M2.L5_ Legacies of Globalization in Indigeneous Canada.pptx

Legacies of Globalization in Indigeneous Canada 1. 2. 3. Imperialism in Canada The Indian Act Residential Schools What did imperialism look like in Canada? What impact did The Indian Act have on Indigeneous peoples? What were the intentions behind residential schools? How are they still im...

Legacies of Globalization in Indigeneous Canada 1. 2. 3. Imperialism in Canada The Indian Act Residential Schools What did imperialism look like in Canada? What impact did The Indian Act have on Indigeneous peoples? What were the intentions behind residential schools? How are they still impacting Indigeneous peoples today? 2 1. Imperialism in Canada Imperialism in Canada: Some Canadian History Canadian History ● Canada was primarily a French colony from 1608-1763 ● In 1763 the British win the Seven Years War and gain control of Canada Royal Proclamation of 1763 ● Anglophones, Francophones and First Nations are all partners in Canada ● States the First Nations are separate and sovereign nations that are to respected and that all treaties must be upheld ● Only the Crown (govt) can make treaties to buy land from the First Nations ● Laid out rules of European settlement 4 Federal Government Establishment: Numbered Treaties ● Many aboriginal groups were reluctant to deal with the new federal government but felt they had little choice ● European diseases had damaged aboriginal populations ● Declining buffalo herds ● Groups realized settlement was going to happen whether they wanted it to or not ● Many signed treaties to try to keep what they could and ensure survival ● Turned over massive swathes of land to the Canadian government and confined aboriginal peoples to reserves 5 Reading pages 162-164 of Exploring Globalization together 6 Complete Activity 1 on your Google Doc. 10 minutes. 7 2. 1876: The Indian Act “ 9 The Indian Act ● The Indian Act, enacted in 1876, consolidated several separate pieces of colonial legislation that dealt with First Nations. ● The act is a Canadian federal law that regulates aboriginal affairs for registered “Indians” and reserve communities. ● Created without the consultation of First Nations. ● Paternalistic piece of legislation that regards Aboriginal people as children - to be taken charge of. ● When the Indian Act was implemented it abolished the Crown's recognition of the self determination given to First Nations under the Royal Proclamation of 1763. 10 Assimilation Under The Indian Act - Sir John A. MacDonald ● The Indian Act sought to “civilize” and assimilate First Nations into the mainstream of society. ● Developed out of the mistaken assumption that First Nations people were incapable of managing their own affairs. ● The document governed day to day life for First Nations 11 Effects of The Indian Act ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Denied women status for marrying non-aboriginals Introduced Residential Schools Created reserves Restricted First Nations peoples from leaving reserves without permission of the Indian Agent Denied First Nations people the right to vote Forbade political organizations Imposed the band council system Declared potlatch and other religious & cultural ceremonies illegal 12 Reading pages 174-177 of Exploring Globalization together 13 Complete Activity 2 on your Google Doc. 20 minutes. 14 3. Residential Schools What were residential schools? ● Every Indigenous child between the ages of 5-15 attended Residential Schools ● Over the decades, 150,000 Aboriginal children across Canada [First Nation, Métis and Inuit] passed through these schools. ● Children labored at such tasks as farming, carpentry and domestic skills. These skills were used for the benefit of the institution in which they were placed. 16 What were residential schools? ● The government created the Department of Indian Affairs, which gave responsibility for the schools to the Anglican and Catholic Church in Canada. ● The official intention was to “civilize”, assimilate and educate the Aboriginal children into the British way of life. There was the mistaken assumption that the children couldn’t learn and so were put to work to learn domestic, low-level skills. ● Creating a subclass of domestic workers and ensure abandonment of traditional ways of life. 17 “ “If anything is to be done with the Indian, we must catch him very young. The children must be kept constantly within the circle of civilized conditions.” Nicholas Flood Davin – Report on Industrial Schools for Indians and Half-Breeds, 1879. 18 “ Indian Residential schools are a “final solution of the Indian Problem” Duncan Campbell Scott, Head of Department of Indian Affairs 19 Thomas More before and after his entry into a residential school in 1874. 20 Issues with Residential Schools ● The children suffered years of excessive physical, emotional and sexual abuse in the schools. ● Failing a test= no food for a day ● Speaking an Indigenous language ○ First offence= no supper ○ Second offence=no supper & beating with a stick ○ Third offence= no food or water for a day, beating with a stick & extra chores ● The Canadian government was aware of these issues but ignored them and tried to cover them up as late as the 1980’s. It wasn’t until 2008 that the government formally apologized for these excessive abuses. ● The last residential school closed in 1996 21 Issues with Residential Schools ● The children suffered years of excessive physical, emotional and sexual abuse in the schools. ● Failing a test= no food for a day ● Speaking an Indigenous language ○ First offence= no supper ○ Second offence=no supper & beating with a stick ○ Third offence= no food or water for a day, beating with a stick & extra chores ● The Canadian government was aware of these issues but ignored them and tried to cover them up as late as the 1980’s. It wasn’t until 2008 that the government formally apologized for these excessive abuses. ● The last residential school closed in 1996 22 Legacies of Residential Schools ● Intergenerational Trauma ● Untreated trauma is passed down from generation to another ○ Trauma may be ignored or suppressed ○ Lack access to resources to deal with trauma ● The trauma experienced in residential schools has been passed down to following generations of Indigenous people ● Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ○ Nightmares, reliving events, flashbacks, outbursts of intense anger, etc. ● Self-medication with alcohol and/or drugs 23 Legacies of Residential Schools ● ● ● ● ● Dysfunction in Indigenous communities High rates of addiction & domestic violence Systemic racism Stereotypes & prejudice Indigenous people are often followed in stores ● Indigenous women are 12X more likely to go missing or be murdered 24 25 Reading pages 178-179 of Exploring Globalization together 26 Legacies of Residential Schools ● It matters because it continues to affect First Nations, Inuit and Metis families – people from vibrant cultures who are vital contributors to Canadian society ● It matters because it happened here, in a country we call our own – a land considered to be a world leader in democracy and human rights ● It matters because the Residential School System is one of the major causes of poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, and violence among Aboriginal peoples – devastating conditions that are felt and experienced by our neighbors, friends, and community members 27 Legacies of Residential Schools ● It matters because Aboriginal communities suffer levels of poverty, illness, and illiteracy comparable to those in developing nations – conditions that are being perpetuated through inaction ● It matters because we share this land. We may not be responsible for what happened in the past, but we all benefit from what our First Nations, Inuit, and Metis have had to relinquish. We are responsible for our actions today 28 4. Reconciliation Moving Towards Reconciliation ● ● 2008 PM Stephen Harper issues an official apology for the Residential School System 2008-2015 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission investigates the residential school system ○ Estimates that between 3,000 -6,000 children died in residential schools ○ Made 94 Calls to Action to move Canada towards a more reconciled country ○ A big part of that is education 30 31 Moving Towards Reconciliation National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) ● Investigation spanned from 2015-2019 ● Indigenous women and girls make up 4% of the Canadian population but 16% of homicide victims in Canada ● “No reliable estimate of the number of missing & murdered Indigenous women, girls and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community” ● High level of violence directed toward Indigenous women is a caused by “colonialism and colonial ideology” ● Presented the government with 231 Calls to Action 32 Complete Activity 3 in your Google Doc by the end of the class. 33