...limited to, highly contested issues such as transportation, health services, immigration, and the penal system. This paper will compare two of numerous federal investigations that have taken place in Canada between the years 1868 and 2008: the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada (The Bird Commission) and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Both of these commissions tackle matters of early childhood education and care, education, the Indian Act, economic self-reliance, special treatment, the renewal of a relationship, the private sector, and the criminal code. After a more extensive comparison has been achieved between these two reports, I will decide which commission has had the largest impact on our Canadian constitution. Before forming a comparison, it is important that I explain briefly how each of these federal commissions came before us: Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson instituted the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada (RCSW) in February of 1967 (Royal Commission on the Status of Women, vii). It was launched as a direct response to a six-month campaign mounted by a coalition of thirty-two women's organizations and led by Ontario activist Laura Sabia, who, at the time, was president of the Canadian Federation of University Women (Encyclopædia Britannia). Sabia called a meeting of the coalition in Toronto in May of 1966 to discuss concerns surrounding the status of women in Canada. Because of the coalition’s lobbying efforts, mounting...
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...ESSAY WRITING A MODEL ESSAY TOPIC Good health is the right of all Australians. How does the state of Aboriginal health care relate to that of non-Indigenous Australians? Why is this so and how can this situation be addressed so that there is parity across all segments of Australian society? Discuss. “Good health is not just the physical wellbeing of an individual, but the social, emotional, and cultural wellbeing of the whole community in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being thereby bringing about the total wellbeing of their community”. (Anderson, 2000, para. 6) If we take Anderson's view as the definition of good health, then the fact that an Indigenous baby raised in an Aboriginal community can expect to live 20 years less than other babies strongly indicates that the relative health status of Australia's Indigenous population is indeed much poorer than that of the rest of the Australian population (Merston, 1999, p.32). This is largely due to inadequate living conditions, lifestyle, lack of education and employment, and historical conditions. To improve the health status of Australia's Indigenous population, the government not only needs to allocate more funds to health services and the improvement of overall living conditions, but also to investigate ways in which health services can be offered to better reflect the cultural needs of this group. Indigenous Australians suffer a higher amount of illness and die at a...
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...that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a much lower life expectancy than the general Australian population. Indigenous Australians born in the period 1996-2001 are estimated to have a life expectancy at birth of 59.4 years for males, and 64.8 years for females. This is approximately 16-17 years less than the overall Australian population born over the same period. (AIWH, 2011) The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011) has identified narrowing this differential in life expectancy as a priority in health policy. Primary health care is based on the central premise that prevention is better than cure. The primary health care sector is the most vital in early detection of disease and its risk factors, and preventing disease complications, thus minimizing the cost of health care provisions downstream. (Couzos & Murray, 2008, p29) Sutherland and St George Hospitals are working hard with the local Aboriginal community to promote and improve the health of Indigenous people. The Aboriginal Early Childhood Service – operating out of Menai – is available to mothers (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) of Aboriginal children from birth to five years of age. The service announced, by Maxine Brennan (2011) is called Narrangy-Booris, meaning ‘Little Children’ in the local Dharawal language. Since the commencement of the service 12 months ago, Narrangy-Booris has made exceptional inroads in ‘closing the gap’ to health services by helping connect Aboriginal families...
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...The Aboriginals are an important and impactful group of individuals in Canadian history. They show how Canada has come a long way but also represent how we have a long way to go as well in ensuring the protection of Aboriginals and their culture. Aboriginals have been oppressed by the Canadian government for many years and continue to fight against restrictions in order to preserve their traditions. The mistreatment of Aboriginals is significant to Canadian history because of the mental and physical abuse they endured from Residential schools, the progressive changes from the Indian act, and the lack of basic needs being deprived on the reserves. The creation of residential schools is significant to Canadian history due to the physical and...
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...Assimilation of native canadians Submission to the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: the role of languages and culture in the promotion and protection of the rights and identity of Indigenous peoples. The State of Indigenous Peoples’ Languages and Cultures in Canada Submission by Kontinónhstats - The Mohawk Language Custodians Submitted by: Kontinónhstats – The Mohawk Language Custodians 14A Sóse Onahsakenrat (Joseph Swan Road) Kanehsatà:ke, Quebec Canada J0N 1E0 Phone: 450-479-1651 Email: Ellen Gabriel kontinonhstats2@hotmail.com Hilda Nicholas kononkwe@inbox.com Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ………………………………………………………. 3 - 6 Introduction ……………………………………………………………….. 6 – 7 Current Situation ………………………………………………………..... 7 – 9 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………. 9 - 11 Recommendations ……………………………………………………….... 12 End Notes …………………………………………………………………...13 - 14 Annex 1………………………………………………………………………15 -16 Annex 2………………………………………………………………………17 Suggested Questions ………………………………………………………..18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This submission on Indigenous languages, culture and identity demonstrates the manner in which Canada continues to practice institutionalized racial discrimination and assimilation against Indigenous peoples’ human rights and fundamental freedoms through the imposition of their policies...
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...Aboriginal Rights What are Aboriginal rights? Aboriginal rights are collective rights which flow from Aboriginal peoples’ continued use and occupation of certain areas. They are inherent rights which Aboriginal peoples have practiced and enjoyed since before European contact. Because each First Nation has historically functioned as a distinct society, there is no one official overarching Indigenous definition of what these rights are. Although these specific rights may vary between Aboriginal groups, in general they include rights to the land, rights to subsistence resources and activities, the right to self-determination and self-government, and the right to practice one’s own culture and customs including language and religion. Aboriginal rights have not been granted from external sources but are a result of Aboriginal peoples’ own occupation of their home territories as well as their ongoing social structures and political and legal systems. As such, Aboriginal rights are separate from rights afforded to non-Aboriginal Canadian citizens under Canadian common law. European Settlement and Aboriginal struggles Aboriginal people have a long and proud history that includes rich cultural and spiritual traditions. Many of these traditions, however, were altered or even taken away upon the arrival of European settlers. The forced introduction of European culture and values to Aboriginal societies, the dispossession of Aboriginal lands, and the imposition of alien modes of governance...
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...Question 1 Using the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data answer the following questions: Using current statistical information, discuss the inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous mortality rates in Australia Whilst the overall health of Australians is amongst the top third of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010) here is a clear disparity between Indigenous and non-indigenous health when one considers that even in this day and age of modern medicine, Indigenous Australians are expected to live twelve years less than their non-indigenous counterparts for males, and ten years less for females (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010) Despite significant improvements over the past decade Aboriginal infant mortality is still approximately three times that of non-Aborigines. For ATSI, the reduced overall impact of the communicable diseases has been balanced by a worsening of the "lifestyle" diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and diabetes which are the biggest single killers of Indigenous peoples and an area where the Indigenous and non-Indigenous health equality gap is most apparent. (Australian Bureau of Statistics,2013) Where in 2012, death in coronary heart disease was number one; Indigenous:non-Indigenous rate ratios was 2:1,and second leading disease was diabetes was 7:0. The third leading cause of death was suicide for Indigenous males and chronic...
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...Solving Conflicts through Agreements: The Indian Act and Canadian Treaties In modern society the question of why the aboriginal population receives benefits often arises. Much of today’s youth does not understand that the Native American people were often stripped of their rights in the past in order to gain these advantages. Two main incidents were established in the Aboriginal history, the first was the treaties that spread across Canada and the second incident was the Indian Act of 1876. The main difference between the Indian Act and treaties were the aboriginal’s role in the decision-making. Treaties allowed for a compromise between the Natives and the government that allowed for benefits on both ends whereas the Indian act was imposed on the Native culture by the Canadian government without any arrangement with the aboriginals. This paper will first describe the history of treaties and what they entail for both parties and also look at the formation of the Indian Act. Then, this paper will look at how each had affected the Aboriginal people in similar and different ways. Finally this paper will look at the relation in today’s society that the treaties have in Canada and what life would be like if the Indian Act was still a large part of how First Nations people would have been treated if the Act was not changed following World War II. After these points, a reader should have a better understanding of a topic that they may know little about. By looking at both the...
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...Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders | April 3 2016 | | | Introduction Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders are one the oldest communities of the Australia. About sixty-eight percent of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders live in the urban area of Australia like Queensland and New South Wales. Rest of the population resides in the remote areas of Australia. The recent surveys show that the population of aborigines and Torres Strait Islander are having a serious health issue of increasing mental illness (Busfield, 2012). Also, the rate of suicide is getting high amongst them. These people have a traditional view towards their health; they don’t just associate it with a person, but with the whole community and spiritual, social and emotional well-being of the whole community. The Australian Government and the health department are working hard to overcome the problem of mental disorder and high rate of suicide amongst the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders (Whitlock, Wyman & Moore, 2014). Factors that are associated with mental disorder and suicide When a person is socially and emotionally unwell, and there is a remarkable change of behavior and thinking it is known as mental illness. According to a health survey in 2008, about thirty-one percent of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders aged above fifteen years were suffering from psychological distress of high level. Which was twice in comparison to non-aboriginals. This survey measured...
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...have been innumerable efforts at overcoming the disadvantages Aboriginal people have to face. For the purposes of this Essay, literature will be discussed in addressing the social inequality and disadvantage of indigenous people in relation to refining the gap in life expectancy (as a social-economic indicator) and what essential elements need to be considered for the process to work successfully. There are contending ideas in relevant literature as to what is the cause for the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, which also gives dissimilar arguments as to how to address the issue, with one side taking a view of longevity and the other a holistic method. It is argued that Indigenous Australians health inequalities could be narrowed with the improvement of the differences in health service access, provision and use. As the inabilities gain adequate health care due to, distance, cultural and availability barriers, thus leading to indigenous health problems being constant and prolonged (Healey 2002). However Eades of the of the Indigenous health research unit (2000, p.468) argues ‘that a complete tactic to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders involves understanding the close relationships between their social and economic status and their health’. This holistic view of the social and economical status of Aboriginal people being improved upon to overcome health problems, can be further reinforced through explanations of...
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...argued to criminalize certain groups within society. Specifically, Aboriginal women as offenders in corrections have faced many difficulties. They often are sentenced younger, more often and for longer sentences than non-Aboriginal offenders. The over incarceration, over representation and criminalization of Aboriginal women within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is attributable to a legacy of colonialism and sexism which placed them at a vulnerable place within society. Canada’s public policy post WWII regarding, social welfare, education and the labour market, exhibit how colonialism and sexism have created unfavorable cultural and socio-economic conditions for Aboriginal women, which make them more susceptible to be victims/survivors of violence, poverty and behaviours or circumstances in conflict with the law. As a result of these conditions, Aboriginal women are more likely to meet deplorable conditions while in prison, and the laws do not seem to accommodate Aboriginal methods of rehabilitation, restitution and justice. In order to understand the plight of Aboriginal women within the CJS, the issue will be approached from a feminist perspective. Further, the evidence will be sourced from secondary sources, mainly text and government reports. First a landscape of Canada’s colonial past’s impact on Aboriginal women; starting post WWII will be advanced. This will demonstrate the links between Aboriginal women’s experience with poverty, violence in all forms, and the...
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...Belonging This essay discusses defines belonging. It identifies some elements of belonging, and focuses on selected few. It discussed concept of belonging from my perspective and looks at the significant of that from Aboriginals perspective based on research. It gives a brief history of the cruel nature of colonisation, its impact on Aboriginals and how this colonial mentality is perpetuated through discrimination to the Indigenous Australian disadvantage. It states why the policy introduced by the government does not sound promising, what the Aboriginals wants and human rights implications in the issues facing the Aboriginals. Definition of belonging Belonging is the connection and relationship of individual with the world around him/her. (Jacques Dufresne….) Even though belonging has physical components, it can be felt individually, and develops to diverse stages with time and circumstances. This means that human state of belonging is not permanent. The status of belonging can be explicated by the choices that people make. The concept of belonging Analysing and reviewing sense of belonging I approached it by applying to my own being-that I belong to a family, my mother and fatherland, an ethnic/cultural group, a religious, professional and community groups. Within these groups I have forged good relations. The thrives that keep this profound affiliation going for me is the values we share, that include honesty, caring, sharing, participation, inclusion and respect...
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...Misconception and Reality of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples Gloria Yu Misconception: The terms "Aboriginal" and "Native" are used to define one homogenous group of people in Canada. "Indigenous”, "Native", and "Aboriginal" are used as broad terms to collectively describe three different cultural groups known as "First Nations", the "Metis", and the "Inuit". These three groups all have their own unique culture, historical background, and political goals. The group known as “First Nations” has 633 bands, representing 52 cultural groups or nations and over 50 languages. Most individuals prefer to be called by the specific nation they belong in because each has its own traditional political structure, history, and spirituality. “Aboriginal” is a term used to describe individuals or...
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...Health of Indigenous Australians Name University Details Date of Submission Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders in Australia suffers from poor health. The poor health is associated with poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, poor hygiene, environmental contamination, and prevalent infections. Inadequate clinical care and health promotion, and poor disease prevention services aggravate this situation (Gracey & King, 2009). Indigenous Australian women have poor maternal health; higher rates of chronic diseases, poor nutrition and high level of urinary tract infection that contribute to pregnancy complications. Moreover, Mellor, et al., (2015) felt that, these people are facing a challenge to access primary health care because of distance and most of them live in remote areas. They also have a problem of chronic health conditions that require a range of services but not affordable. Lastly, culture contributes to poor access of healthcare services through language barrier; gender based cultural practices and ideals. The health burden among Indigenous people arises in non-remote areas since majority of them reside in non-remote areas (Vos, et al., 2009). Social and emotional wellbeing among indigenous Australians is demonstrated by a number of ways. They are traumatized by abuse, domestic violence family breakdown, cultural dislocation, racism and discrimination, rejection by family social disadvantages and drug and substance abuse. They also have psychological distress, a problem...
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...Purpose…………………………………………………………………………3 Importance of the Issue………………………………………………………...3 Assessment……………………………………………………………………...……...4 Determinants of Health ………………………………………………………………...5 Lifestyle Choices……………………………………………………………….5 Accessing Health Care………………………………………………………….6 Education ……………………………………………………………………….6 Literature Review……………………………………………………………………….6 Interventions……………………………………… …………………..………..………7 Creating Trusting Relationships……………………………………………….. 7 Increase Screening………………………………………………………………8 Education……………………………………..…………………………………9 Evaluation and Sustainability …………………………………………………………..9 References………………………………………………………………………………10 2 COLDWATER CANCER RATES Investigation of Cancer Rates in Coldwater, British Columbia Introduction The target population for this project is the band members of the Coldwater First Nations 3 Community (FNC), located 14 kilometers north of Merritt, British Columbia. There is a growing suspicion within the community that there is an increased prevalence of cancer which has been brought to the attention of the Scw’exmx Community Health Services Society (SCHSS). Purpose The purpose of this project is to collaborate with community members to develop trusting, caring relationships, and explore historical and present rates of cancer in the Coldwater reserve. Our group will interview members of the community to complete a health survey and the data collected will be presented to the key stakeholders of the SCHSS who will determine if further action needs to...
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