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Theresa Spence of Idle No more fights for her Home and NATIVE Land:
The violation of Aboriginal Rights by Bill C-45 and the rise of Idle No More inCanada
Melissa InfusinoOctober 23rd, 2013
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Abstract
Despite the many injustices Canadas Aboriginal Peoples have experienced since the
arrival of Europeans in North America, little has been done by the Canadian Government
to end their socio-economic strife. The overall image that emerges from literature is
negative, stereotyping the Aboriginal as a drug addict, alcoholic who has a history with
law enforcement. This essay explains the reasoning behind the deteriorated state of
Aboriginal communities through various academic websites and books. An analysis of
these sources yields the Natives views and explanations that bring light to the dark-side
of Canadian society through three assumptions: 1) the assimilation of First Nations
people throughout history, stemming from racial ideologies; 2) those who are benefitting
from the assimilation of Natives by exploiting their resources; and 3) those suffering from
assimilative policies entrenched by the government. This essay reveals a shameful side
of Canadian history, leaving citizens oblivious to the cultural genocide that has been
unraveling for years right under their noses.
Rsum
Malgr les injustices que subissent les Autochtones du Canada depuis larrive des
Europens en Amrique du Nord, trs peu a t fait par le gouvernement Canadien pour
mettre fin leurs conflits socio-conomiques. Limage qui merge de la littrature est
trs ngative, dcrivant des strotypes the lAutochtone comme un intoxique,
alcoolique qui a un pass avec la loi. Cet essai explique le raisonnement derrire ltat
dtrior des communauts Autochtones travers trois hypothses: 1) lassimilation des
Premires Nations travers lhistoire, cause par des idologies racistes; 2) ceux qui
profitent de lassimilation des Indignes en exploitant leurs ressources; et 3) ceux qui
souffrent des politiques dassimilation enracines par le gouvernement. Cet essai rvle
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un cot honteux de lhistoire canadienne, laissant les citoyens inconscients du gnocide
culturel qui se dnouait juste sous leurs nez.
After bringing disease, war and destruction to the Indigenous Peoples,
Canadas colonizers put forth treaties that caused great resistance from
Aboriginals because the benefits for the Europeans greatly outweighed the
benefits to the first inhabitants of the lands. In 2012, history repeated itself after
Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced Bill C-45 and an investment treaty
with China, including the expansion of tar sands on protected Aboriginal lands
and waterways. While most Canadians would view The Harper Governments
Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act and Bill C-45 as
beneficial to the economic growth of the country, many First Nations believe that
this bill is a violation of Aboriginal Rights and a menace to the environment,
hence evoking a political movement Idle No More of which Chief Theresa
Spences hunger strike is a part. The historical context of the mistreatment of
Natives during the colonization of North America lead to many sociological
problems such as employment barriers and socio-economic disparities as well as
political problems such as their legislated assimilation.
The relationship between the Crown and Aboriginal people is one in which the
government enforced political policies in order to culturally assimilate the First
Nations people of Canada. Eurocentrism is the reasoningbehind the
governments superior status towards Aboriginals and justifies its need to
assimilate and civilize them. Legal assimilation can be observed through the
establishment of different policies in the past such as the Crowns Lands
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Protection Act of 1839, the Indian Act of 1876, residential schools and the White
Paper of 1969.
Since colonial times, Europeans have viewed the world as open to conquest,
control and domination. Other civilizations have been perceived as weak or
vicious, and as in need of being civilized. Eurocentrism hypothesizes the
superiority of Europeans over non-Europeans based on a concept called
diffusionism (Cannon and Sunseri, 2011). Diffusionism is based on two
assumptions: most human communities are uninventive and a few human
communities (or cultures) are inventive and are thus the permanent centers of
cultural change or progress.1From this framework, diffusionism emphasizes that
European peoples are superior to Indigenous peoples and this superiority stems
from the belief that non-European peoples lack mind and culture. The theory
argues that because Europeans are superior, First Nations peoples need to be
civilized through the diffusion of rationality, innovation and a sense of honor or
ethics from Europe in order to progress. Consequently, for centuries, First
Nations children grew up being told that their culture was inferior, their religion
was wrong and their language useless.
Early colonial policy towards Aboriginal Peoples was influenced by
Eurocentrism and shaped by two influential ideologies: mercantilism and Roman
Catholicism (Cannon and Sunseri, 2011). French Indian policy had two primary
objectives: conversion from paganism to Catholicism and the eventual
assimilation of Aboriginal Peoples into French civil and commercial life. This
1Cannon, Martin and Lina Sunseri,Racism, Colonialism and Indigenity in Canada, Ontario:Oxford U P, 2011,11.
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policy was established through incorporation and alliances that were cemented
through marriage and adoption. (Cannon and Sunseri, 2011). The French Crown
relied on the Roman Catholic missionaries to convert Aboriginals in hopes that
Christian conversion and French civilizing influences would turn them into strong
and loyal allies against the British colonizers. Unlike the French, the English, who
were driven by land lust and maintained the idea that a savage could never
validly exercise sovereignty, waged war on Aboriginal communities and took their
lands by force (Cannon and Sunseri, 2011). As the fur trade became increasingly
entrenched in society, the balance of power shifted. Patriarchy and the
commodification of First Nation resources and labor introduced by the fur trade
slowly destroyed egalitarian or communal relations between First Nations men
and women2. Cooperation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people was
replaced by a new situation, one in which the economies of the two peoples were
increasingly incompatible. Europeans were interested in establishing permanent
settlements on the land and taking advantage of the resources in order to supply
their own needs or exploit them to other markets. Thus, Europeans viewed the
Native use of the land as a hindrance to productive development forcing
missionaries to civilize them through Catholicism.
The European ideal of womanhood revolved around female domesticity. The
appropriate position of women was confinement to the household where they
were subordinate to the wills of their fathers and husbands. Contrarily to
European women, Aboriginal women were economically independent, had
2Canon and Sunseri 45
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considerable personal autonomy, controlled their own sexuality and had the right
to divorce. Missionaries represented the condition of Aboriginal women in
fatalistic and derogatory terms, believing that they had no value, were savages
and their ways of life violated Christian norms. (47) Hence, evangelists attempted
to restructure their society by introducing the European family organization with
male authority and the elimination of polyandry and divorce. Missionary
illustrations of the degraded and inferior condition of Aboriginal women were
used to convince the Crown and other Europeans of the savage wretchedness
of Aboriginal life
3
and were used to justify the ideological Eurocentrism rationale
for colonial conquest, dispossession and cultural genocide of the First Nations
people (Canon and Sunseri, 49). However, First Nations people were not only
being dominated by religion. Colonial administrators undertook many initiatives to
legally assimilate and civilize them.
Many legal issues of importance to the aboriginal nations were decided early
in the 19thcentury. Starting in the 1830s, the Canadian policies reflected the
priorities of protection and assimilation rather than partnership with the First
Nations Peoples. Among the most important of these policies was the Crown
Lands Protection Act of 1839, which affirmed that aboriginal lands were the
property of the Crown unless specifically titled to an individual (Aboriginal Affairs
and Northern Development Canada). Disallowing indigenous control over their
lands led to a significant loss of Aboriginal territories and infringed upon their way
of life. In 1876, The Indian Act was passed, authorizing Canadian federal
3Canon and Sunseri 47
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government to regulate and administer in the affairs and daily lives of registered
Indians and reserve communities. This federal law imposed governing structures
on Aboriginal communities in order to control the rights of Indians to practice their
culture and traditions. Furthermore, the government possessed the right to
determine the land base of Indians and to define who qualifies as Indian in the
form of Indian status (Cannon and Sunseri, 51-52). The main goals of this act
were to reduce the number of status Indians the government was responsible for
and impose the civilized European system. Consequently, many Indians were
legally stripped of their identity, lost the right to live on traditional lands,
participate in First Nations local activities and many Aboriginal women who
married-out of their race were denied their First Nation identity and were denied
the right to live on-reserve free from taxation or liens (Cannon and Sunseri, 50).
This regulation remained in effect until the Indian Act was revised in 1985 by bill
C-31.
Another way to assimilate the First Nations people was placing their children in
church-run residential schools. The government believed that it was easier to
mould children than adults in order to diminish or completely abolish native
traditions and prepare them for mainstream society. Hence, children were taken
away from their homes, separated from their families and placed in boarding
schools where they were taught to speak English or French and discouraged
from speaking their first language or practicing native traditions. According to the
Aboriginal Affairs and northern Development Canada, many children were
victims of sexual or physical abuse, were malnourished, poorly dressed and
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many of the schools were crowded and dirty. The last Indian Residential School
was closed in 1996.In 1969, Prime Minister Trudeau proposed a White Paper policy with the goal
of achieving greater equality for Natives. Wanting to maintain a legal distinction
as Indian people, Natives across Canada rejected this policy because it would
assimilate them into mainstream Canadian society. Due to the widespread
resistance against the White Paper, the federal government eventually
abandoned the policy (Cannon and Sunseri, 63). This was a turning point in
Canadian history because the government finally began to abandon its policy of
assimilation for a policy geared toward establishing constitutionally protected
rights for First Nations.
To conclude, Eurocentrism has shaped and influenced the way society views
Aboriginals. Ever since the two races met during the colonization of North
America, non-Indians have been trying to teach, convert, improve and even
change Aboriginals and their lifestyles. A sense of superiority and entitlement
from the Whites created a government that believed that First Nations Peoples
were undeveloped human beings in desperate need of mentoring in order to
properly function in society. This was expressed through the Crowns Lands
Protection Act of 1839, the Indian Act of 1876, residential schools, the White
Paper and is now being reproduced with the implementation of Bill C-45 by the
Harper government in correspondence to the Canada-China treaty.
The Conservative Party of Canada led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper is
directly focused on creating jobs, promoting economic growth and ensuring long-
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term economic prosperity (The Conservative Party of Canada). Hence, the
Harper Government has signed a trade-treaty with China in order to help
Canadas economy flourish by allowing Chinese investors to exploit natural
resources such as the Albertan tar sands. Following the classical liberalist
ideology and neo-liberalist economic policies, there will be little to no government
intervention pertaining to Chinas business choicesregardless of how they may
affect Canadians or the fragile environment.
The Conservative political ideology is generally characterized by a belief in
individualism and minimal government intervention in the economy and society.
In Canada, The Conservative Party of Canada presently holds the majority of
seats in the House of Commons allowing the Harper Government to pass
legislation easily. Although it is a conservative party, it is a less radical version of
classical liberalism, combining liberal values and policies such as equality of
opportunity, redistribution of income (the social safety net concept with
conservative stances) and most importantly promoting a laissez-faire economy
and neo-liberalist economic policies (Boyd and Harrison, 202-206). In a laissez-
faire, neo-liberalist economy, human needs are best served by free competition
in the economic marketplace with minimal government intervention. State-owned
enterprises and resources are sold to private investors (privatization),
concentrating the wealth into very few hands and making the public pay for its
needs (The Shock Doctrine). Furthermore, neo-liberalism liberates private
enterprises from any bonds imposed by the government and promotes the idea
that markets regulate themselves. Consequently, foreign companies have an
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ease of entrance into the economy (Merriam Webster Online), thus explaining
the entrance of China into Canadian economy.
On September 9th 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper signed an
agreement while at the APEC Summit in Vladivostok, Russia with China called
the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act also known
as the FIPPA. This Canada-China investment treaty was kept from the Canadian
public and Parliament until September 26th, when it was quietly made public. In
fact, the majority Harper Government continuously avoided democratic debate in
the House of Commons by ignoring calls to studying and clarifying the
ambiguities of this major foreign investment agreement between the two
countries (CBC News). The reason for this secrecy was to avoid the backlash of
the many failings of this treaty such as allowing Chinese investors to easily
takeover Canadian assets and to sue the Canadian Government outside
Canadian courts if the government puts any kind of restrictions or if it does
anything that would infringe upon the foreign investors profit. Moreover, this
treaty restricts British Columbia and Alberta from controlling their natural
resources, negotiating a greater share of profits and creating regulations related
to the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline for the next thirty-one years
after it comes into effect.
The Northern Gateway is a controversial pipeline project proposed to run from
the oil sands in Alberta to the north coast of British Columbia. The eastbound
pipeline would import natural gas condensate and the twin westbound pipeline
would export bitumen from oil sands diluted with the natural gas condensate to
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Kitimat, BC where it would be transported to Asian markets by oil tankers (Green
Party of Canada). This is proof that the Harper Government is implementing a
neo-liberalist economic policy by giving carte blanche to Chinese economic
interests to exploit Canadian resources as they see fit with minimal governmental
intervention.
To conclude, Chinas companies will hold the power to shape Canadas
natural resource markets as well as challenge Canadian politics. Not only does
this treaty erode Canadas ability to deal with environmental problems and set
high environmental and labor standards, it also infringes upon the First Nations
Peoples rights, more precisely the right to the property of their lands. Stephen
Harper pursued this deal without prior consultation with the Natives.
Consequently, this undemocratic treaty has led to the creation of an Aboriginal
Activist Group called Idle No More.
The image of Canada is one where the world believes that it is a gentle
northern neighbor of the United States. What the world sees of First Nations
people in Canada is one of beauty and tradition often seen in cultural gatherings.
However, they do not see the harsh reality that First Nations face on a regular
basis and the horrific human rights violations that Aboriginals have been dealing
with for generations which has now been brought to the publics attention by the
Idle No More movement.
After the public announcement of the Canada-China investment treaty, the
Aboriginal community was very upset because it weakens the environmental
protections in order to advance the rapid expansion of resource development on
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un-ceded First Nations territories. This agreement therefore protects Chinas
interests and would significantly increase their investment in the development of
the Alberta tar sands, pipelines, mining projects and other resource development
projects at the risk of aboriginal rights and the environment. Not only have the
Natives lost their land throughout history but now the floodgates have been
opened to allow foreign interests to exploit with impunity what is left of their
limited resources with no economic benefit or return to them.
To make matters worse, on December 5 th2012, the Harper Government
passed the Canadian Omnibus Bill C-45, also known as the Jobs and Growth
Act, in connection to the Canada-China Investment Treaty. Of particular concern
are the changes in Bill C-45 that drastically reduce protections for waterways
under the Navigable Waters Act and a private members bill that seeks to amend
and ultimately repeal the Indian Act4. The most recent amendments to the
Navigable Waters Protection Act further weaken the navigational and
environmental protection of Canadian waterways, changing the statutes name to
the Navigation Protection Act (NPA), a change that reflects the governments
desire to completely separate navigation from the environmental component that
enables it. In other words, the law will no longer protect navigable waters, it will
only protect navigation5. Consequently, the NPA significantly decreases the
regulation of Canadian waterways, excluding 99.7 per cent of Canadas lakes
and more than 99.9 per cent of Canada s rivers from federal oversight6. Hence,
4Jesse Winter, First Nations slam Bill C-45, Yukon News, (Dec. 2012).5Bill C-45 and the Navigable Waters Protection Act, Ecojustice, N.p. (Oct. 2012).6Bill C-45 and the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
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under the NPA, proponents of industrial development and large infrastructure
projects (e.g. Enbridges Northern Gateway pipeline) will be given free reinto
disrupt and impact Canadian waterways without regard to either navigation or
environmental rights7.Also, Bill C-45 makes changes to the Indian Act in order
to allow First Nations communities to lease designated reserves lands based on
a majority of votes from those in attendance at a meeting or in a referendum,
instead of waiting for a majority vote from all eligible voters 8.Without the need
for the consent of the majority of Natives in a community, lands can be easily
taken over by industries without any consultation on the environment, on the land
and the waters that are essential to the Aboriginal tradition.
With the implementation of Bill C-45, there will be fewer impediments to the
development of the Alberta Tar Sands. A rapidly growing economy coupled with
low domestic supplies of oil products have forced China to secure a long-term
flow of oil to supply its ever-growing energy needs. The Canada-China Foreign
Investment Promotion and Protection Act will allow China to exploit Canadas oil
products, including the Alberta Tar Sands. Although this new presence in
Canadian oil production will bring employment to Canadians and large
investment projects will diversify Canadian exports, the environmental costs
associated with developing oil sand petroleum are significant. Compared to
extracting conventional oil, producing sand bitumen is a lot more damaging to the
physical environment because it destroys forests for oil sand extraction, utilizes
7Janyce McGregor, 22 changes in the budget bill fine print. CBC News.N.p. (Oct.2012).8McGregor
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an enormous amount of natural gas to extract the bitumen from oil sands (Alberta
Oil Sands extraction utilizes enough natural gas to heat approximately 3.5 million
Canadian homes), produces an important source of greenhouse gas emissions
and approximately uses twelve barrels of fresh water to produce each barrel of
bitumen in surface mined oil sands operation 9. Furthermore, oil sands
productions do not only impact the environment but also cause health problems
for the First Nations.
Aboriginal populations located downstream from the oil sands are developing
respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems and rare cancers that are
suspectedly caused by toxic substances leaching into streams (Mech, 11). A
2005 report, conducted as part of an environmental impact assessment by
Suncor, concluded: Total metal levels (including arsenic and mercury) in the
Athabasca River have been above water quality guidelines, similar to other water
bodies in the Oil Sands Region. Chronic toxicity has been observed when
laboratory organisms are exposed to Athabasca River sediment 10.
Furthermore, deformed fish have been found in nearby Lake Athabasca and
drinking water has been contaminated from the oil sands operations. The
devastating effects on both wildlife and local indigenous peoples are threatening
the preservation of their traditional way of life (Mech, 28) and are direct violations
of treaties confirming their rights to their lands.
In 1876 and 1899, two treaties were signed, Treaty 6 and 8 between the
Queen and the First Nations peoples occupying what is now regions of Oil Sands
9Michelle Mech,A Comprehensive Guide to the Alberta Oil Sands,N.p. (2011) 12-16.10Mech 28.
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developments. In both of these treaties, the Crown promised that the First
Nations would retain hunting, trapping, and fishing rights in perpetuity 11.
Moreover, Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982 protects aboriginal rights
and communities from threatening federal and provincial legislative policies.
These treaties were promises that were made so that both treaty partners would
benefit from the wealth and prosperity of Canadian lands. It is evident that the
government of Canada has benefitted from the natural resources, while many of
the First Nations peoples are treated like second or third class citizens (e.g.
racism, discrimination and employment barriers) resulting in high youth suicide
rates, poor health conditions, over-representation in child and family services and
prisons, alcoholism and hundreds of murdered and missing indigenous women12.
In order to bring attention to and combat what the Harper government is trying to
pass in the name of economic growth is the work and awareness being raised by
the activist movement known as Idle No More.
Idle No More began as the name of a teach-in in Saskatchewan that was
organized in December by four activists Jessica Gordon, Sylvia McAdam, Nina
Wislon and Sheelah McLean in order to fight the Federal Governments
deregulation of most Canadian waterways in its budget implementation bill. As
previously stated, the deregulation will make it easier for resource development
companies to access rivers and watersheds that flow through First Nations
11Mech 30.12Andy Radia, AFN runner-up Pam Palmater accuses the Prime Minister of trying tobreak up communities, Yahoo News,N.p. (Dec. 2012).
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territories by eliminating much of their say in the matter of development.
Furthermore, pipeline projects that pass through Aboriginal communities produce
large reservoirs of toxic waste, release toxic chemicals into the air and emit
greenhouse gas that lead to serious health problems (Gosselin, 4). Idle No
Mores primary objective was to have the Federal Government repeal all
legislation that violates treaties, including those affecting environmental
regulations such as the Omnibus C-45 bill. In addition, Idle No More seeks to
educate and revitalize First Nations Peoples, empower them and regain
sovereignty and independence.
On December 11 2012, Attawapiskat First Nation leader Chief Theresa
Spence started a fast to draw public attention to Canadas Bill C -45 and raise
awareness for the Idle No More movement. She pledged to continue with a
hunger strike consisting of a liquid diet including lemon water, medicinal teas and
fish broth (a historical survival diet for Indigenous communities facing poverty
and food shortages from land loss and colonial policies) up until she won a
meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David
Johnston to discuss the legislation. After a six-week-long hunger strike spent
under a tipi on Victoria Island, near Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Spence agreed to
end her fast after members of the Assembly of First Nations and the Liberal and
New Democrat caucuses signed a thirteen point declaration of specific
commitments asked for by Spence. This declaration was designed to keep up the
pressure on Parliament Hill, as well as reaffirming Spences call for a meeting
with Harper and Governor-General David Johnston. A copy of the declaration,
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obtained by CBC News lists thirteen commitments13:
1. An immediate meeting between the Crown, the federal and provincialgovernments, and all First Nations to discuss treaty and non-treaty-related relationships.
2. Clear work plans and timelines, and a demand that the housing crisiswithin First Nations communities be considered as a short-termimmediate action.
3. Frameworks and mandates for implementation and enforcement oftreaties on a nation-to-nation basis.
4. Reforming and modifying a land-claims policy
5. A commitment towards resource revenue sharing, requiring theparticipation of provinces and territories.
6. A commitment towards sustained environmental oversight over First
Nations lands
7. A review of Bill C-38 and C-45 to ensure consistency with constitutionalrequirements about consultation with aboriginal peoples.
8. Ensure that all federal legislation has the consent of First Nations whereinherent and Treaty rights are affected
9. The removal of funding caps and the indexing of payments made to FirstNations.
10. An inquiry into violence against indigenous women.
11. Equity in capital construction of First Nation schools and additionalfunding support for First Nation languages.
12. A dedicated cabinet committee and secretariat within the Privy CouncilOffice responsible for the First Nation-Crown relationship.
13. Full implementation of the United Nations declaration of the rights ofindigenous peoples. (CBC News)
Unfortunately, Spence did not achieve her initial goal to meet with Harper and
Johnston. In fact, she denied meeting the Prime Minister because the Governor-
General Johnston would not be attending. Johnston's office said he was not
attending "because it consists of a working meeting with government on public
13Chief Theresa Spenceto End Hunger Strike Today, CBC News,N.p. (23 Jan. 2013).
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policy issues.14" It was of importance to meet with the Governor-General
because his presence was integral to the conference since he represents the
Crown, which negotiated the original treaties with aboriginal people.
To conclude, Theresa Spences forty-four day fast epitomized the hunger of
Canadas First Nations forrecognition and fair treatment. Her camp-out near
Parliament Hill was essential in helping to drive the issue of aboriginal rights to
the top of the national agenda and onto the International stage reaching
Indigenous groups from Central and South America, Australia and the United
States. Her protest made a strong impact across the world not only because it
highlighted the plight of many native communities: high unemployment, youth
suicides, underfunded schools and services, poor living conditions and an over-
representation in the Canadian Justice System, but also the ability of individuals
to effect beneficial change.
Throughout the years, the United Nations has identified Canada as a country
with a high standard of living. Canada is very fortunate, by any criterion, whether
it is wealth, natural resources or acceptance of diversity. Yet, there remains
within this country an almost unspeakable reality. This is the reality of life for First
Nations peoples, who in many parts of the country experience chronic illness,
who live in Third World conditions, and who do not have the opportunities
available to the majority of mainstream Canadians. Furthermore, all Aboriginal
groups have suffered loss of land, language and socio-cultural resources.
Ironically, our society values tolerance, acceptance and multicultural diversity
14Theresa Spence Pulls Out of Meeting with Harper, CBC News, (9 Jan. 2013).
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even as Aboriginal peoples are marginalized and their cultures denigrated.
Physical environments play a primary role in determining the health of
populations. Among Aboriginal peoples, physical environments are largely
detrimental to their health. The most extensive outcomes of these structures
include substantial housing shortages and poor quality state of existing homes.
Hence, the lack of affordable housing has forced many families to live in over-
crowded and run-down housing. In 2006, almost 22% of First Nations housing
was in need of major repair, compared to 7% of the non-Aboriginal population.
Off reserve, First Nations people were more than twice as likely to live in a house
that needs major repairs.15Overcrowding in homes can lead to a number of
health outcomes, including increased risk of transmitting infectious diseases,
severe lower respiratory tract infections, and higher rates of injuries, mental
health problems, and family tensions (Reading and Wien, 8-9). Moreover, many
First Nation communities lack potable water and sewage systems. For example,
many residents on reserves in Manitoba must use outhouses slop pails or
cisterns, whose contents are periodically hauled away by sewage trucks. Water
is retrieved from communal standpipes or delivered to households by truck16.
According to a national assessment by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada,
water in First Nations is potentially harmful due to contamination. As of
November 2011, there were 131 boil water advisories in First Nations across
Canada17. For a country that is supposed to be rich with fresh water, these are
15Why Am I Poor? First Nations Child Poverty in Ontario,Health Nexus (2012), 15.16
Stastna, Kazi, Clean Running Water Still a Luxury on Many Native Reserves, CBC NewsCanada,(2011).17Why Am I Poor? First Nations Child Poverty in Ontario, 15.
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disappointing statistics.
Colonization, colonialism, systemic racism and discrimination are responsible
for prohibiting Aboriginal peoples to have access to the resources and conditions
necessary to maximize their socio-economic status. This disadvantage currently
manifests itself in high rates of unemployment, scarce economic opportunities,
low literacy and educational attainment as well as meager community resources.
Consequently, social exclusion, low social cohesion and increased crime are the
results of racism and discrimination by Non-Aboriginal Canadians. Furthermore,
this social exclusion prevents individuals from pursuing education and creates
anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem and feelings of hopelessness. These
psychological stressors have been linked to substance abuse and violence,
hence explaining the high suicide rates and the over-representation of
Aboriginals in the criminal justice system (Health Nexus, 12-15). Statistics from
Correctional Service Canada show that while Aboriginal people represent only
4.3% of the Canadian population, they account for 18% of those who are
incarcerated in federal institutions. In the Prairie Provinces, 50% of prisoners are
Aboriginals.18It is obvious that Aboriginal people are continuously being
discriminated against by a system and nation that has gained so much at their
expense.
Aboriginal people in Canada are less likely to find jobs than Non-Aboriginal
Canadians. When they do find jobs, their annual earnings are considerably lower
than they are for other Canadians. According to Statistics Canada, the
18Examining Aboriginal Corrections in Canada,Public Safety Canada, The Government of
Canada, (2010).
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unemployment rate rose sharply in 2009 for Aboriginal Peoples, rising from
10.4% in 2008 to 13.9%19. Racism and discrimination by employers are causes
of the high unemployment rate. Incomes were lower for First Nations
People, as compared to the general population who had an average income of
$26,000. The median income for Aboriginal people in Ontario age 15 and over
was under $19,000 in 2006. This was 25% lower than that of the general
population20. However, low levels of post-secondary or secondary education are
also contributing factors. An estimated 50% of Aboriginal youth will drop out, or
be pushed out, of high schools; resulting in diminished literacy and employment,
as well as increased poverty in future generations.21Inadequate education
institutions on reserves often include poor literacy and insufficient skills one might
have to offer the labor market often resulting in low paying jobs. Furthermore,
insufficient education opportunities for most adults manifest as a lack of capacity
to promote education among their children causing a vicious cycle of poverty.
These large socio-economic gaps between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals
are the results of social class divisions within society. According to Max Weber,
social stratification is based on three concepts: class, status and power. Using
Webers theory of stratification, Natives, just like Canadians, occupy the common
three-stratum model: upper class, middle class and lower class. In other words,
Natives occupy different social classes, they can be rich, poor or in between.
However, they occupy a low status within society due to the historical
19Aboriginal Peoples, Statistics Canada, Government of Canada, (2011).
20Why Am I Poor? First Nations Child Poverty in Ontario, 17.
21Wien, Fred and Reading, 12.
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stigmatization of their ancestors by the colonizers, missionaries, the government,
employers and even non-Aboriginal Canadians. Class and status play essential
influential roles within political power. Parties in Canada are the organizations of
power. Due to the fact that Aboriginals lack prestige, they do not have much of a
voice within Canadian politics, explaining their struggle for equality. Unlike Karl
Marx who believed that social class was the cause of social disorder, Weber
believed that social status was the cause to social conflict. Hence, if we accorded
higher social status to Native peoples in Canada, they would occupy a balanced
position within society. Furthermore, this would put an end to their social strife.
To conclude, racism and social exclusion, stemming from the Eurocentric
belief in colonial times, have placed Aboriginal people at the bottom of almost
every index of socio-economic well being, including educational levels,
employment opportunities, housing conditions and other conditions creating
devastating repercussions such as health problems, drug abuse and an over-
representation of Aboriginals in the Criminal Justice system. The Harper
Governments Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act
and Bill C-45 are examples of many other violations of Aboriginal rights
throughout history. These controversial and deteriorating (for the environment)
policies created strong adverse reactions from the First Nations communities
across Canada, hence evoking a political movement Idle No More of which
Theresa Spences hunger strike made international headlines. She has become
an icon, bringing attention to native issues and representing the struggle for
equality for Indigenous people across the world taking into account the myriad of
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paradigms that were entrenched in order to assimilate them over the years. It is
obvious that the Federal Government is neglecting the people of Our Home and
Native Land. Idle No Moresprotests have triggered a universal theme: the
power and ability that humans posses in order to effect beneficial change to
obtain world peace and harmony.
My research is proof that there are universal themes that occur and are shared
in different countries and social groups. The case of Trayvon Martin, who was
shot by a racist cop, is very similar to the case of Matthew Dumas, an Aboriginal
teen from Winnipeg who was killed due to racial profiling back in 2005. Just like
the case of Aboriginals in Canada, African Americans are marginalized within
their country and are treated like second or third class citizens due to the color of
their skin. In both cases, racism stems from colonial beliefs, making White people
superior to people of color, hence explaining the reasoning behind slavery of
African-Americans and the cultural genocide of the Indigenous people.
Whether it is the struggle against racism, sexism, marginalization or powerful
groups, they are all present in different parts of the world hence, proving that
there is a problem with social order and the solution still has not been found even
though many countries are developed and prosperous.
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