Waiting for reconciliation

Oh, Canada. The federal government kicked off the 150-day countdown to Canada’s 150th birthday last week. MP Jim Carr said the celebration, with a budget of $210 million, will include pop-up surprise events along four themes: diversity and inclusiveness; the environment; young people; and reconciliation with indigenous people.

In 1967, Canada went all out to celebrate its 100th birthday. Of course, political tensions were present behind all the patriotic rhetoric; unfortunately, those tensions remain to this day. The Hawthorne report, published in 1966, outlined how the residential school system was responsible for the poor health, poverty and inadequate education for Canada’s indigenous population.

Fifty years later, Canada’s relationship with First Nations people remains troubled, and while the federal government is working toward the implementation of principles designed for reconciliation, the statistics on the eve of our 150th birthday tell a sobering story. Poverty rates for First Nations children living on reserves remain staggeringly high.

The federal government’s last budget has made substantial investments in housing, water and education on reserves, but that money won’t be making a dent in the problems right away. Which leads to the question: in 2067, will we still be talking about this? Exactly how long should reconciliation take?