Anonymous<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When presented with facts such as one in three will not complete high school, 45% of homes are in need of major repairs and 22% of youth commit suicide, can we really call
\nCanada the \u201cTrue North Strong and Free\u201d? These statistics belong to the
\nAboriginal peoples of Canada who have called this country home for thousands of
\nyears, yet now they find themselves living here in third world conditions.<\/p>\n
When I hear the term Aboriginal, one of the first things that comes to mind is a reserve.
\nHowever, just like we have packed up our farming lifestyle and moved to booming
\nmetropolises, 7 out of 10 Aboriginals now live off-reserve.\u00a0 In fact, one
\nthird of these people live in major cities. This means that while modernizing,
\nAboriginals are faced with the challenge of preserving their rich culture and
\ntheir rights.<\/p>\n
These rights go beyond which species of fish they are allowed to take or the taxes that they pay.\u00a0 These are rights of basic survival outlined not only by the
\nUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, but by common sense.\u00a0 These are
\nrights that allow a child to live in a safe home and look forward to a bright
\nfuture.\u00a0 These are rights that provide adequate health care to all.
\nThese are rights that ensure that there are no minorities in an equal
\ncountry.\u00a0 These are also rights that a government is responsible for
\nmaintaining, regardless of any issues pertaining to Aboriginal status.<\/p>\n
Now you may be asking yourself what is causing this problem when the First Nations Peoples of Canada are allotted many grants and rights from our government. <\/em>For example, the Canadian Government is responsible for maintaining housing on reserves.\u00a0 Arguably they try, but just like when we send aid to another country, the money doesn\u2019t always go to the source we had intended.\u00a0 Unfortunately, many foreign government officials keep this money for personal benefit as opposed to for their people, not unlike some First Nations tribe leaders.<\/p>\n Aboriginals are moving off reserves, and this presents itself as One great thing being done to solve this issue in urban settings is the development of So whether it\u2019s by completing your 40 hours at an Aboriginal community centre or coming out to Free the Children on Thursdays at lunch in room 226, get started so that Canada truly can become \u201cThe True North, strong and FREE!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Anonymous When presented with facts such as one in three will not complete high school, 45% of homes are in need of major repairs and 22% of youth commit suicide, can we really call Canada the \u201cTrue North Strong … Continue reading
\na challenge to the Canadian government.\u00a0 Should these people still be
\nentitled to their tax benefits and extra rights seeing as they remain bound to
\nthe Indian Act, or should the government take these advantages away from those
\nleading an off-reserve life?\u00a0 These are both scenarios that the Canadian
\nGovernment and Aboriginal Peoples need to sort out. In the meantime, nobody
\nshould have to suffer the way that the Aboriginal Peoples are.<\/p>\n
\nAboriginal community centers.\u00a0 These centers provide a place for
\nmetropolitan Aboriginals to indulge in their rich culture, interact with
\nothers, and eliminate Aboriginal poverty.\u00a0 Centers like this are found all
\nthroughout Toronto and welcome donations, as well as volunteers.\u00a0 This
\npast year, Free the Children at N. T. has been in contact with one particular
\nAboriginal community centre called Native Child and Family Services.
\nLocated on College Street, just west of Yonge, this centre provides services targeting
\nmany of the issues that Natives face in today\u2019s society.\u00a0 From aid
\nregarding child abuse to addiction among all ages, this centre ties in fun and
\nimportant cultural activities that can be attended by anybody.<\/p>\n