蓝莓视频

Many Canadians were shocked when the Tk'eml煤ps te Sew茅pemc First Nation uncovered the remains of 215 Indigenous children at the B.C. residential school and more recently the Cowessess First Nation uncovered 751 unmarked graves near a residential school in Saskatchewan. What are some of the ways people can mark Canada Day?

As an Indigenous person, I would suggest Canadians use the day to reflect on the difficult听history of Indigenous/Canadian relations. In 2017 the Director of the Sudbury听N'Swakamok听Friendship Centre commented in regard to Canada's鈥�150 celebrations, "Frankly we don't have any reason to celebrate. The fact of the matter is that Canada does not celebrate the original people, it celebrates itself.鈥澨齌his statement clearly indicates that for Indigenous people, we have never been included in the development of this country.听听

During 100-year celebrations of confederation, an Indigenous perspective was delivered by听听to 32,000 people on July 1, 1967. He began: "How long have I known you, Oh Canada? A hundred years? Yes, a hundred years. And many, many seelanum听more. And today, when you celebrate your hundred years, Oh Canada, I am sad for all the Indian people throughout the land."听

remains relevant today and if anyone has not read it they should. It will help Canadians understand unresolved historical and contemporary points of dispute between Indigenous people and Canada.听

In addition to听Canada鈥檚听residential school system听for Indigenous听children, what are some of听systemic issues听that听people can research and reflect on听during Canada Day and beyond?听

The list is long. A starting point could be the Indian Act of 1867 which established separate laws to govern some Indigenous people that remains in effect today. Canadians could reflect on the treaties across Canada. These are legal, binding documents that cannot be arbitrarily ignored or dispensed with, without the agreement of both parties. The failure to uphold treaties remains a serious impediment to peaceful relations between the original peoples and Canada. Canadians could reflect over听the gap in the quality of life between Canadians and Indigenous people in this country, Indian hospitals, modern Indigenous鈥痚ducation, Indigenous people and the police and justice system,听the Child Welfare system听and听Indigenous听 children,听missing and murdered Indigenous women, Indigenous people and the health system among many others.听听

Many Canadians are not aware of Indigenous history in Canada. What are some good resources for people to read, view and engage with?听

The internet is a good resource听if听you use reliable sources and understand where your information is coming from.听The many volumes of the听Final Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996)听may be daunting due to the sheer volume of information, but is an invaluable resource as is the听Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission听(2015) and Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.听Olive Dickenson's 1992 text鈥痠s an excellent Canadian history told from an Indigenous perspective.听听

Tom King's highly readable鈥痠s both entertaining and a critical reflection of the history of the relationship between Canada and the United States and Indigenous people in both countries. Maria Campbell's classic 1973鈥痓ook on her experiences as a M茅tis woman,鈥�鈥痺as recently re-released with a new听foreward听by Campbell and听includes听pages that were withheld by the publisher in the original edition.听听

A听contemporary M茅tis story is illustrated听in听the听best selling听book听From the Ashes听written by听蓝莓视频 alumnus Jesse Thistle (MA 鈥�16).听听Bob Joseph鈥檚听听is an excellent primer for understanding that legislation and the impact it continues to have on First Nations people today.听听

There is a body of work by an established group of Indigenous authors and听playrights听who are now our elders听in听Indigenous literature. Tomson Highway, Lee听Maracle,听Jeannette Armstrong, Drew Hayden Taylor, Thomas King, Gregory Scofield, Maria Campbell, the late Basil Johnston, and on and on.听There are so many resources today that richly illustrate Indigenous experiences in this country, both historic and contemporary, that I think you could devote your life to reading them all. Google Indigenous Canadian authors and you will find more material than you can imagine in every genre from prose to poetry to plays.鈥�听