aspects of the rich culture and tradition of these people have survived to see today. It is a blessing that these people have been able to pass down the languages, cultural and societal beliefs, as well as their stories from generation to generation so that the people of North America and the world today may be able to know and study these civilized and multifaceted cultures. The First Nations people of Canada have had to go

Cultural oppression, social inequality, the loss of self-government and systemic discrimination are all things that are negatively effecting Aboriginal social welfare in Canada. They all contribute to the overall issue of the oppression that aboriginal people face in Canada creating a social problem. Although steps forward have been taken, for example Justin Trudeau investing significant funds into the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, there is much more work that must be put into this problem before it can even be close to resolution.

In 1982, the federal government of Canada enshrined the rights of Aboriginals in Section 35(1) of the Constitution Act, hereby recognizing and affirming the “existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada.” Although the Constitution Act played a vital role in setting a resolute framework in establishing the

Canada is seen as a culture-embracing country, however when it comes to First Nations, Canada falls short. First Nations people face higher rates of unemployment, lower life expectancy, and have fewer high school graduates. These are only three of the many problems that First Nations people face. Although Canada has taken many positive steps toward ending the discrimination to First Nations people, there is and will always be room for improvement.

As time passes Canada begins to recognize aboriginals and has put more funding in their reserves, opening so-called friendship centres, and child-family aid centres.4 This increased funding shows that the mistreatment of women and children can be changed and that it can have positive effects on the community and economy. Learning of First Nation cultures was

A culture is known to be a group of people, usually a group of First Nations people who share the same knowledge, beliefs, values, languages, experiences, etc. amongst each other as a community. Those cultural knowledge and activities continue to be passed down to younger generations as time goes on. First Nations cultures are very important to many First Nations people because it is like the backbone to not only their future but their future generations as well. Just like the Inuit people who cherish their own people and culture. (NEED REFERENCE)