Missing the Roar

Aboriginal Nations

While others were enjoying new found prosperity (getting wealthier), some groups were not benefiting Ex. Aboriginal peopleAboriginals had volunteered for the war more than any other part of the Canadian population.

This did nothing to improve their rights back home. Francis

Pegahmagabow

Aboriginal Nations

Still not “persons” under the law.Couldn’t vote in provincial elections ‘til 1949.Couldn’t vote in Federal (nation-wide) elections ‘til 1960.Faced poverty, discrimination, and the horrors of residential school experience.

Residential School Experience

Students were traumatized by being separated from their parents, the foreign surroundings and sometimes abuseResidential schools were run by churches and were part of the governments assimilation planSome students adapted and thrivedVery detrimental to FN culture

The Doorway to “civilization”

Aboriginal Nations

Challenged gov’t on 3 issues in the 20s.

Potlatch ceremony.Cut-off landsAboriginal title

1. Potlatch

Potlatch had been banned since 1884, but was more strongly enforced after WWIWas seen as a barrier to assimilation (See p. 70)The potlatch was very important to FN culture; it redistributed wealth, recorded history through oral histories and was the main structure of government

2.Aboriginal Title/ Land Claims

Aboriginal title – means ownership of the land.

In BC there had been few land treaties where land had been signed away - Vancouver Island and part of Northeastern BCAllied Tribes of BC petitioned the government to start treaty negotiations arguing the government had taken their land without consentGovt amended the Indian Act forbidding the raising of money to pursue land claims

3. Cut-off Lands

First Nations had been forced onto reserves through the Indian ActHowever, government had been taking this land back = cut-off lands This was challenged, so the government amended the Indian Act.

African Canadians

African American immigration had always been ‘discouraged’.Faced discrimination.

Ex. Nova Scotia School Act of 1918 had separate schools for Blacks and Europeans. Policy didn’t change ‘til 1954.Ex. Montreal Theatres were segregated.

Some tolerance Ex. Brotherhood of Railway workers allowed black members – 1st union to do so

ImmigrantsGov’t adopted immigration restrictions – intolerance from WWI - Russians and Eastern Europeans >Socialist revolutionariesUnions supported the restrictions because they were unfair competitionBut some didn’t want restrictions – farmers, railway owners = could pay them low wages.Restrictions on Asian immigrants were the worst Ex. Chinese Exclusion Act & limits on Japanese1925 reduced restrictions when economy improved