The Indian Act of 1876 and many of its amending statutes contained sections that were discriminatory towards Canadian Native Indians, and that legalized suppression of Indian customs and traditions. In this paper, I will examine how one section of the Act, the one relating to residential schools, contributed to the genocide of Indian culture.
Ever since the first Europeans set foot on Canadian soil in the 15th century, they have thought their culture and way of life was superior to that of the Native North Americans. Initially the Europeans relied upon the Indians to show them how to travel and survive in the wilds of Canada. They also were dependent on Indians as trading partners and as military allies. However, as more settlers arrived and the Europeans no longer needed the Indians, their sense of superiority took hold. The settlers began to take over Indian agricultural land and deplete their subsistence resources.…
