Indigenous activism, combined with mounting concerns about the large-scale of child removal and the treatment of Indigenous children by provincial child welfare authorities, elicited the initial changes to the structure of child welfare for First Nations communities. Although there are a few solutions in place to help alleviate this social problem, a more significant effort in maintaining these efforts and establishing new efforts would further reduce its detrimental impacts. In 1985, “the provincial government ordered an all-out stop to the practice of out-of-province adoptions and [made] an inquiry into the province’s child welfare system and its effect on aboriginal people” (Dolha, 2009). Furthermore, in 1990, “Indian and Northern Affairs …show more content…
FNCFS agencies must then enter an agreement with INAC for funding to administer child and family services on reserve [..] [which greatly] restricts funding [..]. Thus, the level of federal funding varies according to population and geographic location (Dolha, 2009). Moreover, Manitoba “and Ottawa share funding responsibility for Indigenous foster care. But a severe shortage of Indigenous foster homes can be explained [..] by a strict set of provincial rules around housing—like living conditions and bedroom dimensions—that most reserves with poor infrastructure are unable to adhere to” (Edwards, 2018). As such, even with this solution in place, if a child is removed from a reserve that is already plagued with poverty, which unfortunately, is most often the case, then the prospect of that child being transferred to Indigenous care, is quite …show more content…
This substantiated unease stems from the fact that provincial child welfare programs still actively contribute to the development of structural conditions that foster the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the child welfare system. Scholars note, “in order to break the historic pattern of removal of First Nations children from their homes, child welfare agencies must be equipped to provide investigated First Nations families the supports needed to address factors that pose challenges to their abilities to protect and nurture First Nations children” (Sinha, 2013). One particularly excellent suggestion for reducing this social problem is to develop an “Aboriginal Mothers’ Advocates Office or Institute. This would provide a formal organization to help Aboriginal mothers navigate all aspects of the child welfare system within the Province of Manitoba” (Bennett,
The population of Native Americans living in poverty is double compared to the U.S overall population rate living in poverty. Williams wrote, “Unemployment is extremely high (90%on some Canadian reserves during winter months), and income levels are extremely low.” Federal housing program often allow Native Americans to be able to afford housing at low cost, but are not considered to be the best living conditions. Reservations are often located in rural areas where it is hard to obtain employment due to location and where access to resources is limited. In the article mentioned above Williams wrote, “Run down trailers and shacks are not uncommon.”(P.386) This kind of housing can be almost unlivable and sometimes even dangerous. It’s even common to see living situation without basic utilities of electricity or water in remote areas (Williams,
Fostering Nation? Canada Confronts Its History of Childhood Disadvantage written by Veronica String-Boag explores the oversights and the demanded promise of a century and more of child protection efforts by Canadians and their governments. String-Boag draws on a perspective that examines Canada’s marginalized youngsters between the nineteenth to the twenty-first century. The novel examines many different aspects about childhood disadvantage ranging from institutions, birth parents, state policies, and foster parents. This provides the audience with an endless reminder that the welfare of children cannot be separated from institutions and the community. But how well does String-Boag’s novel go about displaying the history of childhood disadvantage
In this proposal our team seeks to explore the injustices within the Indian Act. To achieve this our proposed research will examine the target population being the aboriginal woman. The paper will further explore the oppressions faced by the aboriginal women within the Indian Act. In conclusion, this proposal will sum up the negative impact that the Indian Act had on aboriginal women and how it continues to oppress this population within the Canadian National discourse.
Generations of native people in Canada have faced suffering and cultural loss as a result of European colonization of their land. Government legislation has impacted the lives of five generations of First Nations people and as a result the fifth generation (from 1980 to present) is working to recover from their crippled cultural identity (Deiter-McArthur 379-380). This current generation is living with the fallout of previous government policies and societal prejudices that linger from four generations previous. Unrepentant, Canada’s ‘Genocide’, and Saskatchewan’s Indian People – Five Generations highlight issues that negatively influence First Nations people. The fifth generation of native people struggle against tremendous adversity in regard to assimilation, integration, separation, and recovering their cultural identity with inadequate assistance from our great nation.
“To kill the Indian in the child,” was the prime objective of residential schools (“About the Commission”). With the establishment of residential schools in the 1880s, attending these educational facilities used to be an option (Miller, “Residential Schools”). However, it was not until the government’s time consuming attempts of annihilating the Aboriginal Canadians that, in 1920, residential schools became the new solution to the “Indian problem.” (PMC) From 1920 to 1996, around one hundred fifty thousand Aboriginal Canadians were forcibly removed from their homes to attend residential schools (CBC News). Aboriginal children were isolated from their parents and their communities to rid them of any cultural influence (Miller, “Residential Schools”). Parents who refrained from sending their children to these educational facilities faced the consequence of being arrested (Miller, “Residential Schools”). Upon the Aboriginal children’s arrival into the residential schools, they were stripped of their culture in the government’s attempt to assimilate these children into the predominately white religion, Christianity, and to transition them into the moderating society (Miller, “Residential Schools”). With the closing of residential schools in 1996, these educational facilities left Aboriginal Canadians with lasting negative intergenerational impacts (Miller, “Residential Schools”). The Aboriginals lost their identity, are affected economically, and suffer socially from their experiences.
Presently, access to programs and health care services is fragmented given the nature of the health care system for Aboriginal peoples (Wilson et al., 2012). The federal government is responsible for providing limited health services among Inuit living within traditional territories and status/registered Indians living on reserves (Chen et al., 2004). This responsibility is vested in the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch organizations to carry out protection activities and health promotion, and provide funding for community health programs in Inuit communities and reserves (Chen et al., 2004). Firstly, the complexity of the health care system for Aboriginal peoples has resulted in an unequal access to health services due to the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch program (FNIHB), which only applies to Inuit and Indians. Therefore, Metis and other Aboriginal peoples who do not qualify for registration under the Indian Act do not receive health services provided by FNIHB (Chen et al., 2004). Secondly, the transfer of responsibility to health boards, communities and other authorities has resulted in unequal supply of health services between territories and provinces, uneven distribution among communities, and leaves limited opportunity for increased funding (Loppie et al., 2009). It has also lead to controversy between various levels of government over the responsibility to pay for particular health services. Jurisdictional limitations, which have failed to recognize Metis identity and rights, have resulted in health disparities among the Metis population (Wilson et al., 2012). While the federal government recently decided to include Metis status in Aboriginal initiatives, the funding has not been equitable when compared to those of Inuit and First Nations or to the non-Aboriginal populations in Canada (Loppie et al., 2009). The Aboriginal health
With the increase in funding, Canadian poverty within Aboriginal society would greatly decrease. The Government should be “proactive in giving aboriginal people in remote communities the support they need to move to areas where they can find jobs and education” (End First). That way, adults would be able to increase their income in order to have a much more fulfilling lifestyle. It is not only adults who need the financial aid, but also the community and children. In order to help, the Canadian Government should make sure more money is being made available for the First Nation education, social interactions such as community centres, and way of living including: housing, roads and availability of healthy food items. “...The poverty rate of status First Nations children living on reserves was triple that of non-indigenous children” (Hildebrandt). Aboriginal children across Canada need the help of Canadian Government in order to lose this poverty and be able to move ahead. “Persistent disadvantages faced by Canada’s aboriginal peoples in regard to education, employment, health and housing are well-documented/the staggering poverty faced by indigenous children is preventable” (Hildebrandt). With enough Government funding, Native children would be able to get better education, social skills and understanding of their traditions and culture. Schools, community centres
The question that is often brought to our nations attention is whether or not incremental equality for First Nations children is compatible with reconciliation. When considering my personal opinion, the two are in fact compatible with one another. However, Canada is still working towards reconciliation but still has not completely reached it. The working towards reconciliation within First Nations children is seen throughout many aspects in Canada. Firstly, incremental equality is trying to be reached through education. Next, incremental equality is working towards being met throughout health systems as well as behaviors. Lastly, incremental equality for First Nations children is moving towards reconciliation throughout the physical environments
Health care inequities can be elucidated by the research that identifies the social, economic and political ideologies that reflect aspects of cultural safety (Crandon, 1986; O’Neil, 1989 as cited in Browne & Fiske, 2001). There are various factors that affect the mistreatment of aboriginal peoples as they access health care in local health care facilities such as hospitals and clinics. Aboriginal women face many barriers and are discriminated against as a result based on their visible minority status such as race, gender and class (Gerber, 1990; Dion Stout, 1996; Voyageur, 1996 as cited in Browne & Fiske, 2001). A study done on Aboriginal peoples in Northern B.C. showed high rates of unemployment, underemployment and dependency on social welfare monies (Browne & Fiske, 2001). This continued political economic marginalisation of aboriginal peoples widens the gap between the colonizers and the colonized. The existence of racial profiling of aboriginal peoples by “Indian status” often fuels more stigmatization of these people because other Canadians who do not see the benefits of compensations received with having this status often can be resentful in what they may perceive is another compensation to aboriginal peoples. The re...
The HREOC’s began a process called the Bringing Them Home report to help Indigenous families and victims of the Stolen Generation reconnect and to bring focus to the discrimination and illegality of stealing a child away from their family. The report suggested that the authorities should apologise for what they’ve done to the Indigenous people, help them reunite with their family, publically
Her book focuses on the myriads of issues and struggles that Indigenous men and women have faced and will continue to face because of colonialism. During her speech, Palmater addressed the grave effects of the cultural assimilation that permeated in Indigenous communities, particularly the Indian Residential School System and the Indian Act, which has been extensively discussed in both lectures and readings. Such policies were created by European settlers to institutionalize colonialism and maintain the social and cultural hierarchy that established Aboriginals as the inferior group. Palmater also discussed that according to news reports, an Aboriginal baby from Manitoba is taken away every single day by the government and is put in social care (CTVNews.ca Staff, 2015). This echoes Andrea Smith’s argument in “Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy: Rethinking Women of Color Organizing” that colonialism continues to affect Aboriginals through genocide (2006, p. 68). Although such actions by the government are not physical acts of genocide, where 90% of Aboriginal population was annihilated, it is this modern day cultural assimilation that succeeded the Indigenous Residential School System and the Indian Act embodies colonialism and genocide (Larkin, November 4,
Ideological, social, political, and economic factors of a given period play key roles in developing and maintaining any social welfare policies in which the area of child welfare is not an exception. Throughout the history of child welfare legislation in Canada, Acts have been passed and modified according to the changing concept of childhood and to the varying degree of societal atmosphere of each period.
Childcare in Quebec and the rest of Canada vary significantly. The variation is very extreme, where as families in Quebec are spending approximately $152 per month on childcare, and families in other provinces are budgeting over $1000 monthly. Why such a huge difference when all these families are residing in the same country? Some families are budgeting all their income towards childcare, but other families are only contributing not even a quarter of their income. What is behind all this?
An extreme factor in Aboriginal youth not having an education lies in government funding and resources that are readily available to them. In multiple rural reserves and communities there are remarkably few schools and supplies to provide a professional education or a traditional education to the youth who reside in these places. It is not widely known the degree of which “schools on reserves are grotesquely underfunded compared to . . . non reserve”(Boyden, 2016, para. 16) schools, presenting a barrier that First Nations people are often not equipped to tackle.
The most important issue that the Canadian government urgently needs to address is education. The education of the First Nations should be taken more seriously by the Canadian government because the funding given to the First Nation schools is not enough to support the schools, there are no educational standards for the schools, and lastly, non-First Nation students are excelling more in school than First Nation students. First and foremost, the First Nations’ school systems get funding from the Canadian government, but funding is not enough to help the First Nation students receive the education the students deserve. The Fraser Institute is an organization that wants to improve the quality of life for Canadians. Ravina Bains, the associate