University Reflection Essay: Indigenous Child Welfare and Education

This essay delves into the critical issues of child welfare and education affecting Indigenous children in Canada, drawing insights from the film 'What is Reconciliation,' the 'TRC 94 Calls to Action,' and the timeline of residential schools. The essay highlights the shortcomings of the white-centric education system and advocates for the inclusion of Indigenous history and cultural practices in the curriculum. It emphasizes the need for the government to extend an apology and implement special courses to express Indigenous culture and religion. The author argues that Indigenous people should be empowered to teach their history and experiences, and that the government and Christian clergy bear responsibility for past injustices. The essay further discusses the importance of reconciliation, highlighting the role of education in empowering Indigenous voices and the need for the government to acknowledge past wrongs. As a citizen, the author recognizes their role in advocating for the rights of Indigenous people and supporting the reconciliation process.

Running head: REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1REFLECTION
In this particular essay the aim shall be to articulate about the child welfare and education
related issues affecting the indigenous children of Canada. The answers shall be provided on the
basis of what has been provided in the film ‘What is Reconciliation’ and the documents ‘TRC 94
Calls to Action’ and ‘A timeline of residential schools, the Truth and Reconciliation’.
The education strategies in Canada is extremely white centric, the basic idea that could be
derived from the abovementioned materials. There is very little scope for the indigenous people
to express themselves, their culture and their customs. The education strategy had been treating
the indigenous people of the nation in a very unfair manner, like they were a liability. The
strategy that was used to educate the indigenous children was rather a method of indoctrination
that was embarked upon to strengthen the rule of the white people upon the indigenous people
("Murray Sinclair: Truth and Reconciliation", 2019). Hence the strategies of the current
Canadian government should undertake is to ensure that the indigenous history and their cultural
practices be inculcated as a part of the educational curriculum. That shall enable the government
to extend an apologetic behaviour towards the indigenous people of the nation. Special courses
must be designed that shall enable the indigenous people’s culture and religion be expressed in
the academic forefront (Maestro & Chadwick, 2017). The educational institutions can make
studying of the indigenous history a compulsory one alongside the studying of the mainstream
national history of Canada. The indigenous people must enabled and allowed to teach the courses
themselves as they can be the best ones to provide and account of their history and experiences
and if others do it then there is a possibility of a biased account to be provided. With regard to
the poor treatment of the indigenous Canadians, the forefathers of the white Canadians, the
government and the Christian clergy are responsible, and the responsibility of providing them
justice now rests with them as well (Stanton, 2011).

2REFLECTION
On the basis of watching the film ‘Treaties, Reconciliation and Indigenous History in
Canada’, it can be said that the most important factor of reconciliation of the indigenous children
with their children is the realization by the government that the community had been wronged
against. Moreover, education had also emboldened the indigenous people to voice their opinion
and articulate their demands accordingly. The mobilization of the indigenous people through
education has been the most important factor behind the achievement of the reconciliation.
Hence it would be justified to say that the reconciliation could be made possible because of the
efforts of the indigenous people themselves and the government cannot be called as responsible
for it as the government had just relented to the demands of the indigenous people. As a citizen, I
do have a role to play in the reconciliation as I am a part of the civil society I must voice my
opinion in favour of the indigenous people to be reconciled with their parents and also move the
government to do justice to them ("Treaties, reconciliation and Indigenous history in Canada",
2019).

3REFLECTION
Bibliography
Maestro, L., & Chadwick, D. J. (2017). Canadian Health Libraries’ Responses to the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action: A Literature Review and Content
Analysis. Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association/Journal de l'Association
des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada, 38(3).
Murray Sinclair: Truth and Reconciliation. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcyYx-Zzbto
Stanton, K. (2011). Canada's truth and reconciliation commission: Settling the past?. The
International Indigenous Policy Journal, 2(3), 2.
Treaties, reconciliation and Indigenous history in Canada. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9KJM3pjvKg