1. Missing the Roar

2. Aboriginal Nations • While others were enjoying new found prosperity (getting wealthier), some groups were not benefiting Ex. Aboriginal people • Aboriginals had volunteered for the war more than any other part of the Canadian population. • This did nothing to improve their rights back home. Francis Pegahmagabow

3. Aboriginal Nations • Still not “persons” under the law. • Couldn’t vote in provincial elections ‘til 1949. • Couldn’t vote in Federal (nation-wide) elections ‘til 1960. • Faced poverty, discrimination, and the horrors of residential school experience.

4. Residential School Experience • Students were traumatized by being separated from their parents, the foreign surroundings and sometimes abuse • Residential schools were run by churches and were part of the governments assimilation plan • Some students adapted and thrived • Very detrimental to FN culture

5. The Doorway to “civilization”

9. Aboriginal Nations • Challenged gov’t on 3 issues in the 20s. • Potlatch ceremony. • Cut-off lands • Aboriginal title

10. 1. Potlatch • Potlatch had been banned since 1884, but was more strongly enforced after WWI • Was seen as a barrier to assimilation (See p. 70) • The potlatch was very important to FN culture; it redistributed wealth, recorded history through oral histories and was the main structure of government

11. 2.Aboriginal Title/ Land Claims • Aboriginal title – means ownership of the land. • In BC there had been few land treaties where land had been signed away - Vancouver Island and part of Northeastern BC • Allied Tribes of BC petitioned the government to start treaty negotiations arguing the government had taken their land without consent • Govt amended the Indian Act forbidding the raising of money to pursue land claims

12. 3. Cut-off Lands • First Nations had been forced onto reserves through the Indian Act • However, government had been taking this land back = cut-off lands • This was challenged, so the government amended the Indian Act.

13. African Canadians • African American immigration had always been ‘discouraged’. • Faced discrimination. • Ex. Nova Scotia School Act of 1918 had separate schools for Blacks and Europeans. Policy didn’t change ‘til 1954. • Ex. Montreal Theatres were segregated. • Some tolerance Ex. Brotherhood of Railway workers allowed black members – 1st union to do so

14. Immigrants • Gov’t adopted immigration restrictions – intolerance from WWI - Russians and Eastern Europeans >Socialist revolutionaries • Unions supported the restrictions because they were unfair competition • But some didn’t want restrictions – farmers, railway owners = could pay them low wages. • Restrictions on Asian immigrants were the worst Ex. Chinese Exclusion Act & limits on Japanese • 1925 reduced restrictions when economy improved