Canada’s legacies of historical globalization: Aboriginal treaties and residential schools

Canada’s legacies of historical globalization: Aboriginal treaties and residential schools

Treaty Reconciliation – A number of Treaties were signed between the First Nations and the European settlers, to ensure that the First Nations gave away their territory peacefully. The Treaties also intended to motivate the natives of Canada to adapt to mainstream Canadian society. However, these treaties mainly benefitted the European settlers, as the productive lands such as Great Plains were taken by them to settle, while smaller and less productive areas were “reserved” for First Peoples.

Indian Residential schools — Between 1857 and 1996, over one hundred and fifty Aboriginals were sent to residential schools to reside, work, and learn — which was another assimilation policy of the government. Sometimes the children were forcefully removed from their families and placed in these schools. The policy of aggressive assimilation removed many children from their families and communities for most of the part in a year. The long period away from their home led to the loss of native language and traditions as children were made to dress, speak, act and think like non-Aboriginal Canadians. The children went through a series of abuse and harsh punishments in an event of a violation of the rough code of conduct imposed on them. (The United Church Observer, 2012) Many of the children attending these schools died because of the abuses. (Canada apologizes for the residential school system, 2008) The children who survived these residential schools have some horrific experiences to share. All sort of abuses were common in these schools and life have not been the same for these children who emerged from these experiences. The emotional scar that they faced during these abuses has led to them being dysfunctional in their community in the present times.

References

Canada apologizes for residential school system. (2008). Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ryC74bbrEE

Office of the Treaty Commissioner. (2010). As Long As the Sun Shines – Treaties in Saskatchewan . Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhwZQdaPdo0

The United Church Observer. (2012). Reconciling to a Hard Truth. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1h9djZOgGc&t=1s