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Canada’s Challenges toward Decolonization and the Next Steps

Below is a course paper during my Peace and Conflict Studies. The core concepts of the course used non-violent resistance as the primary approach for resolving conflict, including violent conflict. The most influential study statistically proved that non-violent resistance (NVR) is the most sound approach to winning a conflict. This study by Chenoweth and Stephan (2008) should be primary source of reasoning as to why violent conflict should never occur.

Other parts of the course included peacebuilding approaches and differenc mechanisms to enable peacebuilding. I focused my research on the Aboriginal and Canada relationship. Below is the course paper, reproduced.

Abstract

While Canada has built a reputation as peacekeepers as Lester B Pearson won the nobel peace prize for creating the UN Peacekeeping Forces as a non-partisan body to reinforce ceasefires, Canada itself suffers from a different conflict. From the long colonization process, harsh treatments of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada were assimilated to become "Canadian". Methods that were used include land and resource control, culturual genocide, disenfrancishement and disempowerment of the peoples, and the infamous residential schools. Over 200 years of systematic cultural genocide and colonization continues to this day. This paper presents one possible solution of decolonization and reconciliation through the study of peace and conflict scholars, Aboriginal grassroots initiatives, the Calls of Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). 

Canada’s Challenges toward Decolonization and the Next Steps

The Conceptual Framework

The arrival of European settlers to North America required the help of the Aboriginal peoples of North America. Disease, war and broken promises killed, assimilated and created a two century-long genocide against the Aboriginals who had helped the settlers. European politics took precedence and changed the face of the land leading toward the creation of a new country over existing ones. The struggle and battles carry long lasting effects of colonization which is still ongoing to this day without resolve. The aim of the paper is to examine the challenges ahead of Canada’s decolonization process and give recommendations for a stronger reconciliation process. Discussion of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 based on Terra Nullius sets the stage for Canada’s current Aboriginal issues regarding UN Declaration of Rights on Indigenous People (UNDRIP), Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada, land, treaties, relationships and community impacts and how these recommendations can move Aboriginals and settlers working together toward a peaceful and equitable co-existence.

How to save the world in 17 different ways. UN Sustainable Development Goals

We’ve all heard it before, the world is coming to an end, not necessarily in an apocalyptic way, but due to our own faults. It could be because of inequality, oppression, terrorism, war, climate change, or corruption amongst many many other reasons we can conjure of. It’s maybe even sadder that no one wants to do anything about it and even for those who do, do not know how to make a difference. We become apathetic and desensitized and let inaction guide our actions. While countries across the world suffer, others benefit and nothing seems to be changing. And because of this, we have ultimately accepted our faith in humanity to die in crashing burning flames.

But you didn’t come here to read this. You came to see if there’s something that can be done, what is being done, and what can be changed to motivate yourself. September 25^th to the 27^th 2015, marks a momentous day in history and you probably didn’t even know it.

ICSD conference I presented at
regarding the UN Sustainable Development Goals

That was the day all the countries in the world collective decided to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to attempt to solve the world’s problems. Yes, you read that right. We decided to try and solve world problems collectively. During the UN General Assembly during that weekend, the countries decided to take up another 15 years effort (the first 15 years being the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which expired 2015). What are these problems in the world, you may ask? Well, I’ll reverse the question onto you. What do you perceive to be world problems? Poverty? Climate change? Inequality? War? 

Well, 17 goals that were signed on by all the countries aim to solve all these and more.