The Video ' Still Waiting On Attawapiskat : Will Canada Fail The Next Generation Of First Nations Students?

The documentary begins with a recounting of issues faced by indigenous people in Northern British Columbia stating that the economic growth is strong, however the division of wealth sharing is still not in place, forcing smaller communities to live below the poverty line, with an unemployment rate as high as 92% in some first nation reserves. The issue of the murdered and missing women and girls is a sad result of systemic and socioeconomic issues that have

Our society was fearful of the First Nations, because their culture and beliefs were different from ours. As a result, we penalized them for that and forced innocent children to leave their traditional culture behind and force them into our society. Lyna and Glen’s perspective was about hardship, emotional, psychological and physical trauma. They wanted our society to see and understand what that experience did to their humanity. Throughout the documentary, they focused on the victims, which were the children, resulting in personal biases about the experiences of the residential schools. Through talks in class and readings from the text, they both expressed how inequality has festered through the years in different ways for minority groups, such as the First Nations. From what our society has done, we created “so much mental and emotional suffering” (Pickett, K and Wilkinson, R), as a result from creating these residential schools and forcing assimilation upon the First Nation Children.

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.

8th Fire: Indigenous in the City, is part of a documentary series that describes the challenges that aboriginal people face when moving to the large cities from reservations. The documentary begins by describing the stereotypes that English Canadians as well as other visible minority groups perceive aboriginal people to be. They show how damaging the stereotypes are to the First Nations, especially in the area of education. The documentary concludes by offering a few some solutions of how to change and improve the relationship between the aboriginal community and the rest of Canada. The two main aspects of the film that I will focus my analysis on is the education system from past to present and the negative impacts it has had on the

In 2000, the only school for 400 Attawapiskat children closed after a fuel leak contaminated the property. Students were relocated to moldy portable classrooms, with limited heat and electricity. Despite promises of a new school, the federal government neglected the Attawapiskat community until the ground became so contaminated, children were passing out from the benzene fumes (Angus, 2012). Although federal officials were well aware of the poor conditions in Attawapiskat, no efforts were made to rectify the situation. Frankly put, Attawapiskat is not unique - in reserves across Canada, underfunded classrooms and condemned schools are common. Refusing to accept the government’s inaction, Aboriginal student Shannen Koostachin and

When Canada was first inhabited by the First Nations people, the land was completely their own. They were free to inhabit and use the land in whichever manner they saw fit. However, since the arrival of the European settlers, the First Nations people have been mistreated in countless ways. They faced many issues throughout history, and are now facing even more serious problems in our modern society like having to endure racism, discrimination and social ridicule. Given what they already have to deal with, the last thing they should have to worry about is the denial of their rights which is a problem that Aboriginals have to contend with as well.

Although this course is about global women’s movements, the overall argument in which I intend on taking for the purpose of this book review is that besides women, First Nations men are also victims of oppression. In addition to oppression, first nations are often stereotyped by society. Rice’s book does a good job on reflecting this idea once again, through the use of first person point of view stories. It allows the reader to really understand how these stereotypes affect the everyday lives of First Nations people. Before getting into how stereotyping affects the lives of these people, we will begin with looking into oppression and how it relates to the textbook.

This leads to uneducated people living in close confinement in poverty. The answer for a lot of the young people is crime. The statistics for over representation by first nations people in Manitoba are as follows “12% of Manitoba’s population is Aboriginal, yet over half of the 1600 people incarcerated in Manitoba are of Aboriginal descent.” (Government of Manitoba). The question then becomes, why are there so many offenders from one ethnic group? “The commission explains that Aboriginal people seem to commit more crimes as well as they are discriminated against within the justice system” (Government of Manitoba). This seems to me, to be an extension of the Residential school policies, in which the First Nations people are discriminated against, in this case treated as drunks and criminals, which is not much better than the “savages” they use to be.

First Nation Peoples within Canada have been facing many injustices in their homeland since the dawn of colonization. The most unraveling point to First Nation assimilation was the formation of the consequential Indian Act and residential schools resulting in a stir of adversity. As racist ideologies within Canada developed, upheaval against such treatment was undertaken as First Nation communities fought back against government land claims and eradication of treaty rights. In attempt to make amends, proper compensations from the injustices within residential schools have been released and the key for the future is allowing First Nation self-government. Ideals with the intent of ultimate assimilation have been standardized unto First Nation

The Canadian government was being deceitful towards the Mohawk peoples; they ignored their claims to the land and decided to build anyway. This was unjust act was bound to be followed by retaliation. Even after the crisis ended in September of 1990, one of the non-aboriginal locals stoned 75 cars that had aboriginal women, children, and elderly inside. This shows the hatred and disrespect for people who were just defending what was rightfully theirs. Cases like this one help to make Canadian's more aware of the current situation with the First Nations. It shows them how the government is and has been failing to treat the First Nations people fairly when it comes to their rights to the land.

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

This also ties into history and biography. The First Nation youth suicide is a public issues, which is noticed by the children’s advocate of Saskatchewan (Corey O'Soup) and Professor Chris Lalande of Victoria. The youths who commit suicide did not take their own life because of their personal troubles, but instead of the outside factors. Being bullied is a public issue has this occurs to many people all over the world. Education is one way to combat bullying. Schools and mental health support are a part of the structure, and the indigenous youth is a part of the agency. The history and biography behind indigenous communities have strong ties to drug abuse, and lack of social assistance. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux states “Legacy goes back to the historic trauma that was experienced in many of our communities, especially in the north where it hasn't necessarily been adequately dealt with"(CBC, 2016). In the podcast, a speaker from the Sask. First Nation group, notes that there is an urgent need for the government and Indigenous communities to develop a better relationship --- where politics should be kept separate. The First Nations and the government had a complicated relationship from early encounters. The government worked actively attempting to assimilate First Nations people by restricting their cultural

In regards to mental health, the condition of a person’s psychological and emotional well-being, many indigenous people in Canada still experience the trauma that older generations experienced from the residential schools between 1876 to 1996. This passing of trauma between generations is called transgenerational trauma or “historical” trauma (Czyzewski, 2011, p. 7). The residential schools were born out of the idea to relocate native peoples from their territories and assimilate some into society. Within these schools, indigenous people were not allowed to speak their native language, were forced to dress in European clothing, and were given English names. Out of the many indigenous people in Canada, thirty percent or 150,000 children were send to live at residential schools.

Through watching the “Did You Know” series, I was shocked by how were the indigenous people treated in Canada, and many of them are still in dark even now. I was very sad and indignant while watching the video, for the unfair treatment and persecution they have suffered are unbelievable. In my opinion, amount all of the information, the Impact of the Indian Act, Aboriginal Ceremonies Outlawed, and Getting into Business are the three pieces that indicate the most unfair treatments they have experienced.

At the First Nations University of Canada, First Nations students can learn in the context of their own traditions, languages and values. Rooted in their own traditions, our students will walk proudly and wisely today. The university, through extension programming, reaches out and welcomes First Nations peoples to use its resources for the enrichment of their communities.