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talkpoliticsThe rationalization was that having a Native Indian (ndn) kid in the classroom would only serve as a distraction to the other students, so NDNs (there were usually only be one or two) were separated from the rest of the class. Instead of reading, writing, arithmetic, science, etc. the NDN were taught special skills... like washing the teachers car.
This happened in Toronto in the 1970's in the public school system. This in the multi-ethnic, multi-racial public school system, full of Canadian-born children of immigrants. There were Greeks, Italians, Swedes, Jamaicans, Kenyans, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, etc. But whatever racism existed, NDN kids were considered the least of them all. A real threat.
The policy was endorsed by school principals. The school ward trustee didn't believe the trouble-making NDN parents. Good thing my Gramma worked at Queen's Park because she got the ear of provincial MPP Bill Hodgson. The initial reaction was to forward the issue to Indian Affairs.
But here's the thing. We are Metis, not NDN. Being Metis is not the same as being NDN. Being Metis is kind of like being in limbo. While Metis fall under the Indian Act, they have been systematically exempted for the most part through many amendments. This is not always a bad thing. For example most/many Metis were never kidnapped away to be assimilated and abused at Residential Schools.
Another important plus is that Metis were (for the most part) not exempted by section 67 of the Human Rights Act. Human Rights Act is an avenue to file charges of discrimination for race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, pardoned conviction, etc. All Canadians except NDN's were covered under this act. The Metis have always been covered.
In 2008 bill C-21 passed, repealing section67, and will after a long phase-in process will grant all aboriginal peoples everywhere the right to file Human Rights complaints of discrimination. This is why there is a rush in Kahnawake to kick those considered non-native (Metis and/or white(for lack of better word)) off the Rez before Human Rights is fully implemented in January 2011.I can predict a lot of consequences that might occur as a result of Human Rights, but we'll see.
In the 1970's my Gramma's threat of filing a human rights complaint (with the help of our MPP) was enough for the trustees of the Toronto Public School Board to implement policy changes and end racist practices of discrimination. A victory
For NDN's the residential school began to be phased out in the 1950's, well, on paper anyways. In practice it wasn't really phased out until the 1970's with the last of them ended in the mid-1980's with two notable exceptions (I'll get to that in a sec). A formal apology from the government of Canada was given to victims of the residential school in 1998. This was followed by a long Mandela-style truth and reconciliations process. Finally government provided compensation to the victims in 2005, in a formula calculated by time spent there, if records were not lost, destroyed, burnt, etc.
The exceptions to residential school system are Blue Quills which was taken over to be administered by a local tribe. Another became the basis of what eventually evolved into First Nations University with 3 campuses spread out in Saskatchewan. In the last few years the FNU has been marred by controversy; charges of corruption, mis-management, mass dismissals, and then the death nail of provincial and federal funding. All is not lost but the future indeed seems bleak. It's a lot like hockey/baseball going on strike, where it will never be the same again, if it survives.
NDN run university education for NDN's has long been seen as a cornerstone vital to eventual self-government. Self-government is a goal of many aboriginal peoples and groups said to represent them. Many tribes (especially Mohawks) simply do not recognize the government of Canada's authority and consequentially are rife with lawlessness. Others such as Nisga'a have negotiated their way out of the Indian Act and become as close to self governance as possible within the confines of Canada. And then we have Manitoba Metis in recent tripartate negotiations
These of course are all means for survival. As a Metis, I know a lot intimately about cultural survival. I can see similarities in what is happening in Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Afghanistan, China, France, etc. Nobody ever wants to be assimilated but cultural infection is extremely contagious. A group can never isolate itself enough. Somebody right now in the deepest Amazon is wearing a t-shirt. It happens. But if an identity is strong it will survive the most atrocious abuses and prevalent infections.
Still, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that we place too much importance on identity. Assimilation should be embraced. Cultural identity only leads to pride, prejudice, hate, oppression and war. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be Canadian and proud to be Metis. It is with great effort I try not to be contradictory. It would serve us better to identify as part of the United Federation of Earth, rather then of it's many tribes.
This happened in Toronto in the 1970's in the public school system. This in the multi-ethnic, multi-racial public school system, full of Canadian-born children of immigrants. There were Greeks, Italians, Swedes, Jamaicans, Kenyans, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, etc. But whatever racism existed, NDN kids were considered the least of them all. A real threat.
The policy was endorsed by school principals. The school ward trustee didn't believe the trouble-making NDN parents. Good thing my Gramma worked at Queen's Park because she got the ear of provincial MPP Bill Hodgson. The initial reaction was to forward the issue to Indian Affairs.
But here's the thing. We are Metis, not NDN. Being Metis is not the same as being NDN. Being Metis is kind of like being in limbo. While Metis fall under the Indian Act, they have been systematically exempted for the most part through many amendments. This is not always a bad thing. For example most/many Metis were never kidnapped away to be assimilated and abused at Residential Schools.
Another important plus is that Metis were (for the most part) not exempted by section 67 of the Human Rights Act. Human Rights Act is an avenue to file charges of discrimination for race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, pardoned conviction, etc. All Canadians except NDN's were covered under this act. The Metis have always been covered.
In 2008 bill C-21 passed, repealing section67, and will after a long phase-in process will grant all aboriginal peoples everywhere the right to file Human Rights complaints of discrimination. This is why there is a rush in Kahnawake to kick those considered non-native (Metis and/or white(for lack of better word)) off the Rez before Human Rights is fully implemented in January 2011.I can predict a lot of consequences that might occur as a result of Human Rights, but we'll see.
In the 1970's my Gramma's threat of filing a human rights complaint (with the help of our MPP) was enough for the trustees of the Toronto Public School Board to implement policy changes and end racist practices of discrimination. A victory
For NDN's the residential school began to be phased out in the 1950's, well, on paper anyways. In practice it wasn't really phased out until the 1970's with the last of them ended in the mid-1980's with two notable exceptions (I'll get to that in a sec). A formal apology from the government of Canada was given to victims of the residential school in 1998. This was followed by a long Mandela-style truth and reconciliations process. Finally government provided compensation to the victims in 2005, in a formula calculated by time spent there, if records were not lost, destroyed, burnt, etc.
The exceptions to residential school system are Blue Quills which was taken over to be administered by a local tribe. Another became the basis of what eventually evolved into First Nations University with 3 campuses spread out in Saskatchewan. In the last few years the FNU has been marred by controversy; charges of corruption, mis-management, mass dismissals, and then the death nail of provincial and federal funding. All is not lost but the future indeed seems bleak. It's a lot like hockey/baseball going on strike, where it will never be the same again, if it survives.
NDN run university education for NDN's has long been seen as a cornerstone vital to eventual self-government. Self-government is a goal of many aboriginal peoples and groups said to represent them. Many tribes (especially Mohawks) simply do not recognize the government of Canada's authority and consequentially are rife with lawlessness. Others such as Nisga'a have negotiated their way out of the Indian Act and become as close to self governance as possible within the confines of Canada. And then we have Manitoba Metis in recent tripartate negotiations
These of course are all means for survival. As a Metis, I know a lot intimately about cultural survival. I can see similarities in what is happening in Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Afghanistan, China, France, etc. Nobody ever wants to be assimilated but cultural infection is extremely contagious. A group can never isolate itself enough. Somebody right now in the deepest Amazon is wearing a t-shirt. It happens. But if an identity is strong it will survive the most atrocious abuses and prevalent infections.
Still, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that we place too much importance on identity. Assimilation should be embraced. Cultural identity only leads to pride, prejudice, hate, oppression and war. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be Canadian and proud to be Metis. It is with great effort I try not to be contradictory. It would serve us better to identify as part of the United Federation of Earth, rather then of it's many tribes.
