The Marginalization of Aboriginals in the Canadian Justice System

The original people to live in Canada have adapted the name Aboriginals. They were here before the European settlers discovered the continent of North America. When the Europeans arrived in Canada they brought with the many technological advances and customs that the Aboriginals did not know. Although you might think that this would be a very great thing for Aboriginals, it was not very good. The Europeans thought that the aboriginals were very hostile and treated them very badly.The Europeans tried to assimilate the Aboriginal’s culture and force them to become like the Europeanss. The Canadian justice system has marginalized the Aboriginals of Canada for many years. For the first couple hundred years there were many wars between the Europeans and the Aboriginals. But then things started to stabilize and the Aboriginals and the European settlers began to trade amongst one another and become more and more dependent on each other.However, beginning in 1964, immediately followin g the Royal Proclamation, the British began to gain more control over the Aboriginals. They signed numerous treaties with the Aboriginals for them to give up their land in exchange for a sum of money and small reserve lands specifically for the Aboriginal people. However the land the aboriginals were given was very poor and had bad soil which made it hard to farm. The idea of residential schools set out in 1846 and was put into action in the late 1890’s by the Department of Indian Affairs.The whole point of residential schools was deculturalization of aboriginals. However the government didn’t put it so bluntly. They would say that the aboriginals are put in a â€Å"white society† to learn how to become â€Å"better† Canadians. Not only did residential schools commit culture genocide but there was also lots of abuse at the schools. For example, estimates suggest that as many as 60% of the students died (due to illness, beatings, attempts to escape, or sui cide) while in the schools.They would be punished if they did not speak English even though many of the children didn’t know how. The schools were also very poorly funded by the government and the children were usually taught physical labour. Many of these issues have been solved and the government is still doing things today to help mend what they have done to the Aboriginals in the past. However Aboriginals are still very affected at what has been done to them. First Nation communities experience higher rates of violence, domestic abuse, sexual abuse: rape, incest, etc. lack of family and community cohesion, suicide, addictions, alcohol, food, health problem: diabetes, heart disease, obesity, poverty, unemployment, high school dropout (63% do not graduate), despair, hopelessness and more. The Aboriginal community has been marginalized by the Canadian Justice system which has affected them greatly. Hopefully the government will do everything they can to help aboriginal peopl e become healthy members of society and keep their cultures and beliefs.