From the very beginning the Indians (now called first nation people) were dealt with as extremely infererior beings by the white settlers. As more people began to populate the new world, the natives were forced off of ther own land and made to live on small plots aloted to them by the government. Unfortunately, the soil was poor and not many of the natives knew how to farm, resulting in high mortality rates. There was a point where the conditions were so poor that the native people were almost entirely wiped out.
Since then, great steps have been made to provide the first nation people with the adequate opportunities and equal rights as any other Canadian. The first nation people are now treated with a great number of privileges and luxuries. In some cases they are even above the rules and regulations that the average Canadian must follow. For instance: First nation people do not have to pay taxes on any of their purchases and in some cases get discounts. The government pays for their health care and their education. They are also ensured of getting a job because of the regulations on the businesses implemented by the government to ensure a certain number of native people are employed. The government goes so far as to pay for their houses and provide a monthly allowance.
All of the steps the government has taken to incorporate first nation people into the society has only driven a larger gap between them. Because of the special treatment the native people receive, the avarage Canadian often feels inferior and may go so far as a resentment towards the native people.
The separation between the natives and the non-natives starts as early as elementary school. In my friend's school, the first nation students attended regular classes with everybody else but also had seperate classes just for native students. Later on, in her high school, the first nation students have their own special office and do not attend regular classes. Mixing of first nations and non-native Canadians is never seen in the school and it is very unfortunate that such a division is made when they should be included and treated just as anybody else.
