Aboriginal Abuse in Canada

First Peoples have been treated with repugnant unfairness for centuries around the globe. They are even unable to escape this malicious inequality in one of the world’s most diverse and multicultural countries, Canada. Canada’s progress in the advancement of the rights of First Nations who live on the country’s own soil is disgracefully slow. This atrocious behaviour “on a number of occasions has been criticized in international forums for the miserable conditions that affect… First Nations peoples, conditions that are comparable to those of developing countries” (“Prejudices”). Canadian Aboriginals have been treated with the utmost disrespect in their native country. Firstly, Aboriginals have not been honoured with the recognition that they rightfully deserve. For example, Aboriginals have not been treated as competent equals when negotiating land ownership treaties. In one instance “James Douglas… negotiated agreements… extinguishing Aboriginal title to the lands around Victoria, Nanaimo and Fort Rupert between 1850 and 1854… the entire Victoria area was obtained for 371 blankets” (Yellowhorn). The English took advantage of the language barrier between the two negotiating parties as well as the trust that the First Nations put into the political weight of the agreement and in doing so managed to perpetually hand Aboriginals the short end of the stick. Furthermore, First Peoples have been robbed of recognition regarding their contribution towards Canada’s history as a nation. Canada’s identity is built upon “the idea of two founding nations (English and French), and government support for (their) two (native) languages” (Yellowhorn). The failure to integrate the native languages of Aboriginals into Canadian knowledge at least at a basic level illustrates the divide of recognition in Canada. The country has neglected to acknowledge the prominent role of First Nations in their history and heritage. Therefore, Aboriginals have not been given the respect