To End a Legacy of Oppression

Historical globalization is a period that is often identified as beginning in 1492, when Christopher Columbus made his first voyage to the Caribbean. This initiated the European colonization of the Americas and began an era of global integration. It initiated an enormous widespread exchange of plants, animals, foods, human populations, communicable diseases, and culture between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It was one of the most significant global events concerning the genocide of a culture in history. Considering that it had left behind a profound negative legacy on the shores of Americas, what contemporary responses to the legacy of historical globalization should be adopted by Canadian governments and citizens? In the following, this question shall be investigated by examining the impact of globalization historically and contemporary, as well as examining what responses from the Canadian government are necessary to address the issue of residential schools, land, governance, and relationship with federal government. As a nation defined with multicultural and liberty, it is problematic for the Aboriginal peoples in Canada continue to be entrenched in colonialism. Therefore, in recent years, efforts have been initiated to redress this paradox. The Canadian government must address the consequences of past imperialist policies and practices to end the struggle of the Aboriginal society in escaping a legacy of oppression.

One of the most acrimonious issues to result from historical globalization is the legacy of the residential school system that had left a profoundly negative and damaging impact on Aboriginal culture, heritage and language. For more than a century, Residential Schools forcibly removed Aboriginal children from their rich and vibrant cultures and deprived them of the care and nurturing of their parents. While some former students have spoken positively about their experiences at residential schools, these stories are far overshadowed by tragic accounts of the emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Today, the effects of the residential schools are still with us. The memories of abuse caused many social problems, such as drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicide in which plague many Indigenous communities. It is the obligation of the Canadian government and the church to take full accountability of the past wrongs by apologizing to the First Nations people as well as providing full compensations for the students, parents, and the community. These responses are necessary to break a cycle of blame and guilt; grievance and denial, frustration and fear. A brave apology from the Canadian government will mark a new spirit of reconciliation among the First Nations and all Canadians. It was not until June 11, 2008 that Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially apologized to those who suffered as direct victims of residential schools in Parliament. Regrettably, many former students are not with us today and died never having received a full apology from the Government of Canada. Nevertheless, this apology is the root of future resolutions. This apology marked a commitment from the government to reconciliation, and building of a new relationship with First Nations. For instance, following the apology, the Harper government initiated a federal compensation package that includes $245 million dollars funding for an Aboriginal Healing Foundations for counselling and other programs for former students, $60 million to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and $10,000 payment for all former students for the loss of language, culture, and family life. These will help to restore strong, health, and vibrant communities. The burden of restoring dignity, self-worth, confidence and hope for the future has been on the shoulders of First Nations community for far too long; this compensation package will have the government as well as the perpetrators to share this burden. As statistics shows that the lowest rates of teen suicides are found in communities that have improved educational services, the compensation package will surely to be proven as an effective healing solution. Nonetheless, the package still needs to be modified. The government should incorporate a compensation for the parents of those children in residential schools. Those parents had faced horrors of their own as their children were forcibly stolen as little more than babies, to return as young adults – strangers, who no longer speak native language and honour traditional culture. The apology and compensation will help to heal wounds and return spirit and dignity to survivors and their families that have been shattered by the residential school system.  

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Ever since the beginning of historical globalization, the Indigenous peoples of Canada were unable to resist European exploitation of their permanent occupation of their lands and resources. The expansion in European population and economic activity resulted in treaty negotiations in which rapidly extinguished the Aboriginal people’s right to their land. In addition, the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway also asserted pressure on native tribes to relocate and alter their traditional ways of life. Consequentially, the dispossession of traditional territory reduced the mobility of Indian families and facilitated in the efforts of assimilation. As such, the treaties and the CPR ...

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