It's a hard question to be answered. Since the Innu are such an isolated community, it's difficult to find many activism protests and movements. There are many Native activism groups out there in Canada, though.
A great one is Shannen's Dream. The project is based off of Shannen Koostachin, a Native Canadian who pushed for comfortable, safe, and equal schools for Native children. Shannen passed away in 2010, at only 15 years old, but the program continues to push for Aboriginal school funding. You can sign up for her cause and donate at the website link above.
You can find various up-to-date causes for Native Canadians on the Assembly of First Nations website.
You can also write to your Member of Parliament and ask for reformation of the Indian Act and greater consideration of Native writes. You can find your MP and their contact information here.
It's also important to alter the negative ideology surrounding Native Canadians. If you hear someone stating racist, stereotypical or untrue claims about Native Canadians- stand up and correct them. Try to educate them on the history of colonialism and the suffering that they have endured at the hands of European settlers. Encourage research and investigation, particularly around poverty and the source of social ills in Native communities nationwide.
Finally, attempt to educate yourself of Native Canadian teachings. We should have a knowledge of the culture of those who inhabited our country first. We should be encouraging the passing on of traditions and customs. You might even like it! Try attending a local pow wow. You can find local pow wow dates and times here.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Innu PSA
Here is a three-minute Public Service Announcement about the Innu people done for a Cultural Anthropology class. A very brief history is provided as well as basic questions about the failings of the Canadian government.
Geographic Clarifications
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Maps of Labrador that show the movement of the Innu people. They first began on the mainland in Labrador, their traditional hunting camps represented on the map. They were nomadic, their final state of settlement once contacted by missionaries was at Old Davis Inlet. They were then moved by the provincial government, in partnership with the missionaries, to the more isolated location of Utshimassit. They were finally moved in 2003 to Natuashish. Although still isolated in the sense that they are a fly-in community, they now have access to traditional hunting and fishing grounds. Most of their traditional land was taken over by mining and hydro-electric companies, but the effort of the government to remove some of the harm caused historically can be seen.
Maps are taken from Gathering Voices: Finding the Strength to Help Our Children.
Struggle for Freedom
He sang and he cried,
the drum beating in his mind.
Yes, he cried....
for the things he had tried.
He knew it was a struggle,
to help his people when they are in trouble.
He knew he had to argue
with the person he hardly knew.
For freedom, he struggled.
With government, it was trouble.
The government men were sent.
He smiled at them and asked them for land.
These people knew how to gamble.
They thought they could make him tremble.
He showed them a new sight,
while they only gave a sigh.
For he knew the time had come
for his people's freedom.
-Christine (Kistinis) Poker
The Innu Nation and Mushuau Innu Band Council. (1995). Gathering Voices: Finding Strength to Help Our Children. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, Ltd.
the drum beating in his mind.
Yes, he cried....
for the things he had tried.
He knew it was a struggle,
to help his people when they are in trouble.
He knew he had to argue
with the person he hardly knew.
For freedom, he struggled.
With government, it was trouble.
The government men were sent.
He smiled at them and asked them for land.
These people knew how to gamble.
They thought they could make him tremble.
He showed them a new sight,
while they only gave a sigh.
For he knew the time had come
for his people's freedom.
-Christine (Kistinis) Poker
The Innu Nation and Mushuau Innu Band Council. (1995). Gathering Voices: Finding Strength to Help Our Children. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, Ltd.
How the Innu are Portrayed in Media
The detrimental negative view of Native Canadians must come from somewhere, as it is hard to believe that the general public would stigmatize and shun an entire grouping of people who suffered at the hands of their ancestors, especially considering Native Canadians are severely impoverished, disenfranchised, and marginalized in Canada. The discourses about Native Canadians being lazy addicts who chose their lifestyle can easily be transferred to other marginalized peoples, like sex trade workers and working class Black people (particularly in the United States). This stereotyping was analyzed by Stephen Claxton-Oldfield and Sheila Keefe. They asked undergraduate students in Newfoundland to list how they would describe the Innu in Labrador using either short phrases or single words. Here are the results:
The top five descriptors that the participants would use for the Innu are uneducated, substance abusing, poor, isolated, and gas-sniffers.
Participants were also asked to list a possible five sources for their impressions on the Innu. 98.7% stated that their impression came from television, 74.4% stated hearsay, and 70.5% stated newspapers. Only one participant had experienced first-hand contact with the Innu.
The results of this survey prompted Claxton-Oldfield and Keefe to do a second study analyzing newspapers. They chose newspapers over television because the medium is more traceable. They analyzed a daily newspaper in Newfoundland with a readership of over 30,000 people. The examined from January 2, 1996 - December 31, 1996. These were the results:
Participants were also asked to list a possible five sources for their impressions on the Innu. 98.7% stated that their impression came from television, 74.4% stated hearsay, and 70.5% stated newspapers. Only one participant had experienced first-hand contact with the Innu.
The results of this survey prompted Claxton-Oldfield and Keefe to do a second study analyzing newspapers. They chose newspapers over television because the medium is more traceable. They analyzed a daily newspaper in Newfoundland with a readership of over 30,000 people. The examined from January 2, 1996 - December 31, 1996. These were the results:
Articles about the Innu occurred 66 times during the study period. The percentage in the table reflects the percentage of those articles. The category of 'government' referred to dealings with the government, such as the relocation of the Innu and Innu protests over low-flying military planes. The category of 'culture/community' referred to any articles that were about local elections. The category of 'criminal/deviant acts of Innu' referred to charges of drug possession and the disarming of an Innu woman with a 12-gauge shotgun. 'Inter-conflict' referred to articles that covered co-operations (and unco-operations) between Innu and local mining companies, as well as 'intra-amity' and 'inter-amity'. The researchers also make note that 18% of the items that were labelled as government, culture/community, or inter-amity referred to criminal and deviant acts committed by the Innu.
The under representation of the criminal and deviant acts against the Innu, as well as the persecution, discrimination and defamation of the Innu is of great concern. With the large over representation of criminal and deviant acts by the Innu, it is no surprise that the general public has very stereotypical and biased views of the Innu. There is a serious lack of coverage for the historical, political and social context of the situation that the Innu are in, and have been attempting to recover from, for centuries.
Claxton-Oldfield, S. & Keefe, S. (1999). Assessing stereotypes about the Innu of Davis Inlet, Labrador. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science 31(2), p.86-91.
Innu Nation Elects New Leaders Amid Addiction Worries
I invite you all to read the article entitled "Innu Nation Elects New Leaders Amid Addicton Worries", found on CBC.ca. The article is located here.
The article covers the recent election, which resulted in Prote Poker becoming the new Grand Chief of Natuashish. It also delves into the issues with addiction in the community; there is some finger pointing that other candidates were buying votes with alcohol that was smuggled into the town. The election is considered a win for progress in the community, as Poker was one of the main voices in having the community declared dry.
A recreation co-ordinator in the community weighs in on the cause of the social problems, particularly gas huffing by the youth, in the community by pointing to the parents. She states that parents will tell their children to participate in activities at the recreation center, but won't accompany their children there or be seen in the building.
Two politicians weigh in and state that the move from Davis Inlet (Utshimassit) has not cured the community of their social woes and state the importance of government funding in helping to renew the community.
The article itself lacks in covering the history of the community prior to Utshimassit, as far back as two centuries ago when European settlers first arrived in what is now known as Canada. It also fails to point out the failing legislation and the historical lack of government support. Of most concern, however, is the first comment on the article:
The article covers the recent election, which resulted in Prote Poker becoming the new Grand Chief of Natuashish. It also delves into the issues with addiction in the community; there is some finger pointing that other candidates were buying votes with alcohol that was smuggled into the town. The election is considered a win for progress in the community, as Poker was one of the main voices in having the community declared dry.
A recreation co-ordinator in the community weighs in on the cause of the social problems, particularly gas huffing by the youth, in the community by pointing to the parents. She states that parents will tell their children to participate in activities at the recreation center, but won't accompany their children there or be seen in the building.
Two politicians weigh in and state that the move from Davis Inlet (Utshimassit) has not cured the community of their social woes and state the importance of government funding in helping to renew the community.
The article itself lacks in covering the history of the community prior to Utshimassit, as far back as two centuries ago when European settlers first arrived in what is now known as Canada. It also fails to point out the failing legislation and the historical lack of government support. Of most concern, however, is the first comment on the article:
Sorry Lorraine and Yvonne but it is time for these people to take care of and responsability for themselves. The provinve cannot be hels responsible for their actions.The author of the comment clearly believes that the Innu are responsible for their current situation, ignoring the historical, political, and social context of their oppression and disenfranchisement. The author also believes that the Canadian and Newfoundland government are now absolved of their fiduciary and financial responsibilities towards the Innu people following centuries of willful blindness and malicious negligence. What is even more shocking is that the comment received 215 thumbs up and only 62 thumbs down, clearly stating the overwhelming triumph of narratives stating that the Native people of Canada are responsible for their own problems, and the idea that their problems are completely separate from the development of Canada. This ideological notion is extremely harmful to the fostering of Native development.
Historical, Political and Social Context
So you've seen the videos of the youth in Natuashish huffing gas and you've taken a look at the population pyramids that suggest that Natuashish is a Third World community, but where did all of that come from? What is the political, historical and social context that created these conditions?
The first place to look would be at the very beginning, with the colonizing of North American and the creation of Canada as a nation state. European settlers dealt with the Natives in Canada as soon as they began exploring the continent and used them as a vital resource for survival, as well as trade. However, the goal of these settlers was to colonize Canada and primitive accumulation1 began. The rights of Native Canadians were not even spoken of until approximately ten years after Confederation, when The Indian Act was signed in 1876 (Assembly of First Nations, n.d.). This act set out a number of limitations for Native people, particularly concerning was the forbidding of Native people to form political organizations or vote, the stripping of Native languages and spiritualities, and the institution of Residential Schools.
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Luckily for the Innu of Natuashish, they did not have to endure residential schooling, or many of the restrictions that other Native communities faced, because they were not recognized as Status Indians until 2000 (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 2007). However, this came with its own set of problems, as the Newfoundland government was considered responsible for the Innu people and the Innu had still suffered at the hands of colonizing settlers; The Innu had lost their traditional hunting grounds and been forced from their nomadic lifestyle to one of sedentary life in sub-standard houses built by the government. The Newfoundland government had forced the Innu people to move from the mainland, where hunting, fishing and a nomadic lifestyle was possible, to Utshimassit, an island which confined the Innu to a traditional Anglo-European village setting (The Innu Nation and the Mushuau Innu Band Council, 1995; p.35). All of this was done in the name of the Innu's benefit, as the Catholic missionaries had told the Innu that on the island they would have new houses with heating, water, and sewer facilities, as well as community buildings like a school, wharf, and store (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.35). However, what was found on the island was a desolate community that alienated the Innu from their traditional way of life, and the way of life that had been provided for them was not as promised: houses made on a shoestring budget that were overcrowded, no running water, no heating, no hunting area and the food supplied was often spoiled or low quality, no garbage or waste facilities, no opportunities, and often isolation for most of the year when the ice melted or was unstable (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.32-41). On top of that, there was almost no budget for social services, no jobs to be found, only one school and the education was taught entirely in English by teachers not certified in ESL2 as well as a easy access to alcohol and drugs.
One of the catalysts for the movement and aid of the Innu people occurred in 1992, when a house fire devastated the community and the lives of 6 youth were lost. The cause of the fire was attributed to a number of different factors: alcohol abuse, lack of firefighting services, poverty and the poor building practices used to build the houses. The fire could have been started in a number of ways, but of particular importance is the poor construction of the houses that featured very little insulation and had no heating, therefore requiring the use of hot plates and other unsafe practices to keep them warm (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.9-11). The wiring in the houses was also recognized as being done poorly. Of specific concern to me is the fact that the community was placed on an island with absolutely no materials for the use of fighting fires. Store workers in the community, after the fire, said, "We have firefighters in the community but they don't have anything to use for fire equipment. This is crazy, having firefighters with no equipment and no water. When we lost those 6 children, there was nothing the firefighters could do." (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.11). The death of these 6 children can easily be traced back to the colonizing and disenfranchisement of the Innu, parallel to the colonization of Native Canadians recognized under the Indian Act.
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At the end of this, the Innu are often seen as being victims of being not registered under the Indian Act, while other Native groups are seen as being victims of being registered. The paradox comes from the fact that the Indian Act allots funding and opportunities for self-governance for Status Indians; while the Innu did not suffer at the patriarchal and disenfranchising piece of legislation, they did suffer from the lack of funding that the other groups received. They also had their own unique experiences of colonization and disenfranchisement at the hands of the Newfoundland provincial government, and although they did have the right to vote, they were treated as substandard citizens and "others" in Newfoundland.
The structural oppression of the Innu and the disintegration of their culture has been tragic. The state has effectively disenfranchised the Innu and benefited from it, while supporting the ideology that it is for the benefit of the Innu. It is this historical, political and social context that left the Innu void of tradition and engendered a sense of helplessness for the Innu people. In general, there is a tendency to point fingers at the Native people and blame their poor choices and moral fabric for the alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, truancy and suicide that occurs on Native reserves. However, the conditions that create poverty and the accompanying social disorganization are rarely analyzed. The challenge that lies in the future for Native communities is attempting to recover from centuries of structural oppression and dispossession.
1Primitive Accumulation: The process of accumulation through the dispossession of others, in this case it refers to the taking of Native land and resources for the purposes of the Canadian settlers.
2ESL: English as a Second Language. The majority of teachers for the Innu community have no knowledge of the native language.
References
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. (2007). Backgrounder: Labrador Innu Registration and Band Creation. Accessed at http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100018926/1100100018927 on November 20, 2012.
Assembly of First Nations. (No date). Our Story. Accessed at http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/about-afn/our-story on November 12, 2012.
The Innu Nation and Mushuau Innu Band Council. (1995). Gathering Voices: Finding Strength to Help Our Children. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
The first place to look would be at the very beginning, with the colonizing of North American and the creation of Canada as a nation state. European settlers dealt with the Natives in Canada as soon as they began exploring the continent and used them as a vital resource for survival, as well as trade. However, the goal of these settlers was to colonize Canada and primitive accumulation1 began. The rights of Native Canadians were not even spoken of until approximately ten years after Confederation, when The Indian Act was signed in 1876 (Assembly of First Nations, n.d.). This act set out a number of limitations for Native people, particularly concerning was the forbidding of Native people to form political organizations or vote, the stripping of Native languages and spiritualities, and the institution of Residential Schools.
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The Confrontation of Micmac and European Civilizations
Credit: Vernon Gloade, artist
Cover of The Confrontation of Micmac and European Culture by Daniel N. Paul, 1990
Luckily for the Innu of Natuashish, they did not have to endure residential schooling, or many of the restrictions that other Native communities faced, because they were not recognized as Status Indians until 2000 (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 2007). However, this came with its own set of problems, as the Newfoundland government was considered responsible for the Innu people and the Innu had still suffered at the hands of colonizing settlers; The Innu had lost their traditional hunting grounds and been forced from their nomadic lifestyle to one of sedentary life in sub-standard houses built by the government. The Newfoundland government had forced the Innu people to move from the mainland, where hunting, fishing and a nomadic lifestyle was possible, to Utshimassit, an island which confined the Innu to a traditional Anglo-European village setting (The Innu Nation and the Mushuau Innu Band Council, 1995; p.35). All of this was done in the name of the Innu's benefit, as the Catholic missionaries had told the Innu that on the island they would have new houses with heating, water, and sewer facilities, as well as community buildings like a school, wharf, and store (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.35). However, what was found on the island was a desolate community that alienated the Innu from their traditional way of life, and the way of life that had been provided for them was not as promised: houses made on a shoestring budget that were overcrowded, no running water, no heating, no hunting area and the food supplied was often spoiled or low quality, no garbage or waste facilities, no opportunities, and often isolation for most of the year when the ice melted or was unstable (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.32-41). On top of that, there was almost no budget for social services, no jobs to be found, only one school and the education was taught entirely in English by teachers not certified in ESL2 as well as a easy access to alcohol and drugs.
The Innu People: Caught Between Two Worlds
Publishing Sepia, Museum of Man, 1995
Retrieved from http://www.la-belle-saga.com/t8602-les-innus
Publishing Sepia, Museum of Man, 1995
Retrieved from http://www.la-belle-saga.com/t8602-les-innus
One of the catalysts for the movement and aid of the Innu people occurred in 1992, when a house fire devastated the community and the lives of 6 youth were lost. The cause of the fire was attributed to a number of different factors: alcohol abuse, lack of firefighting services, poverty and the poor building practices used to build the houses. The fire could have been started in a number of ways, but of particular importance is the poor construction of the houses that featured very little insulation and had no heating, therefore requiring the use of hot plates and other unsafe practices to keep them warm (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.9-11). The wiring in the houses was also recognized as being done poorly. Of specific concern to me is the fact that the community was placed on an island with absolutely no materials for the use of fighting fires. Store workers in the community, after the fire, said, "We have firefighters in the community but they don't have anything to use for fire equipment. This is crazy, having firefighters with no equipment and no water. When we lost those 6 children, there was nothing the firefighters could do." (Innu Nation et al., 1995; p.11). The death of these 6 children can easily be traced back to the colonizing and disenfranchisement of the Innu, parallel to the colonization of Native Canadians recognized under the Indian Act.
.jpeg)
An Innu child's portrayal of the 1992 fire in Utshimassit
Gathering Voices: Finding Strength to Help Our Children, pg.14
Gathering Voices: Finding Strength to Help Our Children, pg.14
At the end of this, the Innu are often seen as being victims of being not registered under the Indian Act, while other Native groups are seen as being victims of being registered. The paradox comes from the fact that the Indian Act allots funding and opportunities for self-governance for Status Indians; while the Innu did not suffer at the patriarchal and disenfranchising piece of legislation, they did suffer from the lack of funding that the other groups received. They also had their own unique experiences of colonization and disenfranchisement at the hands of the Newfoundland provincial government, and although they did have the right to vote, they were treated as substandard citizens and "others" in Newfoundland.
The structural oppression of the Innu and the disintegration of their culture has been tragic. The state has effectively disenfranchised the Innu and benefited from it, while supporting the ideology that it is for the benefit of the Innu. It is this historical, political and social context that left the Innu void of tradition and engendered a sense of helplessness for the Innu people. In general, there is a tendency to point fingers at the Native people and blame their poor choices and moral fabric for the alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, truancy and suicide that occurs on Native reserves. However, the conditions that create poverty and the accompanying social disorganization are rarely analyzed. The challenge that lies in the future for Native communities is attempting to recover from centuries of structural oppression and dispossession.
1Primitive Accumulation: The process of accumulation through the dispossession of others, in this case it refers to the taking of Native land and resources for the purposes of the Canadian settlers.
2ESL: English as a Second Language. The majority of teachers for the Innu community have no knowledge of the native language.
References
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. (2007). Backgrounder: Labrador Innu Registration and Band Creation. Accessed at http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100018926/1100100018927 on November 20, 2012.
Assembly of First Nations. (No date). Our Story. Accessed at http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/about-afn/our-story on November 12, 2012.
The Innu Nation and Mushuau Innu Band Council. (1995). Gathering Voices: Finding Strength to Help Our Children. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Population Pyramids
Population pyramids are used to graphically illustrate the ages of a population. It shows the general life expectancy as well as whether a population is in growth or decline. The closer that a population pyramid resembles a barrel, with a wide middle, the more likely it is that the population has a growing life expectancy and lower birth rate, representing a developed country. A population that is very triangular represents a country that is still developing, and is typical of third world countries. (BBC, 2012)
Let's examine some countries' population pyramids and how they fit into the mix. First, third world or undeveloped countries.
Here's Afghanistan:
BBC. (2012). Population Change and Structure. Accessed on November 14, 2012 at http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/population/population_change_structure_rev1.shtml
United States Census Bureau. (2012). International Database. Accessed on November 14, 2012 at http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/region.php
Let's examine some countries' population pyramids and how they fit into the mix. First, third world or undeveloped countries.
Here's Afghanistan:
And here's Rwanda:
Now developed countries, here's Sweden:
And finally, Canada:
(United States Census Bureau, 2012)
The shapes obviously differ from Rwanda and Afghanistan, adopting the mentioned triangle shape rather than the barrel shape. Now let's examine a population pyramid for Natuashish:
Which pyramid does the Natuashish one most resemble? And how does it compare to all of Canada? Why are there such serious discrepancies for a Canadian community?
BBC. (2012). Population Change and Structure. Accessed on November 14, 2012 at http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/population/population_change_structure_rev1.shtml
United States Census Bureau. (2012). International Database. Accessed on November 14, 2012 at http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/region.php
Human Rights Commission: Davis Inlet as a Toxic Space
In 2002, a second Human Rights Commission for the Innu of Labrador was written by Donald McCrae and Constance Backhouse. In the report was the follow statement:
Detailing the reports of the move from Davis Inlet to Natuashish, it illustrates the disparaging conditions at their previous settlement. It blames the community dysfunction on the substandard conditions and removal from traditional cultural activities, therefore making a move to the mainland about far more than just new homes, but a re-connection to their traditions.
The full 2002 report can be read at http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/pdf/reports/innureport2002.pdf
The 1993 Report recommended that the Government “make a commitment to the expeditious relocation of the Mushuau Innu to a site chosen by them.” Details of the relocation of the Mushuau Innu in 1967 from the mainland to the site of the present village of Davis Inlet on Iluikoyak Island, the lack of running water and sewage facilities, the substandard conditions of the houses, the isolation from traditional caribou hunting grounds and the associated community dysfunction were set out in the 1993 Report. The conditions were later described in the Report on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples as akin to conditions in the poorest of developing countries. Fatal fires, suicides, substandard living conditions, substance abuse and poor health brought the community to national and international attention and continue to do so.
On 8 June 1993 the Mushuau Innu voted overwhelmingly in favour of relocation to Little Sango Pond (Natuashish), which is located on the mainland of Labrador 15 kilometres from their current island site at Davis Inlet. The 1994 Statement of Political Commitments endorsed relocation, stating that the Government was prepared to “support relocation of the Mushuau Innu to Little Sango Pond.”
Detailing the reports of the move from Davis Inlet to Natuashish, it illustrates the disparaging conditions at their previous settlement. It blames the community dysfunction on the substandard conditions and removal from traditional cultural activities, therefore making a move to the mainland about far more than just new homes, but a re-connection to their traditions.
The full 2002 report can be read at http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/pdf/reports/innureport2002.pdf
McRae,
D. & Backhouse, C. (2002). Report to
the Canadian Human Rights Commission on the Treatment of the Innu in Labrador
by the Government of Canada. Accessed online at http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/pdf/reports/innureport2002.pdf
on November 14, 2012.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Assembly of First Nations - About AFN - Our Story
Assembly of First Nations - About AFN - Our Story
Above is a link to the Assembly of First Nations website, a Canadian organization aimed at raising awareness and supporting First Nations political campaigns. "Our Story" highlights important moments in Canadian Aboriginal history, particularly the structural oppression of their people through Canadian legislation and policing.
Above is a link to the Assembly of First Nations website, a Canadian organization aimed at raising awareness and supporting First Nations political campaigns. "Our Story" highlights important moments in Canadian Aboriginal history, particularly the structural oppression of their people through Canadian legislation and policing.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Davis Inlet: "I'll Never Stop Sniffing Gas"
This is a 16-minute documentary/news report from the CBC archives entitled Davis Inlet: "I'll Never Stop Sniffing Gas". It was published on November 29, 2000 just prior to the relocation of the community to Natuashish. This is about 2 years after the public scandal when information about the community began showing up in Canadian media. It features a number of one-on-one interviews with members of the Innu community, particularly children who identify as gas-sniffers. The documentary reveals some of the horrors of Davis Inlet, particularly suicide, substance abuse, poor living conditions, and lack of government support.
This blog is the product of an assignment to investigate a social justice topic from a critical criminologist view. I would like to start out by declaring my emotional and personal investment in the Natuashish community and explaining why I chose this topic; I would like to set it all on the table so my bias is evident and transparent.
I attended Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario from 2008-2011 and received my diploma in Social Service Work. Although I completed placements in both a food bank and a mental health drop-in facility, I found no opportunities for employment upon graduation. I decided to go to university, centering on Trent in Peterborough, Ontario and looked for jobs I was qualified for in that area. I ended up getting hired at an organization that works with children in residential treatment, or foster care.
At this point, I have decided not to disclose many details about the organization, including the name, to avoid any possible career conflict. I no longer work with this organization. From what I was made aware of, the organization had an agreement with Indigenous communities in both Northern Quebec (Inuit people from Kuujjuaq) and Labrador (Innu people from Natuashish) where specific at-risk children from these communities would be sent to this area to live in foster care and attend our school system. I was not aware of any details surrounding the agreement, other than that there were often discrepancies between what the parents were told about the agreement and what our foster parents were made aware of about the agreement. My knowledge of the policies and technical workings are sparse.
I worked with children and youth from both of these places, but many of the horror stories I was faced with came from those who originated in Natuashish. Natuashish also caught my attention because I remembered their story from elementary school. I have a vague memory of an elementary school teacher showing us a news program featuring the atrocities at Davis Inlet, particularly gas huffing, alcoholism, drug abuse, and unsanitary living conditions. This memory was dug up after speaking with one particular youth about her experiences in her hometown and then doing some informal research on the subject. I was reunited with the same images of children huffing gas, news reports about suicide, and general social problems that would create much more anxiety for us in urban Canada than it was there.
From speaking with youth from Natuashish, of which I was involved with about 4 personally and about 10 through my career network, I learned a few things. The first was that gas huffing was rampant and considered normal teenage activity. The youth often spoke about marijuana and alcohol as well, but gas was the preferred drug because it was cheaper and easier to find. I learned that teenage pregnancy was accepted, if not the norm of the community, and even some of the youth who were previously involved in our organization had gone home and gotten pregnant. I learned about the political climate of Natuashish, how they had been relocated and given new houses and were now a fly-in community. I learned about their policies on drugs and alcohol, and that their community was dry (I was also unwillingly taught about the prices of particular drugs and how alcohol and other substances were smuggled in). I learned a bit about their language, but mostly I learned about the disparity. The youth had no hope, no plans for the future, and barely any opportunity. I was made aware that most school-age children do not attend school (one youth told me that school was "optional") and many of them have no desire to learn. Many have learning disabilities or brain dysfunctions, or perhaps are assumed to have them. They speak of large families but hardly ever of grandparents or elderly people, mostly of other children and youth.
I was interested in this because many of the stories I heard were shocking. I kept thinking, "People would be having a fit if that was happening here," and I couldn't understand why I was hearing this through the mouths of underprivileged youth and not through policy-makers and government officials who were doing their best to remedy an extremely unfortunate situation. I wanted to investigate this community. I would like to bring to light and heighten awareness on both the socially-created atrocities that are happening in our First World country, and also speak to the awareness of the Canadian Government. In particular, I will be focusing on the environmental justice viewpoint, of the space as being a toxic environment, and on colonialist ideology that paved the way to this point. I may also focus on other aspects as they appear to me, but I will be in conversation with The Indian Act and other relevant documents that historically set the tone for the current situation.
I attended Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario from 2008-2011 and received my diploma in Social Service Work. Although I completed placements in both a food bank and a mental health drop-in facility, I found no opportunities for employment upon graduation. I decided to go to university, centering on Trent in Peterborough, Ontario and looked for jobs I was qualified for in that area. I ended up getting hired at an organization that works with children in residential treatment, or foster care.
At this point, I have decided not to disclose many details about the organization, including the name, to avoid any possible career conflict. I no longer work with this organization. From what I was made aware of, the organization had an agreement with Indigenous communities in both Northern Quebec (Inuit people from Kuujjuaq) and Labrador (Innu people from Natuashish) where specific at-risk children from these communities would be sent to this area to live in foster care and attend our school system. I was not aware of any details surrounding the agreement, other than that there were often discrepancies between what the parents were told about the agreement and what our foster parents were made aware of about the agreement. My knowledge of the policies and technical workings are sparse.
I worked with children and youth from both of these places, but many of the horror stories I was faced with came from those who originated in Natuashish. Natuashish also caught my attention because I remembered their story from elementary school. I have a vague memory of an elementary school teacher showing us a news program featuring the atrocities at Davis Inlet, particularly gas huffing, alcoholism, drug abuse, and unsanitary living conditions. This memory was dug up after speaking with one particular youth about her experiences in her hometown and then doing some informal research on the subject. I was reunited with the same images of children huffing gas, news reports about suicide, and general social problems that would create much more anxiety for us in urban Canada than it was there.
From speaking with youth from Natuashish, of which I was involved with about 4 personally and about 10 through my career network, I learned a few things. The first was that gas huffing was rampant and considered normal teenage activity. The youth often spoke about marijuana and alcohol as well, but gas was the preferred drug because it was cheaper and easier to find. I learned that teenage pregnancy was accepted, if not the norm of the community, and even some of the youth who were previously involved in our organization had gone home and gotten pregnant. I learned about the political climate of Natuashish, how they had been relocated and given new houses and were now a fly-in community. I learned about their policies on drugs and alcohol, and that their community was dry (I was also unwillingly taught about the prices of particular drugs and how alcohol and other substances were smuggled in). I learned a bit about their language, but mostly I learned about the disparity. The youth had no hope, no plans for the future, and barely any opportunity. I was made aware that most school-age children do not attend school (one youth told me that school was "optional") and many of them have no desire to learn. Many have learning disabilities or brain dysfunctions, or perhaps are assumed to have them. They speak of large families but hardly ever of grandparents or elderly people, mostly of other children and youth.
I was interested in this because many of the stories I heard were shocking. I kept thinking, "People would be having a fit if that was happening here," and I couldn't understand why I was hearing this through the mouths of underprivileged youth and not through policy-makers and government officials who were doing their best to remedy an extremely unfortunate situation. I wanted to investigate this community. I would like to bring to light and heighten awareness on both the socially-created atrocities that are happening in our First World country, and also speak to the awareness of the Canadian Government. In particular, I will be focusing on the environmental justice viewpoint, of the space as being a toxic environment, and on colonialist ideology that paved the way to this point. I may also focus on other aspects as they appear to me, but I will be in conversation with The Indian Act and other relevant documents that historically set the tone for the current situation.
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