Blog assignment number 3

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/call+education+aboriginal+issues/6891014/story.html

As a member of the aboriginal community, I think that it is important for all people living in Canada to learn about the hardships that my people have faced since the Europeans came here some five hundred years ago. Many of the problems that we face today, I believe, come from the general public not knowing the extent in which we were treated. This is not surprising based on the on the poll that most Canadians think that our tribes are both well-funded and well- treated by the federal government (Smith, 2012). Many aboriginal leaders disagree with this statement; including myself. Most Aboriginal communities suffer from poverty and social problems, and yet the majority of Canadian population think we are well treated by the Canadian government.This is not the case. Maybe whoever poured cement into our sewage system shared the same views as many other Canadians; that the Federal government will fix it. 

I find it appalling that Saskatchewan is the only province that is authorized to teach non aboriginal students about the residential schools. Without this education how will young Canadian relationships with aboriginal people change for the better if they don’t know? However, hope lies on the horizon, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have released an interim report that urges other provinces to change the curriculum so that it will incorporate more aboriginal history. To me this is a silver lining we have been waiting for. Though it has not passed yet, it is important to see that other people share the same sentiment as us, the same need to show others our history. Hopefully the young students will share the knowledge that they have learned with their parents and break the vicious cycle. The more people that know our history means more people will understand the hardships that we have faced; maybe there will be less demeaning stereotypes, and just maybe the dominate white population will start to understand.

Works Cited

Smith , T. (2012, July 6). A call for education on aboriginal issues. Montreal Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/call education aboriginal issues/6891014/story.html

Tsuu t'ina nation: treaty 7 signed 1877. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tsuutina.ca/default.aspx?page=Reserve History&ID=41