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| 2026-02-11 | 0 |
English and French colonization had a devastating and intentional impact on the Indigenous languages of Canada, leading to the severe endangerment and, in some cases, extinction of many languages. This was achieved through explicit colonial policies aimed at cultural assimilation and the suppression of Indigenous identities.
Key Impacts of Colonization
Forced Assimilation via Residential Schools: The most significant factor in language loss was the government-funded, church-run residential school system, which operated from the 19th century to the late 20th century. Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities and sent to these schools.
Punishment for Speaking Native Tongues: In the schools, children were forbidden to speak their Indigenous languages and were often subjected to severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse if they did.
Intergenerational Trauma and Knowledge Loss: The experience in residential schools caused profound trauma. Survivors often did not teach their children their traditional languages, partly out of fear of punishment and partly because their own fluency had been impacted, which inhibited the languages from being passed to the next generation.
Discriminatory Legislation:
The Indian Act: This legislation, along with other colonial policies, was used to suppress Indigenous cultural expression, including language.
Official Languages Act: Canada's official language policies recognize only English and French as dominant languages, effectively marginalizing the over 60 distinct Indigenous languages that existed on the land long before European settlement.
Dispossession of Land: Forcible removal of Indigenous communities from their traditional lands and onto reserves disrupted the deep connection between language, culture, and the natural environment. Indigenous languages often encode unique knowledge about local ecosystems, which was lost when communities were displaced.
Social Stigmatization: Colonial ideologies viewed Indigenous cultures and languages as "inferior" or "savage," promoting English and French as the languages of "modernity" and "progress". This created a social hierarchy where speaking an Indigenous language could be a barrier to education and employment opportunities in the dominant society.
Current Situation and Revitalization Efforts
The legacy of these policies has resulted in low numbers of fluent Indigenous language speakers today, with many languages considered endangered or critically endangered. However, there are significant ongoing efforts toward language revitalization.
The Canadian federal government passed the Indigenous Languages Act in 2019, which aims to support the efforts of Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain, and strengthen their languages.
Indigenous communities, educational institutions, and organizations are actively working to preserve languages through immersion programs, community initiatives, and documentation.
UNESCO has declared 2022 to 2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to draw global attention to the urgent need for preservation and promotion.
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| 2025-10-02 | 0 |
Considering that the indigenous Canadians aren't white, and Canadians of European ancestry decided to move from Europe to Canada, why are white Canadians complaining about other immigrants? If you prefer to be among white people, wouldn't you move to Europe?
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| 2024-09-23 | 0 |
YGood day. For from context I'll reveal a little about me. I am around 27% Indian, 34% northern African people which is around 61% combined. My other ancestry includes Wales, Sweden, Norway Scottish and Irish, Hebrew/ jew as in from 12 tribes of Israel, However, the world calls me black Jamaican born. I live in small town with population under 41,000 people in northern Ontario Canada for past 21 years. I remember when I came here with company contracted to build and say very few black people mostly French African and some mixed black with some Chinese probably total under 20 people other than white or indigenous peoples. Over the years was steady increase of black, Chinese, Philippino, and my Indian doctor and his family to maybe total around 50 none white none indigenous peoples. Just before pandemic we had a large number of Indian students which was awesome to see considering my heritage as my grandmother on dad side was Indian. But a year before pandemic we noticed many started working in convenient stores and fast food places like most high school students do to save for college/university which was becoming a problem for Canadian students as some employers got incentives or cheaper labour to maximize profits. As pandemic rolled in so it seems more Indian students from other regions in Canada. So, Canada, Ontario, and small town I reside already had huge housing problems as some homes we even to be condemned and indigenous homeless from north increased crime rates and now we had students living beyond building code occupancy with shared living causing rentals to shoot up in prices as landlords became greedy and selfish. This small town of under 41,000 is by some estimates over 55,000 by increasing Indian students who for past 5 years fighting to get permanent residents even though they came as students which proves the goal was always invasion and coming as students was the ticket. If you and rest of new immigrants don't see the problem yet, I'll continue. 95% of taxis have Indian drivers, 98% food and other delivery Indian, 90%+ convenience and groceries, clothing and all stores 90%+ , vehicles on roads 70% Indian, my son barely got into college with 90%+ Indian population in college and his class is 2 white students, himself only mixed , and 2 Africans and 22 Indian students who cheats on a regular basis but professor afraid to confront as they are quick to call racism. But even bigger for me is these Indian students/new immigrants have no respect for the history of Canada and USA not knowing how indigenous peoples were raped tortured and murdered to take over this country and then enslaved African people to build this country while they raped tortured treat less than animals and still suffering with fighting for equal rights for over 400yrs while still being racially profiled and beaten and murdered by police officers because of this colonizers system. Now you come here and benefits from black and indigenous peoples struggles and claiming rights when you have not been fighting the battles with us or for us. Also, the criminal aspects of your community is not being taked about as well which includes extortion to businesses owned by Indians, car thefts, drug trafficking, human trafficking and other criminal activities. There's so much more than just saying you feel unloved by the people you're taking things from for their children and grandchildren and generations without showing any respect as that is defined as selfish. You and many new immigrants forget this is not India and expect everyone to bow to you and that is what we are against. i Have some awesome friends that are new immigrants and are respectful and want to learn about history and current events and impacts they have and how to reprove Canada not destroy Canada
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| 2024-07-24 | 0 |
When the cost of US healthcare can bancrupt people, I think it should be a factor when considering how livable a country is. While good tapwater is common in Canadian cities, indigenous people may not have access to it it parts of Canada. I look at American laws and find they infringe on human rights we have in Canada.
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| 2024-05-15 | 0 |
KARMA BITES BACK \n\nYou had the “Indian Problem” now the “new Indians” are the “karma payback” for all that you did to the original inhabitants of Canada. \n\nHistorically, the racial segregation of Indigenous peoples in Canada has been enforced by the Indian Act, reserve system, residential schools, and Indian hospitals, among other programs. These policies interfered with the social, economic, cultural and political systems of Indigenous peoples, while also paving the way for European settlement across the country. The segregation of Indigenous peoples in Canada must be understood within the history of contact, doctrines of discovery and conquest, and ongoing settler colonization.\nEuropean Settlement and the “Indian Problem”\n\nHistorically, Indigenous peoples were considered a threat to European settlement and expansion. During the creation of the Numbered Treaties (1871–1921), for example, the federal government made agreements with various First Nations as a means of developing their territories for industrial development and White settlement. While many Indigenous signatories were reluctant to sign the treaties, they eventually did so because of a lack of food (due to the declining bison on the plains) and the vast spread of infectious diseases, among other reasons.\n\nWith settler colonization came the framing of the “Indian Problem” — the prevailing belief that Indigenous peoples needed to be assimilated into Euro-Canadian culture because their traditional ways were considered “uncivilized” and “immoral.” The term “Indian Problem” is attributed to Duncan Campbell Scott of Indian Affairs. In 1918 he said,\n\n“I want to get rid of the Indian problem. I do not think as a matter of fact, that the country ought to continuously protect a class of people who are able to stand alone… Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department...”\n\nWhere are the “original Indians of Canada”? \n\nThey were killed and decimated by the Euro-Canadian colonisers. \n\nThese immigrants are your karma. For what you did to “original Indians”. They are now reborn. This is karma. \n\nThey will not treat you as your ancestors treated the indigenous people of this vast land. These Indians are kind. They are also culturally endowed. They are resolute, dynamic , hardworking and fair. \n\nThe Indians may not be “fair” in complexion but would be “fair” to the poor of their adopted country. \n\nCanada ❤ Indians. \n\nKarma always bites back.
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| 2023-04-27 | 0 |
This is very surface-level analysis. If you want to dive into why Canada's economy is so uncompetitive you have to look at its constitutional framework. Inter-provincial trade is more difficult in Canada compared to Trade in the states or the EU because NAFTA, and the EU trade agreement are more efficient compared to inter-provincial trade frameworks the senate estimates these barriers cost the economy $150b in GDP per year. By comparison, Australia with a similar constitutional structure to Canada managed to harmonize many of its inter-state/ territory regulations leading to increased GDP growth and has long outperformed the Canadian economy. Furthermore, Canada's indigenous rights framework is far to restrictive in terms of allowing the governments to actually govern. This has cost us billions in FDI in projects tossed out by the courts and projects that will simply never be considered due to political and regulatory risks. \n\nThat said, if Canada wanted to improve this situation without meddling in the constitution one thing they can do is to allow housing to catch up to the population. We have the fewest number of dwelling per capita in the G7 in the highest population growth in the G7. This is a recipe for a housing shortage which ensures that a lot of capital will flow into the housing sector simply because it offers promising returns relative to the risk of operating a business. I believe Canada grew by over 1,000,000 residents in 2022 however we had 240,000 housing starts (4 residents per dwelling) and average house size here is 2.51 residents per dwelling. \n\nThat disconnect between housing starts (see regulatory framework above as to why we can't build enough houses) will just cause more capital to flow to the sectors making the business investment environment worse.
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| 2020-03-15 | 0 |
A Canadian public institution ran this ad: We are committed to diversity and encourage applications from Indigenous persons , sexual minorities, visible minorities, women and persons with disabilities. That comes from HR. How about 'We will consider all qualified applicants. Period. Then pick the most qualified applicant.
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