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Aboriginal Canadians have, over the years, become victim to a tremendous amount of discrimination by the Canadian government. The Indian Act of 1867, which signifies one of the earliest forms of discrimination, took away a significant amount of power from the hands of Aboriginals. Aboriginals living within Canada have also suffered as a result of poor living conditions and extreme poverty. Although poverty is a national issue, it is especially prevent among the Aboriginal community. The White Paper of 1969, which attempted to assimilate Aboriginals into Canadian culture, is considered to be one of the most severe forms of discrimination directed towards this group. It is this type of extreme discrimination that has led to an Aboriginal movement in Canada. One of the major events that helped develop this movement was the failure of the 1987 Meech Lake Accord. Elijah Harper, an Aboriginal Canadian, was a prominent figure in the Accord’s failure. The “Oka Crisis,” which occurred in Quebec, also served as an important pillar in the Aboriginal movement in Canada. As a result of the extreme discrimination directed towards this group, many have advocated adopting a “citizens plus” approach to the unique issues facing Aboriginal Canadians. A “citizens plus” approach would help reduce the amount of discrimination targeted towards Aboriginals, as well as assist Aboriginals in their fight for recognition.
Aboriginals, also referred to as Canada’s First Nations, have been residing in the country for approximately 40,000 years (Dyck 74). They are classified into three official categories: the first group, North American Indians, represent approximately 60 percent of the Aboriginal population; this category of Aboriginals include many smaller groups such as the Cree, Mohawk and Huron (Dyck 74). The second category of Aboriginals are the Inuit, who are also referred to as “Eskimos” (Dyck 74). They represent approximately 5 percent of the Aboriginal population (Dyck...