Transcript Social Problems - University of Western Ontario

“Tribal Stigma”
Racial & Ethnic Issues in Canada
A Minority Group Case Study
The Yellow Quill Tragedy
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Read Globe and Mail reporter Christie Blatchford’s
series on the Yellow Quill tragedy at…
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGA
M.20080213.wblatch13/BNStory/Front
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGA
M.20080214.wblatch14/BNStory/National/columnists
Case Study:
Canada’s Hidden Shame: The “Indian
Problem” (Augie Fleras 2005)
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“Excessive emphasis on the Indian problem to
the exclusion of positive dimensions has the
effect of “framing” aboriginal people as a
problem people…aboriginal peoples are not a
problem but peoples whose lives are
complicated by forces beyond their control.”
(p. 302)
A Few Facts…
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“aboriginal people as a group remain at the
bottom of the socioeconomic heap” (Fleras,2005)
For example (from 2001 Census)
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Only 42% age 15 and older are employed vs. 66% of
non-Aboriginal population
Average income $15994 vs. $26914 (2001 Census)
Unemployment rate is 3 times national average
Life expectancy – males 68.9, females 76.3 (5 years
less than non-Aboriginals)
Fertility 2.5 children (1.5 times national average)
Median age 24.7 in aboriginal communities compared
to 37.7 in non-aboriginal areas
Why? The Causes of Aboriginal Inequality..
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Former First Nations Chief, Matthew Coon
Come (1999) states:
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“…without adequate access to lands, resources, and
without the jurisdiction required to benefit
meaningfully and sustainably from them, we are
given no choices. No number of apologies, policies,
token programs, or symbolic healing funds is going
to remedy this basic socio-economic fact…” (Coon
Come, 1999 in Fleras, 2005)
The Main Problems…
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A 2002 U.N. report has called the
maltreatment of Canada’s aboriginal people “a
national tragedy and a shameful disgrace”
Key problems:
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Lack of access to land
Appropriation of resources
Compromised culture and identity
No claim to nationhood or autonomy
No self-governance
Results:
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Powerlessness because of landlessness
Policy mistreatment because of “(o)ne hundred
years of servitude, of protectionism and
paternalism” (Buckley, 1992 in Fleras, 2005)
The internalization of powerlessness and
impotence has become “self-hatred” (i.e. suicide,
domestic abuse, alcoholism, drug use)
Erosion of cultural values and language
Reservation Life
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In past reserves were “holding pens” to make
Canada “safe” for “settlers”
Evolved into areas of dire poverty fraught with
social consequences of the conditions
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Now, inadequate housing and basic services
Less than 50% of homes (2003) have water and
sewage connections
On some reserves 95% unemployed or on welfare
Women complain of “male-dominated” band
councils, sexism, abuse i.e see CFB video
“Without Fear” , for example
On-reserve vs. Off-reserve life
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Reserves seen by some as “refuge from and
buffer against a hostile outside world”
But reserve dysfunctions of boredom, poor
conditions, inequality force many into cities
Lose status benefits, suffer discrimination,
forced onto welfare or into prostitution for
survival
Some opt to spend winter in city, summer on
reserve, but lead disjointed lifestyles
Aboriginal Women
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Cultures of past had matrilineal descent
Women more power
Change when “whites” came – imposed European
patriarchal structure and cultural change
Then 1985 Indian Act stripped status from women
who married non-aboriginals (since repealed)
Studies show “aboriginal women rank among the
most severely disadvantaged” in Canada
Suffer from violence, abuse, inadequate housing and
living conditions, alcohol and drug abuse
Aboriginal Youth Problems
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Trapped between two cultures
Problem of “anomie” (Durkheim)
Lack positive role models and often suffer
abuse
Results:
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Substance and solvent abuse
High suicide rates (as high as 470/100000
compared to 14/100000 in general population)
Prostitution, petty crime
High youth incarceration rates
Attempts to find solutions…
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Canada only country in world to have
aboriginal rights entrenched in constitution
Has been some progress in increasing power
and economic resources, access to higher
education and more Native Studies programs
But reality does not live up to ideals
Debate: is assimilation or self-governing
autonomy better?
A New Social Contract
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One proposal is self governance for Native
peoples (i.e. see Cairns, 2000, 2003; Christie,
2002; Fleras, 2005)
In 1997 “Statement of Reconciliation,”
Canadian government promised to “create new
partnership” with aboriginals
Recognition of aboriginal identity and promise
to work toward full aboriginal participation in
Canadian society
But progress has been slow
Four Models
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1. Statehood with complete political
independence, internally and externally
2. Nationhood, with retention of authority and
jurisdiction over internal matters
3. Municipality, with control over delivery of
services by way of parallel institutions
4. Institutional, with meaningful decisionmaking power in mainstream institutions
1996 Royal Commission on
Aboriginal Peoples Proposal
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Studied community based governance vs.
nation based governance
Proposed to create self governed aboriginal
nations
But problem of organizing 1000’s of
communities into 60-70 historical nations
The Future?
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Many Canadians alarmed by idea of self
government
Some aboriginal groups themselves feel not
yet ready
However, Canada already has long history of
two nations (French and English) under one
loosely structured federal government.
Why not three?
More Info….
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Indian Affairs and Northern Development
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Assembly of First Nations
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www.ainc-ianc.gc.ca
www.afn.ca
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Affairs
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www.ainc-ianc.gc.ca/ch/rcap