Reconciliation and the 'Indian Problem': How Some Parts of Canada Are More Forward Looking than Others

Throughout Canadian history, Aboriginal peoples have been subjected to varying degrees of state imposed control. With the end goal of eliminating the ‘Indian problem’, colonising mechanisms were put in place to regulate individual and collective Indigenous rights, possessions, and privileges. Various Canadian governmental policies had made institutionalized racism, as well as assimilation tactics against its Aboriginal people’s common practice. Infringing on their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, the legislated policies and programs reflected the ideology of the time, which could be summed up by the very words of the Deputy Superintendent of Indian and Northern Affairs from 1913-32, Duncan Campbell Scott. As he infamously wrote, “our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department” (Palmater, 2011, 28). While present-day Canadian governments preach their official governmental policy of multiculturalism, progress is thought to be making headway towards a state of peaceful coexistence between the Indigenous population and the settlers of Turtle Island. However, in spite of Harper’s apology for past governmental ails regarding its ‘Indian policies’, the country continues to defend, and create new hidden legislated assimilation programs. Nevertheless, progress towards reconciliation is arguably being made in certain areas of our Nation, displaying exemplary deeds, which the rest of Canada ought to learn form, and quickly follow suit.
In settler societies like Canada, reconciliation between Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples is certainly an obscured, but a profoundly important concept. As wi...

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...l person twice as likely to no have a university degree? The meaning of the word ‘reconciliation’ will mean a number of different things, to different people. RCAP maintained that reconciliation requires an understanding of the history of settler- Aboriginal relations as well as the contemporary Aboriginal plight. In Canada, the government has formally recognized its historical wrongdoings, which is surely a positive step; however, what I would argue to be the marker for achieved reconciliation, is that Aboriginal peoples would hold a standard of living equal to that of the mainstream Canadian populace, and where the anger and animosity that exist between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals would have disappeared. Hope is not lost for the aboriginal plight, but if achieving socio-economic balance is the end goal, then evidently, there is much work to be done.