Aboriginal Woman Abuse After Contact

After contact, abuse has become more frequent within the communities. It wasn't just older woman anymore, it was young children and teens who've experienced aswell. The frequency of sexual abuse is horriflying to know how bad it actually is and how many aboriginal woman had went through this tramatizing experience.

Aboriginal woman whom are victimized has not only been manifested in their abuse, but also in the manner in which aboriginal female victims are treated. most woman are given no sympathy from those who should be there when the victim is seeking for help. 

Example: 16 year old girl claims of being rape told the police of the incidient and under went hospital examination. The police had told her mother that her daughter was lying and should be charged under mischief. According to the mother, the police had noted that she had said " didnt you want it at 16?"

This is horrific, because at the time it was the victim who was shunned from the community and not the abuser. Times now have changed, along with the table turning on the abuser to whereas the abuser is being shunned.

Coming out to your parents or to anyone about being physically, verbally, spiritually, and emotional sexually abused is not an easy thing. For some its different where they are up front about telling someone to get that help, some its take years because they are afraid of what the outcome will be.

Some people may say after the fact, "its the past, its time to forget and move on." Words like those becomes discouraging. It wrecks your spirit, and it takes a while to gain back. Not only that for an aboriginal woman, they lose their cultural and spirit, because its such a huge impact, and it really hits home for most who have dealt with this.

Thanks, 

Amanda 

References:

 

http://www.kanawayhitowin.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=42

http://www.ajic.mb.ca/volumel/chapter13.html#6

Aboriginal Health

                                                          Aboriginal Mental Health

            When looking at Aboriginals Peoples of Canada, one must consider that this population consists of (698,025) First Nations people, (389,780) Metis, and (50,480) Inuit approximately 1,172,785 people or 3.8% of the total population of Canada ("Indicators of well-being," 2006). Aboriginal perspective on mental health is healing by medicine wheel teachings, understanding the four directions, finding their purpose of being through cultural activities, healing lodges, and treats the individual with a more holistic approach. Health and well-being include all the four aspects of human nature: physical, mental, emotional and especially our spiritual being. The profile of mental health disorders in Aboriginal people is primarily a by-product of our colonial past with regards to layered assaults on culture and personal identities. According to Smye & Mussell, (2001), “Root cause of mental health problems such as intergenerational trauma, poverty, unemployment, and lack of housing need to be addressed alongside the consequent mental health issues, that is, depression, substance use, abuse, PSTD, and anxiety disorders “(p.7 ).

            Traditional Western perspective treats the consumer with medication, psychotherapy, and sometimes the family is not included with the treatment options unless the consumer signs consent due to legal and ethical obligations regarding confidentiality (Simmie & Nunes, 2001). Traditional Western medicine often looks at mental illness as an individual illness or a disease of the mind, and most individuals feel that it fails to recognize their unique and distinct needs (Simmie & Nunes, 2001). Most people find that navigating through the system is difficult and challenging in order to seek help for most consumers; they end up on long waiting lists in order to get a doctors referral to a psychiatrist. 

            Some of the issues relating to suicide are rapid culture change, forced assimilation, and marginalization. One risk factor is that males are prone to attempt suicide previous to actually committing suicide. Drugs and alcohol are major contributors, along with school problems, social isolation, depression, poverty, unemployment, violence perpetration and victimization (Health Canada, 2010, para.32). Prevention programs are introduced through the implementation of native oriented programs beginning from childhood throughout teen to adulthood. Healing in communities is crucial and should begin in school based strategies. These strategies would be beneficial and effective if implemented into the school curriculum to enhance the ability to cope with stress, emotions, problem solving, interpersonal communications, and conflict resolution. These measures help to promote confidence and self-esteem, as well as provide the fundamentals to effectively deal with crisis and emotional conflict (Health Canada, 2010, para.57).

Looking at this issue from conservative ideology individual freedom is more important than social equality; individuals should be responsible for their own lives. Policies that encourage dependency on the state should be avoided. How can this ideology address the needs of mental health when it clearly states individuals are responsible for themselves?

I think the Socialism ideology better suits the needs of mental illness because it acknowledges social and economic equality as the most important values, and systemic discrimination based on gender, race, and ethnicity is eliminated through government policies. Personal dignity depends on social and economic equality. 

References

Health Canada, (2010). First nations and inuit health: Acting on what we know (0900C2). Retrieved from website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/contact/index-eng.php

Health Canada, (2011). New fact sheet: Addressing mental illness. Retrieved from National Aboriginal Health Organization website: http://www.naho.ca/documents/naho/english/factSheets/mental_Health.pdf

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, (2006).Indicators of well-being in canadacanadians in context - aboriginal population. Retrieved from Statistics Canada website: http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=36

Simmie, S., & Nunes, J. (2002). The last taboo a survival guide to mental health. Toronto: Mc          Clelland & Steward Ltd.

 Smye, V., & Mussell, B. (2001). Aboriginal mental health:what works best.

Relection

I just want to thank my group for an excellent insight on social issues concerning Aboriginal peoples. It has been a true learning experience for me to be apart of a class with so many good representation for all groups. I believe we truly felt compassionate and these issues have brought out main issues that are close to our hearts and homes. Many of the bogs we researched impacts our lives and futures so knowing what is currently going on in the world is very important. These topics we blogged on may have not have been to the best of our ability but as future workers we know that this experience will guide us in learning more and help prepare us to continue to advocate and look at issues in many perspectives and ideologies. Some day each and everyone of us will be impacted by one or more of these issues. There are major life events and decisions  that are being made that will affect our lives for the rest of our time and a lot of people in society have no idea as to the consequences ahead.

Although, I had a hard time with my researching and documenting skills it really made me realize how my life changed throughout the past couple years. Clearly, there was a time in my life where I thought I was never going to go anywhere. Coming from a home where there was lots of inter-generational trauma, violence, insecurity and alcohol abuse, it wasn't until I went to school to fully understand why this was. We lived in a small very isolated community with no transportation, overcrowded home with a lifestyle of never knowing what the day was going to bring. With unstable parents, it was hard to go through school having to avoid or find excuses why we didn't have a healthy lunch or a lunch at all. All my siblings and I just drifted through school and later dropping out. I can really relate to the current issues regarding alot of what we covered throughout the blogs.

In order for me to fully understand all the material that was covered, I needed to read and recite all my research, three different books and lecture power points from the beginning out the course.
Prior to European contact " Each Aboriginal community has its own unique social structure, traditions, culture, language, and ways of living, thinking, and viewing the world. In contrast, European social structures were based on individualism and independence. Gender roles were based on a patriarchy model. When they sent out to colonize various regions throughout the world, Europeans brought with them a belief in the superiority of their race and cultures" (Turner & Turner, 2009, p.97).  However the first settlers relied on the Aboriginal people to guide them on their own land and showed them how to survive off the land "Ever since Christopher Columbus stumbled onto the continent, North America's Aboriginal peoples were told that Europeans held the secrets to a prosperous, fulfilling future. Settlers expected that Aboriginals would accept their point of view and embrace the benefits of Western civilization" (Erasmus & Sanders, 2002, p.11). This eventually lead to full assimilation (absorption of a culture, that takes over another one) of the Aboriginal peoples. The first piece of legislation in Canada was the Royal Proclamation, Gradual Civilization Act, The Indian Act of 1876 and between the 1850's and almost into the 20th century we had total destructive and unthinkable torture of mental, spiritual. physical, emotional and sexual abuse with major life long lasting affects.

Mean while, Canada was also going through major shifts in creating how social welfare programs and services developed. "A number of key historic events influenced the path of development of our public income security programs. Among these are confederation, industrialization, two world wars,  the Great Depression, urbanization, and the acceptance of Keynesian economic ideas in the post-World War II period" (Hick, 2007, p.1). Throughout our blogs we had to demonstrate one of the four approaches to social welfare theory. In our group we focused on the political ideology approach which is one way to look at different approaches to social welfare "These are normally divided according to conservative, liberal, social democratic, and socialist belief systems" (p.57).

In conclusion, I really enjoyed the class, the presentations, and my learning of myself and others.

Tammy

References 

Erasmus, G. & Sanders, J. (2002). Canadian History: An Aboriginal perspective. In J. Bird, L. Land, & M. MacAdam (Eds), Nation to nation: Aboriginal sovereignty and the future of Canada. Toronto: ON: Public Justice Resource Centre.

Hick,S. (2007). Social welfare in Canada: understanding income security (2nd Ed). Toronto: ON: Thomas Educational Publishing

Turner, F, J.,  & Turner, J, C. (2009). Canadian social welfare (6th Ed). Toronto:On Pearson

Idle No More... Chiefs Kept Out

Chiefs want to be a part of the dialogue

As long as the colony that became Canada has existed, we have had dialogue – that is, the Aboriginal people and the European settlers. According to John Ralston Saul (1998), Canadians take pride in the fact that they worked things out by talking things over. A nation was created that is widely respected throughout the world as an icon of peace and tolerance. It was surprising then to hear that a group of Aboriginal chiefs were kept out of the House of Commons last week (“First Nations,” 2012). These chiefs wanted to be a part of the dialogue.

On December 4, 2012, the Anishinaabek chiefs, many descendants from the signatories of the Robinson Huron Treaty, went to Ottawa to protest the passage of Bill C-45.  A recent APTN news article (2012) explained that this bill is an Omni-bus Conservative bill. It was tabled as a budget bill, and had a number of riders attached. One rider included changes to the Indian Act. These changes were made without consultation or input from the people it would affect (APTN National News, 2012).  Despite the obligation to consult, the neo-conservative agenda of supporting business and the corporation had to be met. The omnibus bill contained changes to the Indian Act that would permit corporations to operate on reserve lands, supposedly providing opportunities for Aboriginal people to become involved to a greater extent in the Canadian, and thereby global, economy (APTN National News, 2012). 

Why an omni-bus bill? Look closer. Masquerading behind what the Harper government is hoping we all see as beneficial changes to the Indian Act, is the hidden agenda. Look closely at the trees, not just at the forest. It’s those “other” changes that the government is forcefully pushing through – the changes that are to benefit their causes. So if you are unsure why First Nations people are upset about changes that look like a good thing on the surface, the short answer is:

1) Not being consulted on the changes
2) The changes are presented in an omni-bus bill, instead of changes being presented individually
3) Lurking beneath the big ticket items (that appear to be a good thing) are the other items that contain the governments hidden agenda

The chiefs won’t be heard? Escorted out of the House of Commons? Somewhere along the line the dialogue has stopped. It obviously needs to be said over and over… Canada is a treaty nation.  All Canadians are treaty people. The problem is so much bigger than Bill C-45 and a movement rallying under the banner of “Idle no More” is gathering strength. At the heart of this unrest is the relationship between the Aboriginal people and Canada. “What it all boils down to is this. Canada has not committed itself to addressing the colonial relationship it still has with indigenous peoples. Canada is in denial about that relationship. I think it's fair to say that most Canadians believe that kind of relationship no longer exists. We are trying to tell you that you are wrong” (Vowel, 2012).

Lisa

Resources

Vowel, C. (2012, December 12). Idle no more: There's good reason the natives are restless . Retrieved from http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/apihtawikosisan/2012/12/idle-no-more-theres-good-reason-natives-are-restless

First Nations Leaders Storm Parliament Hill Over Budget Bill. (2012, December 4). Retrieved from http://www.theblobeandmail.com/news/news-video/video-first-nation-leaders-storm-parliment-hill-over-budget-bill/article5973974/

Ralston Saul, J. (1998). Reflections of a siamese twin: Canada at the beginning of the twenty-first century. (p. 254). Toronto, Canada: Penguin Group Canada.

APTN National News. (2012, November 21). Conservative proposed omnibus indian act changes would allow bands to lease out reserve lands without majority community support. Retrieved from conservative-proposed-omnibus-indian-act-changes-would-allow-bands-to-lease-out-reserve-lands-without-majority-community-support

 

 

 

My Enrichment Process

Not very long ago, I was completely unaware of the concept of the Indian Act (Indian Act, 1985).  I have gained valuable knowledge during this course that I will use when forming opinions and frameworks in my years ahead.  Just recently I was made aware of potential changes to the Indian Act (Indian Act, 1985) that I initially thought would be a wonderful advancement in our relationship dynamics with respect to colonization.  After a very brief conversation and some solid research,  I have since changed my mind.  I was reluctant to interject into a conversation that was taking place between two Anishnaabe women that I know, about the impending changes that are being made to the Indian Act (Indian Act, 1985).  Usually, I would avoid these types of interactions because I feel uncomfortable in voicing my opinions and fearful of not having the adequate knowledge to contribute.  Thankfully, I did voice my thoughts, even though I was challenged.  I was told that the potential changes are not good for First Nations people, and our conversation was left at that.  I decided to look into this concept further and I found out exactly why she would feel that changes to the Indian Act (Indian Act, 1985) would create animosity. 

I discovered that she wasn't the only one who felt this way and I searched for the reasons for the disagreements.  "The debate surrounds part of Bill C-45, a massive omnibus budget bill that will, in part, weaken environmental protection and Indian reserve land rights.  Among the amendments are changes to the Fisheries Act, the Navigable Waters Protection Act and the Indian Act, which will make it easier to redesignate native reserve lands and strip environmental protection from thousands of lakes and rivers." (Coutts, 2012)                               

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/frustration-over-omnibus-bill-c-45-leads-nationwide-185350221.html
I would never have found out how much impact that these changes would have on First Nations people, and our environment if I had not stepped out of my comfort zone.  I know the importance of constructive criticism now, even though I was on the receiving end of the lesson.  I have  also learned the importance of researching my questions in order to find out why people feel the way that they do.  I am able to see the whole picture instead of forming my opinions from a biased, judgemental or stereotypical perspective. 

While writing blogs and reading the entries from other students, I have also come to appreciate how much work it takes to gather information in order to substantiate my thoughts.  My opinion is one thing, backing it up with educated resources is another.  I have been able to explore how to express myself in a scholarly manner and I am getting more comfortable with it, despite how much detail I have to go into in order to state a well known fact.  

I have learned a lot of new concepts regarding ideologies and how to form political opinions in this class, and I have also learned to dig deeper for answers.  I am so grateful to be equipped to engage in sophisticated conversations that I have always avoided in the past and I am excited to be able to contribute to debates and controversial topics, now that I am educated enough to feel confident in voicing my opinions. 

Chi Miigwetch,

~Tara

References:

R.S.C., (1985). Indian act (CI-5). Retrieved from website:retrieved on 2012-10-30

Coutts, M. (2012, 12 11). Daily Brew. Frustration over omnibus Bill C-45 leads to nationwide protest, hunger strike. Retrieved from http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/frustration-over-omnibus-bill-c-45-leads-nationwide-185350221.html

Final Reflection

At the beginning of the semester I was unsure of how to write a proper academic argument in a blog. My first blog I can clearly admit that I struggled with it but over time with the second, third and fourth blog I could see my progress in writing and researching with Anishnabe people’s social policy issues. I learned a lot by writing my blogs in the Anishnabe People in Canada: Social policy issues group. My blog topics addressed Domestic Family Violence, Grassy Narrows Mercury Poisoning, Aboriginal Mental Health and Poverty and Aboriginal Peoples. Out of these four blogs the one social policy issue that stood out for me is researching the Grassy Narrows mercury poisoning and how the government was aware of this environmental issue and had created a Mercury Poisoning Compensation for the people. Even though these people are being compensated no amount of money can reverse the effects of minamata disease. The fact that this has been going on for forty years and there is no real concrete way to address this problem worries me for the future generations that are born in that geographical area. My group covered high unemployment, suicide, sub-standardized housing, poor health care, aids/hiv, addictions, residential school impacts, aboriginal children in care. Collectively I learned a lot from my group and other groups in the class through their blog posts and the class presentations were very informative and interesting. The study group was helpful in regard to Silvia helping explain to students who were having difficulty explain the neo-liberalism, neo-conservation, socialism approaches to social welfare in their blogs.

Our group had some difficulties but we were able to overcome them with participating in a healing circle. Any issues that our group members had experienced in a negative manner were addressed in a positive gentle manner. When we presented to the class and we were able to share as group what we learned collectively and being about to drum and sing a traditional women’s song was truly an enjoyable moment to a share cultural teaching with the class. I look forward to learning more about social welfare in the north in the second semester.

Meegweech Allison 

Poverty and Aboriginal Peoples

Poverty has many proportions- measurable deficiency (food, shelter, sanitation, and safe drinking water) social exclusion, lack of education, high unemployment and low income. Each of these factors diminishes opportunities, limits choices, undermines hope and threatens health.  Poverty is a burden to certain groups in society such as women, children, ethnic and minority and the disabled (National Collaborating Centre For Aboriginal Health, 2009-2010, p. 1). Poverty is measured according to the “Low-Income-Cut-off” or the income which a family is likely to spend 20% more of its income on basic necessities than the average family. Poverty can be defined and measured in both absolute and relative terms for Aboriginal people who experience poor and unequal living conditions on a national or global scale (National Collaborating Centre For Aboriginal Health, 2009-2010, p. 2). Aboriginal’s health mirrors that of the world’s poorest, but is made worse by their social and cultural marginalization.

According to the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples it supported that “Aboriginal people are more dependent on many forms of Social Assistance as a primary source of revenue than the rest of the Canadian inhabitants (RCAP 1996, 168)”. In the year 2000 average income for Aboriginals was $13, 593 compared to average income on non-Aboriginals population of $22, 431. Metis population had the highest average income of Aboriginal groups ($16,347), Indians off reserve ($13, 838 and the Inuit ($13, 700). On reserve Indians had the lowest average incomes (Statistics Canada 2004). In Canada aboriginals have one of the highest rates of poverty than any other collective groups (Hick, 2007, p. 168).

·         69%  percent of Aboriginal people live off reserve

·         50% of all Aboriginal people now live in urban areas

·         33% of Aboriginal children (0-14) compared to 19% of non-Aboriginal children

·         Almost half (46%) of Aboriginal children live with a lone parent

·         Forty percent of off-reserve Aboriginal live in poverty

·         One in every four off-reserve Aboriginal children live in poor housing conditions, compared to 13% of all children in Canada

·         Urban Aboriginal peoples are a high risk group for food insecurity

Funding cuts for Aboriginal language programs, the Friendship Centres, programing dedicated to urban Aboriginal children aged 6-12 were cut by the federal and provincial governments (Hick, 2007, p. 168). More importantly since 1990 we jeopardized longsighted high poverty in Aboriginal neighborhoods throughout Canada’s major cities without investment and partnerships from federal and provincial governments (Hick, 2007, p. 168). In 2001 Aboriginals had an unemployment rate that is over twice as high as the general rate and only earned only two thirds of an average workers wage even though the higher education attainment and participation in the labour market had been achieved.

Rates of poverty for Aboriginal women are more than double that of non-Aboriginal women (National Collaborating Centre For Aboriginal Health, 2009-2010, p. 2). As a result of living under conditions in poverty:

·         More than 100 first Nations communities are currently under boil water advisories and have little or no access to clean water for drinking and sanitation.

·         First Nations suffer from third world diseases such as tuberculosis at eight to ten times higher the rate of Canadians in general.

·         Aboriginal people are four times more likely to be experiencing hunger as a direct result of poverty.

Looking at the issue of poverty from a neo-conservative approach it acknowledges a federal responsibility in reducing “inequalities” between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians but their main focus is education, the labor market integration or land claim negotiations, rather than on low income and social conditions. Individuals should be responsible for their own lives and policies that encourage dependency on the state should be avoided. State regulation of capitalism should be kept to a minimum and should not be used to promote anything but economic goals. Analyzing this from socialism approach, social and economic equality is maximized which would be better suited to help eliminate poverty in Canada, private ownership of property is replaced by collective ownership and management. This would help take the focus off of the land claim negotiations and focus on the problem at hand which is relative or absolute poverty.

Thanks Allison

References

http://www.nccah-ccnsa.ca/docs/fact sheets/social determinates/NCCAH_fs_poverty_EN.pdf http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/subject-sujet/theme-theme.action?pid=10000&lang=eng&more=0www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1307458586498/

http://www.edmonton.ca/environmental/capital_city_cleanup/hope-hunter-mural.aspx

Hick, Steven. (2007). Social Welfare in Canada: Understanding Income Security, Second Edition.