aboriginal poverty in canada

Aboriginal Poverty in Canada : 

Aboriginal Poverty in Canada The Cause, Effects, and Solutions

Aboriginal Poverty Statistics : 

Aboriginal Poverty Statistics 55.6% of Aboriginal people living in urban areas were living in poverty in 1995. Aboriginal youths are twice as likely to be unemployed. In 1995, 75% of Aboriginal people had an income of less than $10,000 a year In 2001, only 8% of the 25-35 age group had completed a university degree, while 28% of non-Aboriginals had completed a degree

Causes of Aboriginal Poverty : 

Causes of Aboriginal Poverty Lack of education Destruction of culture and traditional beliefs Discrimination Unemployment Welfare Health and living conditions

Lack of education : 

Lack of education Reserves and Aboriginal communities are geographically isolated, causing disadvantage compared to urban communities. No role models who went to post-secondary schools. Low qualifications makes it difficult to get a high paying job to support their family.

Destruction of culture and traditional beliefs : 

Destruction of culture and traditional beliefs Only 24% of Aboriginal people in Canada can speak their Native language. The skills Native people have (hunting, trapping, art) are not valued in today’s technological society. Single parent families are common in Aboriginals. In nuclear families, each parent provides an income. In single parent families, there is only one. http://images.townnews.com/bozemandailychronicle.com/content/articles/2008/05/03/news/000powwow_thumb.jpg

Discrimination : 

Discrimination Overlooked when applying for jobs. Many people think that Aboriginal people are lazy and less intelligent than other ethnic groups because of their lack of employment and education. In urban communities, many Aboriginals are denied apartments because of their reputation for not paying bills. This racism causes Aboriginal people to retreat to highly Aboriginal populated areas of cities to escape it. These areas involve a lot of drugs and high crime rates making it even more difficult for Aboriginal people to find employment and avoid discrimination.

Unemployment : 

Unemployment The main reason for poverty in any culture or society. Some Aboriginal people do not possess the skills needed to maintain a job because of their lack of education. 14.8% of Aboriginal people were unemployed in 2006.

Welfare : 

Welfare Their lack of skills causing their unemployment forces them to use this government funded style of life. Children who grow up on welfare are not taught the proper way of earning money through education. When they become older, they follow in their parent’s footsteps and go on welfare because of their unemployment. This welfare cycle is causing harm to Aboriginal families, as they will be stuck in poverty for many generations and unable to escape.

Health and living conditions : 

Health and living conditions Aboriginal people in Canada have lower life expectancies than non-Aboriginals, high rates of accidents and violence causing death, and high chances of diseases, such as diabetes. Higher infant mortality rate in Aboriginal communities and reserves because of their lack of medical services. Pregnant women are not getting enough pre-natal care and are not eating healthy. Babies are born underweight and premature causing them to have medical complications and disabilities for the rest of their life, if they live past their infant years. Poor hygiene, water quality, and poorly built houses are linked to infectious diseases and safety problems. There may be up to 10-15 people living in a single home or shack on reserves Only 56% of homes on reserves and in Aboriginal communities were actually considered adequate

Solutions : 

Solutions Society needs to be aware of the poverty happening to Aboriginal people. This problem needs the entire country’s support and needs to be recognized to have any long term effects in the future. The millions of dollars the Government of Canada invests in the welfare system should be instead used for economic development programs and initiatives. These initiatives should include programs to develop skills for employment, change attitudes and confidence levels, and promote education to younger Aboriginals. Self-government: Aboriginal people need to be able to take care of themselves, instead of relying on the Government to support them. Putting Aboriginal people in higher power would improve their economic power. Companies presently run by Aboriginal people include businesses in forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, transport, finance, arts and crafts, food, fashion, and computer hardware and software

Question : 

Question What do you think should be done to end Aboriginal poverty in Canada?