Indigenous Peoples in Canada Essay Example

Every day many Indigenous men, women and children are affected by unsatisfactory living conditions across reserves. Our federal government is taking action as a catalyst in fixing these issues. The question is, in Canada’s journey regarding reconciliation will this process towards serenity be fast enough? Many Indigenous people on reserves in Canada face substandard living conditions, such as poor housing, a lack of clean drinking water, and reduced access to educational opportunities.

Many Indigenous people face hardships of poor housing and its reverberations. It is evident that the government of Canada does not invest enough money and resources into reserves. The biggest issues caused by this negligence are both mental and physical which include tuberculosis, bronchitis and influenza. In addition, the social challenges gained by poor housing can be detrimental to the growth of the human brain. (The Health of Canada’s Children and Youth). These conditions cause many Indigenous people to be disadvantaged in life; it is more difficult for them to find work, maintain a healthy lifestyle and more. The lack of a safe home creates an increased vulnerability to be injured or die. Additionally, “41.5 per cent of homes on reserves need major repairs compared with seven per cent in non-aboriginal households outside reserves” (Stastna). This shows that there is an injustice towards the Indigenous peoples. The government doesn’t believe that funding homes on reserves are a profitable investment. Federal assessments believe that homes on reserves deteriorate much quicker than off; therefore, more and more money is being used to further urbanize off reserves in lieu of reserves getting standard housing. This proves that there is a great lack of care and bias against the Indigenous people which needs to be stopped. 

Canada holds 20% of the world’s fresh water supply and 9 per cent of its renewable freshwater resources. How is it that Indigenous communities are being left dehydrated? Canada’s priorities are iniquitous and Canada must do everything in their power to rapidly speed up the process so that reserves will have access to clean water. Auditor General Karen Hogan spoke out on this, “The auditor's review of the First Nations drinking water crisis found Indigenous Services Canada's efforts to lift boil water advisories have been constrained by a funding policy that hasn't been updated in 30 years” (Stefanovich, Roman and Jones). The last time that this funding policy was adjusted residential schools were still operating. The Auditor General believes that this policy should be updated so that the boil advisory can be lifted and reserves can be given clean water. In December 2020 the government invested $1.5 billion to hasten the process to end the long-term drinking advisories in public systems on reserves and to continue program investments in water and wastewater (Government of Canada). Although this action should have been taken years before, the effort to push forward must continue to completion in order to prevent further damage.