Canadian Aboriginal Reserves in Crisis

Canadian Aboriginals are often a misunderstood and underrepresented group within Canadian society. Currently, the poverty and social issues that impact Aboriginal communities is at an all time high, but very little is being done to create long term solutions for this Canadian minority group.

If one were to apply the United Nations Human Development Index to Aboriginal communities in Canada they would rank 68th out of 174 nations. Canada’s current ranking is 8th, it was once 1st, but conditions on reserves have since lowered the countries position.

Additionally, diabetes among Aboriginal communities is almost four times the national average, one in three Aboriginal people consider their drinking water unsafe, the rate of disabilities among Aboriginal children is double the national average and suicide accounts for 38% of all child deaths.

These facts and statistics, gathered from the Assembly of First Nations, are simply shocking. These realities are not the dire circumstances of a country far, far away, this is life for over one million Canadians. This is a social problem of the utmost importance; yet, little is being done to address this issue.

During a speech by First Nations Regional Chief Angus Toulouse, at the Make Poverty History campaign launch in 2006, he said; “The reality today for First Nations communities is ongoing poverty, and an increasing gap in living conditions with other Canadians…First Nations poverty is the single greatest social issue in Canada today. Poverty breeds helplessness and hopelessness, which results in far too many of our young men and women committing crimes of despair.”

As touched on in Chief Angus Toulouse’s address, there is a disproportionate rate of Aboriginal people in the Canadian justice system, and unfortunately, this fact (and this fact alone) seems to be the one thing Canadians do know about Aboriginal people. This is very unfortunate.

Although it is true that higher crime rates, increased drug abuse and elevated rates of unemployment does exist on reserves, it would be utterly impossible to find a community living in brutal poverty that did not have these types of social issues.

The situation present on reserves is a humanitarian crisis that deserves Canada’s attention. It is by no means a problem that can be fixed over night, or a problem that has a simple solution. It is a problem that needs the country’s support and recognition to create long term solutions for the betterment of all Canadian citizens.

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