Canadian and Aboriginal Rights

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that when Europeans colonized the land, the native inhabitants become a class of citizens that were treated as different and inferior to the conquering classes. The paper relates that as liberal western democracy attempts to establish equal rights for all citizen groups and as native groups learn how to press their claims, competing claims for land and treasure have been raised. The paper explores whether aboriginal rights can coexist with other rights and posits that coexistence is possible and even necessary, within the systems of government that Canadians have developed.

From the Paper:

"When the European colonizers established colonies throughout the North American continent, they came into contact and conflict with the native inhabitants that had dwelt in the land for centuries. Their initial contacts were colored by curiosity and concern on the part of both natives and colonizers. However, as colonies were established and the European hunger for land proved incessant, concern became alarm and even progressed to war in many cases. Colonizers were viewed as invaders by natives and the natives were viewed as uncivilized savages by colonists. The colonists' push across the continent resulted in land being contested and treaties being formulated, altered, and broken."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blanchard, Martin. "Looking Ahead: A Pragmatic Outlook on Aboriginal Self-Rule." Centre de recherche en ethique de l'Universite de Montreal. 6 October, 2006. <www.creum.umontreal.ca/IMG/pdf/Looking_Ahead_final.pdf>.
• Green, Joyce. "Towards a Detente with History: Confronting Canada's Colonial Legacy." International Journal of Canadian Studies. 6 October, 2006. <http://sisis.nativeweb.org/clark/detente.html>.
• Kymlicka, Will. Liberalism: Community and Culture. New York: Oxford University Press (1989).
• Kymlicka, Will. Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights. New York: Oxford University Press (1995).
• Ladner, Kiera. "Negotiated Inferiority." American Review of Canadian Studies. 22 March, 2001. highbeam.com. 6 October, 2006. <http://highbeam.com/doc/1G1-79408143.html>.

More papers on Canadian and Aboriginal Rights:

• Analytical Essay # 129882 : "Coexistence of Canadian and Aboriginal Rights"
• Analytical Essay # 132415 : "Canadian Police and Aboriginal Women"
• Analytical Essay # 142676 : "Canada's Aboriginal People and Land Rights"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: