A Well Intended Approach

Was it wrong to attempt to assimilate the indigenous people of Canada? Perhaps, but what was to be done with them. They represented a cross culture, which was totally at odds, with the white race, who had been moved unto their land and who had become obsessed with establishing a new nation. Treaties pave the way for the white race to progressively take over the land, which was relinquished by the indigenous people, because white settlers who abutted indigenous land, would trespass upon it and kill off the wild harvest. Once the game was exhausted the land became useless for practicing their tribal rights, and they were all to willing to treaty for the land to derive what benefits they might from the white race. However, before this should happen the lands in question would become conflict zones. The American approach was, of course to slaughter the indigenous people and take the land. What Canada attempted to do was incorporate the indigenous people into the fabric of the new nation. The residential school was viewed as the key to making this happen. It was viewed impossible to attempt to change the adult indigenous people, the place to start had to be with their children. To do this it was viewed as necessary to prevent any cross cultural influence. So the residential school were establish to ensure the children would be so isolated. The idea was quite a progressive plan for its day, unfortunate the child abuse that it lead to was unforeseen, and I’m sure not anticipated. For this reason it would be a mistake to defame our first primer minister for his role in settling forth the plan. After all, it was a far more progressive approach than that used by our American cousin, and had the betterment of the indigenous people at heart.