The Aboriginal Self-Governance in the Urban Areas in Canada

Name:
Instructor:
Course number:
Date of submission:
The Aboriginal Self-Governance in the Urban Areas in Canada
Introduction
More than half of the Canadian aboriginal population resides in the urban areas of Canada. This therefore calls for attention on the issues facing the urban aboriginals in the cities in relation to the self-government. Despite the fact that numerous researches and reports have been carried out, little attention is accorded to the aboriginals living in the Canadian cities. Such a large population of people with their own culture needs to exercise their inherent right of self-governance in the urban areas (Morse, p 20). If the self-governance of the aboriginal people in Canada is to bring about a significance influence in the social, cultural, political and economic status of the aboriginal people, it must be designed to have a meaning and must apply to the lives of the aboriginal people living in urban areas. It requires sustained efforts in order to make the urban centers places where the aboriginal are welcomed and their cultures enhanced. Therefore, the aboriginal people should be involved and entirely engaged in implementing the appropriate programs and initiatives. Hence, this report reviews the issues and challenges of the implementation of the inherent right of self-governance of the minority aboriginal community residing in the big Canadian cities.
The aboriginal people of Canada (First nations, Métis and Inuit) have an egoistic and long history including a rich culture and strong spiritual traditions. However, most of the values were lost and others forced to compromise upon the arrival of the European powers in Canada. The new values forced by the European settlers among the aboriginals such as the dispossession of their land, alien modes of governance, new cultures and values ignited a destructive cycle on their spirituality, social and physical being. The effects of these destructive cycles are evident even today. They include poverty, substance abuse as well as poor health. The greatest of these issues is the loss of identity among the aboriginals (Morse, p 20). However, the aboriginal people of Canada in the urban areas have pushed for their right to the self-governance in the urban areas. As the aboriginal people in Canadian cities with determination continue to fight for the application of their inherent right to self-governance, there has been continued hardship or rather resistance from the federal government especially in the urban centers. The institutional structure for the governance of the aboriginals in Canada was designed for the population that largely dwelt in the rural areas of Canada. The chiefs who were based in reserves countrywide for instance elected the leaders into leadership positions. However, today most of the aboriginal people do not reside in the reserves rather most of them live in urban areas. It is estimated that half of the aboriginals’ population live in...