Q&A: An introduction to Indigenous issues in Canada

As an international student in Canada, there’s a lot to learn about your new country. One issue that is very complex, even for people who have lived here their whole lives, is Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Here, we’ll answer some basic questions about Indigenous issues to help you understand Canada better.

Who are the Indigenous peoples in Canada?

“Indigenous” is an umbrella term that refers to three groups:

• First Nations

  people come from one of 50+ distinct nations (e.g. Cree, Mohawk, Ojibway) and live all over the country.

• Inuit

  people come from the northern parts of Canada: Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and the northern parts of Quebec and Newfoundland & Labrador.

• Metis

  people have Indigenous & European ancestry and mainly live in Western Canada.

Combined, there are about 1.8 million Indigenous people in Canada.

What language is used when discussing Indigenous people?

While it is still used in the United States and some laws, “Indian” is no longer an appropriate term in Canada. (It’s a historical mistake: early European explorers thought they had landed in India.) Similarly, while “native” used to be more widely used in Canada, it has fallen out of favour. “Aboriginal” is not as widely used, but is an acceptable synonym for “Indigenous.”

“Indigenous” is the preferred term to describe these people as a group, but when talking about an individual, it’s best to be specific and mention their nation. Another term that has largely faded into the past is “Eskimo,” which has been replaced by “Inuit.”

For more on the proper terminology, read this CBC guide by Bob Joseph of the Gwawaenuk Nation.

What are land acknowledgements?

Here’s one you might have already encountered on campus. Many Canadian institutions – like governments, schools and companies – will often mention that their offices or events are on the traditional territory of certain Indigenous nations. For example, IDP’s office in Toronto is on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

These acknowledgements are a small but important step in educating Canadians on the history of the land and honouring the people who have lived and worked here for millennia.

What is Truth & Reconciliation Day?

Truth & Reconciliation Day, also called Orange Shirt Day (September 30), is a day to commemorate one of the darkest episodes in Canada’s history: residential schools. These schools, which operated between 1831-1998, “were created for the purpose of separating Aboriginal children from their families, in order to minimize and weaken family ties and cultural linkages and to indoctrinate children into a new culture—the culture of the legally dominant Euro-Christian Canadian society, led by Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald,” in the words of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.

In addition to the trauma of separating children from families, these schools were notorious for high rates of physical abuse, sexual abuse and death. The schools’ legacy has come into focus in the past few years, because of the work of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission as well as the discovery of 215 unmarked graves on the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia.

How can you participate in reconciliation?

• Educate yourself

  • The Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s “Calls to Action” (PDF)

  • Article: The important role Canadian immigrants play in Indigenous reconciliation

  • Article: Where truth and reconciliation stand at Canadian universities

• Wear orange on September 30 to raise awareness

• Attend local events

  • Many colleges and universities will hold events, such as panel discussions, guest lectures or healing walks. Check your university or the student union website for more.
    

• Donate to an Indigenous-focused charity. Here are some examples:

  • National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation, in Winnipeg

  • Woodland Cultural Centre, on the site of a former residential school near Hamilton, Ontario

  • Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre, in Halifax, N.S.

  • Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society

    
    

• Truth & Reconciliation Day 2022