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The Canadian Government And Aboriginal People

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To many people, Canada exemplifies a country that fulfills human rights and equality being the country of ‘freedom’. However, the Canadian government has distorted certain information including poverty that impacts many Aboriginal individuals daily. In theory, it is impossible to effectively analysis the impact that the past has imposed on Aboriginal people in Canada today. With this being said addressed below are several important historical government actions and legislations such as the Indian Act, Royal Proclamation, force segregation on reserves, and residential schooling impacting Aboriginal Canadians social conditions today. Fundamentally my goal is to address the idea that historical events are a crucial factor impacting Aboriginal …show more content…

The primary goal of the Indian Act was to demolish any Aboriginal Canadians attempt to sovereignty and self-determination. Its promise to provide adequate living condition on reserves and social welfare services are few of many broken promises that Aboriginal Canadians did not acquire. Instead the Indian act consisted of assimilating policies stripping aboriginal Canadians of their status. “The principle behind the Act was that it was the Crown 's responsibility to care for and protect interests of First Nations people by acting as their "guardians" until such time as they could reach a level of sophistication that allowed them to fully integrate into Canadian society” (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development of Canada, 2011). This quote, taken right from the Government of Canada’s website is an example of how the Federal government defines the Indian Act today. Terminology used amplifying control; “sophistication” is important indicators of colonization and assimilation tactics in which the government imposed in the past, and upheld today. A major implication of the Indian Act included Aboriginal identity in terms of status and

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