ABORIGINAL PEOPLES IN VICTORIAN CANADA Queen Victoria 1837

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES IN VICTORIAN CANADA

Queen Victoria 1837 -1901 Attitude and behavior set the standard in British Empire. Advancements in technology and medicine not all benefited

Victorian Times: How did people view Indians? Positive Warrior Noble Strong Smart Negative Savage Animal Uncivilized

Land Issues Forced onto Reserves as European Immigration and settlement occurred

1857 Gradual Civilization Act Assimilation was the goal: by making Aboriginals citizens Full citizenship is called enfranchisement If they became citizens, they would lose their rights they’d already attained (treaty rights, protected status)

Indian Act 1876 Defined “who was an Indian” What rights they had in Canada Made Aboriginal Peoples the “responsibility” or “wards” of the government

1885 Ceremonies banned Ceremonies and rituals such as the Potlatch and Sundance are made illegal

Residential Schools http: //www. cbc. ca/archives/categories/society/ education/a-lost-heritage-canadas-residentialschools/a-new-future-for-children-at-james-bay -residential-school. html

Residential Schooling

Common Rules For failing a test - no food for a day For disobedience, and rude or disorderly conduct no food or water for a day, a beating (with a stick on the back), extra garden work For speaking first language - (first offence) no supper - (second offence) no supper and beating * For going off by yourself (without another student present) - several hours of kneeling alone on a rock floor where all can see.

Residential Schooling Children were taken away to schools run by various churches and funded by the government First Nations languages were prohibited; along with traditional religious practices were forbidden

Dr. Duncan Campbell Scott 1920 I want to get rid of the Indian problem. 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. . . ”

St Paul’s IRS (North Vancouver)

Residential Schooling Sexual and physical abuse common Last school did not close until 1990 s When they got out, many did not find acceptance in cities and felt unconnected to their own communities

60’s scoop children still taken away from their homes as parents were seen as unfit

What responsibility does the current Canadian government have to address this injustice of the past? What should/could be done?

http: //www. cbc. ca/doczone/8 thfire//2011/11/ind igenious-in-the-city. html