Indigenous peoples of Canada, also referred to as Aboriginal peoples, are the first settlers of this country. They are the natives of this land and the true keepers of the north. Yet, they occupy one of the most disadvantaged groups of people in our society. Now days, the Aboriginal people are often associated with poverty, crime and unemployment. It is my opinion and opinion of those who are equally infuriated about these issues, that capitalism had a great impact on Aboriginal peoples. This impact is often a negative one, and is explored in the following blog.
To bring the deeper understating of this issue it is imperative that I mention a brief history of the Aboriginal peoples and their perspectives and ideologies. According to our class lectures and derived from article by Mawhiney and Hardy (2009), Aboriginal peoples lived as an egalitarian society who were community oriented and held a unique social structure, traditions, culture, language and ways of thinking and viewing the world (p. 96). They hold a unique perception of human nature, the relationship between society and the people, what the role of the state and social welfare should be and their concepts of social change. Indigenous theory is rooted in the belief in collectivism where all living things are connected and each person is responsible for expressing their gifts towards the sustainability of the group and the environment (Morrissette, 2006, p. 175). Individualism is not emphasized nor seen as important in reaching the ultimate sense of well-being. This way of life broke once the European settlers stepped on this land and strategically took over the vast country of Canada.
In 1869 government of Canada set out a policy that predestined the lives of Aboriginal people called the Indian Act. The purpose of this policy was to erase the identity and culture of Aboriginal peoples. It took away any power Indigenous peoples had over the land and their lives. They were separated from the White newcomers and placed on reserves. The revision of Indian Act in 1876 continued to ‘civilize‘ the Indian and more than ever focused on ending the ‘Indian problem‘ (Milloy, 2008, p.9). This policy was carried out throughout the history of colonization and assimilation of the Aboriginal peoples.
There are many policies implemented today to ensure the treatment of Indigenous peoples is equally fair to those of the majority in our society. Employment equity plan and education equity are the stepping stones in the policy making. Although these policies are in place, we still see the disparity between the Aboriginal education and employment compared to the majority. They earn less, have less education and have lower rates on labor force participation. Their chances of dropping out of school being unemployed living in poverty being supported by social assistance, being homeless or living in substandard housing, being incarcerated or in conflict with the law and being victim of serious accidents and violent crimes are much higher than Canadian norms (Wotherspoon, p. 155). In cities, where the majority of Aboriginal people now live, high poverty rates and low levels of educational attainment and poor health combine to worsen their well-being. In remote northern communities, where significant numbers of Aboriginal people still live, access to basic services that most Canadians take for granted is often problematic, dependence on state programs for income remains high and opportunities for community-based income sources are limited (Salee, 2006, p.5). Many young Aboriginal individuals live in environments that inadequately prepare them for the job market. These challenges severely limit the ability of Aboriginal people to enjoy levels of general well-being that other Canadians expect for themselves (Salee, 2006, p.5).
Therefore, putting policies in place is a way of government trying to find a solution to the issues that many Aboriginal communities face. However, it is still difficult for many people to participate in education or employment. Policy makers should recognise that it is not so simple, and the oppression and discrimination of the Aboriginal peoples throughout our history should be taken into consideration, and incorporate these with the nature of Aboriginal traditional learning and labor participation.
Medina
Mawhiney, A., Hardy, S. (2009). Aboriginal peoples in Canada. In J. C. Turner and F.J. Turner (Eds). Canadian social welfare (pp. 95-109). Toronto, ON: Pearson Canada.
Milloy, John. (2008). Indian Act Colonialism: A century of dishonor, 1869-1969. Research paper of the National Centre for First Nations Governance. Vancouver, BC: National Centre for First Nations Governance.
Morrisserre, V. (2006). Towards an Aboriginal perspective that addresses ideological domination in social policy analysis. Chapter 5: Implications for Social Work (pp. 162-189). Unpublished master's thesis, University of Manitoba.
Solee, D., Newhouse, D. & Levesque C. (2006). Quality of life of Aboriginal people in Canada: An analysis of current research. IRPP Choices Journal, 12 (6)
Wotherspoon, Terry. (2003). Aboriginal People, Public Policy and Social Differentiation in Canada. In Jutean, D. (Ed). Social Differentiation, Patterns and Processes (pp. 155-164). Toronto, ON. University of Toronto Press Incorporated.
Well done Medina. What a clear idea you have explored about how the indigenous egalitarian and collective perspectives are antithetical to the capitalist perspectives to look at! It is really an awesome writing to reveal the reality of the inefficiencies of capitalism to address the issues on Aboriginal peoples in Canada which in fact have the adverse effect in every senses.
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