Summary: The Indian Residential School System In Canada

Over the past few decades, there has been many distinct perspectives and conflicts surrounding the historical context between the Indigenous peoples in Canada and the Canadian Government. In source one, the author P.J Anderson is trying to convey that the absolute goal of the Indian Residential School system in Canada has been to assimilate the Indian nation and provide them with guidance to “ forget their Indian habits”, and become educated in the “ arts of civilized life”, in order to help them integrate into society and “become one” with their “White brethren”. It is clearly evident throughout the source that the author is supportive of the Indian residential school system and strongly believes that this system was beneficial to the integration
Eventually, during the late 18th and 19th century, the Indian act was passed and the government started portraying a major role in the administration and development of these schools. Children were forcibly removed from their homes and brought to these schools where they were bound to learn Christianity, English, cooking and other needed skill to integrate into society and the industrial field. Even though they were able to learn some beneficial skills, many suffered from physical and sexual abuse as well as complete assimilation and cultural loss. To this extent, the government was benefited through this system since they had found a logical and functional solution to solve the “Indian problem” which was a worry they challenged since their arrival during the colonization period. To a massive extent, the government was successful in imposing Eurocentric views towards the FNMI people and their attempts at cultural assimilation. However, during the late 19th century, the last federally run residential school closed. Eventually, the government acknowledged Aboriginals in Canada and a reconciliation statement was created in
To what extent has the government tried to resolve the issues between FNNI people and the Eurocentric government and how effective were their attempts throughout history? In source one, in the quote by Indian superintendent P.G Anderson, he describes the government's determination to inflict the Indian residential school systems on the FNMI communities, and their goal to assimilate the indian culture into the Eurocentric society. His response to the question is that the Canadian European government has had and always will have a superior power to the first Nations minority in Canada, and that their attempt to resolve the “Indian problem” was successful through the establishment of the indian residential school system. Source two responds to the question through a symbolic drawing of a courthouse with the name “reconciliation” and having only one block built in the project which was the 2008 residential school apology. Additionally, the construction site has a sign stating “UNDER CONSTRUCTION; Completion: UNKNOWN”. In this source, the answer to the question is clearly displayed through the cartoon, that the relationship between the government and the FNMI people is not strong. To a certain extent, the government has previously attempted a more peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict between the cultural interdependence, but there still