Politicized Scholarship: Exploring Themes in Aboriginal History, Part II

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Politicized Scholarship: Exploring Themes in Aboriginal History, Part II

A few weeks ago, we published the first post in a short series examining the origins and evolution of Aboriginal history the Canadian context. We traced some of the more influential works in the field to explore the hold of prominent analytic debates, and explored the contribution of recent studies such as James Daschuk’s Clearing the Plains. Today, we continue our short series with a brief post on the influence of legal affairs and land claims, examining in particular the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry and the Hawthorn Report.

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A Colonial Burden: Aboriginal Educational Reform in Canada

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The next Canadian federal election is scheduled for this coming October. While that date may seem far away, we are nearing a new campaign season which is sure to generate much interest and debate. One of the key issues entering the next election will surely be Aboriginal relations and the growing gap that exists between First Nations and the rest of Canada. The gap can be viewed in terms of financial and health related issues, as well as education of youth in particular. Indeed, First Nations communities currently face multiple crises. In light of this, today’s post focuses specifically on the push in Canada for Aboriginal educational reform.

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Medicine and Disease in Canada: The Smallpox Epidemic

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As news of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa continues to grip the world, fears in North America are on the rise after two nurses were infected while treating a patient at Presbyterian hospital in Dallas, Texas. Thus far, the viral hemorrhagic fever has claimed around 4,500 people, mostly in Liberia, neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea, and this recent news out of Dallas adds to concerns because the virus eluded the precautions of top US health officials. In Canada, the government announced that it will commit an additional $35 million to the World Health Organization, the United Nations and humanitarian aid groups working the effected regions. These funds will provide necessary health equipment such as mobile labs, and will contribute to an increased international effort and containment strategy to help local authorities in the effected African regions limit the spread of Ebola. While Clio’s Current is certainly not in a position to comment on the dangers of Ebola or the potentiality of an outbreak in Canada, we can provide a snapshot of one disease that has left a historical footprint on our nation.

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Indigenous-Settler Relations in Canada: Historicizing Tsilhqot’in by Madeline Knickerbocker

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Clio’s Current regularly uses historical perspective to draw attention to the contentious side of contemporary issues in Canada and abroad. Although we have commented on Indigenous-settler relations, we have done so from a general standpoint and with the intention of introducing our readers to the contested history of colonialism. In today’s guest post, Madeline Knickerbocker provides a focused and detailed discussion behind the legal process that led to the Tsilhqot’in decision in British Columbia.

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Fifteen Years of Nunavut: A Look at Canada's History with the Inuit

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Tuesday marked the fifteenth anniversary of the creation of Nunavut, Canada's newest territory, and the largest land claim in Canadian history. At least, by territory – there are some 33,000 people spread over 2 million square kilometres in Nunavut. On April 1, 1999, the federal government finished a decades long process over the recognition of Inuit peoples as an indigenous group by the Canadian government. Nunavut was split off from the Northwest Territories as the Canadian government as a negotiation over land ownership. Part of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement that gave Inuit the ability to govern themselves was that they also had to “cede,release and surrender ... all their aboriginal claims, rights, title and interests.” This post looks at part of the process that gave them those rights.

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The Aboriginal Voice

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This year has seen a revival of Aboriginal community activism focused around the Idle No More movement. Though many commentators have dismissed it since its disappearance from headlines in early 2013, the movement remains a potent force in bringing together Aboriginal peoples. Such activism has not always been a present among Canada's Aboriginal peoples, so today we offer an extremely abbreviated review of its emergence in Canada.

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