Prejudice And Racism Against First Nations People

As with any race or culture there will be racism and discrimination no matter what and with the First Nations it's no different. So were going to talk about what was racist and how it affected the First Nations people through time.

So let's start from the beginning. Racism against First Nations people began soon after European settlement in North America. As the importance of First Nations contributions to the fur trade and their value as allies began to decline, so did too the positive view of First Nations people in the eyes of the colonialists. The First Nations people became less "noble savages" and became just savages. This change in perspective about First Nations people is apparent as early as first contact with Christopher Columbus.
There is no aspect of First Nations culture and life that was untouched by racism. Another thing is the Canadian government historically viewed First Nations people as children, no part of First Nations life fell under their own control. For example, First Nations systems of government and law were replaced by European systems of governance. It was not until 1960 in Canada First Nations people were not allowed to vote and it was illegal for First Nations people to drink alcohol. First Nations religious practices and languages were outlawed, and the education of their children was taken out of their hands. First Nations children were taken away to be educated in the residential schools in order for them to be assimilated into mainstream Canada. It was made illegal for First Nations to file land claims or to enlist the help of lawyers to pursue land claims. Hunting and fishing rights were taken away, their means of livelihood left entirely
Residential schools have caused so much pain and suffering through the past and present generations of first nation people. Residential Schools caused a lot of the anti depressants problems native people suffer from today aka the use of alcohol and drugs not even mention the suicide rates. One of the biggest problems with the residential school survivors is the fact that none of them knew how to properly raise a child, they had zero patience because that's all they knew. Residential schools never taught the kids how to be loving parents all they taught them was to be violent. This took a big hit on the survivors children because a lot ended up committing suicide because they were depressed and thought their parents hated them. Residential Schools have caused a lot of pain for native people and the Canadian government should be