Indigenous Peoples
CONTROVERSIAL STATUES
BLANKETS
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
BACKSTORY
The statue of Sir John A. MacDonald
What were they?
Residential schools were schools just for aboriginals where the children were taught to "be more white."
Created by the Canadian government in the 19th century.
Effects of these schools
Survivors now suffer from trauma including physical, mental, and emotional.
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Indigenous culture is silenced and became lost. Since the children weren't allowed to speak their language, and most indigenous languages aren't written down, much of it is now lost.
If the strict rules were broken, the children were abused punished in horrendous ways.
Staff would abused the children sexually, emotionally, physically and psychologically.
"It is estimated that about 150,000 aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and forced to attend residential schools."
They had to forget about their native traditions and learnt English or french, and became Christians. Because of that, going back home after their times at the schools were difficult as they had no way of communicating with their people.
Reconciliation?
Compensation was given to the survivors in 2005. It was called the "Common Experience Payments." They were also given around $10,000 per student.
There was a $350 million grant to establish the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.
In addition, support groups were set up
The funding ended in 2010
Churches also apologized
The Indigenous peoples were the first peoples in Canada
Although the land was rightfully theirs, the settlers treated them unfairly. Settlers killed them, took their land, and forced their children into schools where the kids were abused and were taught to be "less Indian."
Some call him the father of confederation, but some hated him for the way he treated the indigenous peoples.
Statues in Montreal were painted red, and the one in Victoria was removed.
Some people think his statues are a way of reminding the Indigenous to "shut up" as the last person to speak up got hung.
Louis Riel was a Metis leader and lead two rebellions against John A, but ended up getting hung in Regina. A statue of John A. was soon erected near the sight of Louis Riel's death.
Louis Riel was hung in the decision of John A.
This sparked controversy between the settlers and the indigenous, even to this day.
In 1670, the Hudson's Bay Company was chartered. King Charles II granted the company an absolute trade monopoly in over 1 million square miles of land. Some of the land were still occupied by the natives. The company traded furs and blankets.
Although the land was occupied by the natives, King Charles ignored the fact and granted permission for his Englishmen to hunt.
Managers of the Bay often took advantage of the natives. For example, if the company wanted to trade 7 beaver pelts, they would often extract 14, and kept the extra fur to themselves for profit.
In 1869, the Bay decided to sell the Rupert's Land to the government of. Canada.
Rupert's land was still rightfully the Native's land, not the company's.
The Native's didn't have a voice in their own land.
The company sold land that didn't belong to them.
The parliament made the Natives too sign away their rights to their land. The treaty that was written in English, and was not understood by the chiefs.
Each tribe was given 3 dollars a year, then $5, and some fur.