Close Reading

First, I want to thank you for making this video. The health of a country, or the health of an individual which are clearly linked, is dependent on our ability to see ourselves and each other, and make necessary changes to improve in the areas that we lack personally, and as communities in our beautiful country of Canada and other countries as well. Well, it’s a work in progress. I appreciate how you’ve inspired us to speak about things that aren’t necessarily spoken about. At least not where I live and have lived in Canada. Thank you so much for that opportunity. It doesn’t matter about my opinion. What matters is sharing our own thoughts, feelings, and experiences because they aren’t debatable. \n\nWe are in violation of Multiple Human Rights violations against Inuit , Indigenous and Métis people by the United Nations. Most have no water to drink—not even boiled water and bottled water is available sometimes when it’s brought to reservations . Children don’t have the same access to books. So many thousands of bodies of children taken to residential schools from their parents arms and community for over 160 years yet the deep wounds aren’t given compassion by most people anymore and systemic abuse actively impacts them and therefore all of Us . We are all one whether we see people as other’ or not. We’re humans. \n They’re not seen in media unless it’s a bad story yet we’re only now teaching one mandatory class by non indigenous people. Solution: elders teach their grandchildren languages that weren’t erased by genocide and environmental /spiritual cultural practices and lifestyles before they’re gone by paying first people elders and streaming it into all Canadian classrooms so the children can see a future where they’re valued and all Canadian kids can get a full education and learn accurate history. Making canoes, baskets, sacred ceremonies, food growing (that they taught to pilgrims so they’d survive here), etc. No, I’m not indigenous. I’m an immigrant like all but the first people. They’ve an amazing culture that’s been all but lost . When we don’t see ourselves represented in any media, any careers, and start our lives in extended poverty based on our race, and all that was taken still today, it’s no wonder the teen suicide rate for indigenous youth is more than double / triple all non - indigenous youth. The numbers are growing. \nI live in Care due to my physical disabilities . An international nursing student worked for me providing personal care like showers, meal prep etc and over that year, she said she wouldn’t have moved here specifically because of a few things I’ve mentioned. She told me Canada was sold to people in her country of origin as a ‘multicultural’ safe haven without extreme racism still prevalent today and within our history. \n\nI’m ashamed of Canadian government promises for over 100 years that aren’t fulfilled. All children deserve healthy drinking Water and an education. Period. Especially, the ambassadors of this amazing land that they see as themselves without separation. That’s accurate. We will have nothing to stand upon if we don’t protect the earth. It will go on without us. \n\nI see many things in the comments I’ve seen or experienced, unfortunately. This is a beautiful country for so many reasons. It’s important that from such abundance we listen to your video, look at ourselves honestly and i feel, be the change we want to see in the world like Gandhi said.\n\nMuch love and healing from an All inclusive advocate. All life matters.

It is a shame that this woman faced some ignorance, but the arrogance of trying to label all Canadians as white supremacists is sad to say the least. I am white and I faced a ton of racism growing up from the indigenous community in my home town. Did I call them all racists? No, what I, and many other Canadians did and still do is make the effort to learn about these other cultures rather than playing the victim and then slandering the good, hard working, tolerant people of Canada. If she has so many problems with racism in Canada, well as our lovely cousins to the south say, leave. After reading more of these comments I now realize my words would fall on deaf ears, so many victims here. I represent a large group of people who do not judge any by the color of their skin, but rather by the content of their character. I wish you all the best in your quest for whatever it is you are looking for.

its too cold up their any way ,,, Canada is liberated for all Canadians ,,, you aint Canadian ,,,, they have been discriminating against the indigenous people of Indian descent ,, they let the queen of england kidnapped and hell who know what happened to those children ,, but I bet you some someone canadian knew..

Imagine being a black indigenous people here for over 400+ years they don't acknowledge us as indigenous and being black just as bad as the US but they're very silent about it. This is all over Canada sadly. Even in Toronto Ontario there's a lot of discrimination as well even in Nova Scotia where a lot of black indigenous people reside... Or the largest group of black folks but sadly we've done it to ourselves when you look at this history.. 2023 and we still have no solid change at being looked at as an equal... When we get our resources together and start practicing nepatism perhaps things may change but we still have a long ways to go... And it's overwhelmingly sickening.. especially when we gaslighting situations.

Etown sucks! Try Calgary it's way better than Edmonton. Sorry to inform you girl but racism is real and is everywhere in North America! Being black in Canada or the USA is alot easier than being native American. I'm on your side but the reality is the indigenous peoples of North America have it worse than black people. Racism is a reality of life because white people have been taught that they are superior since birth and even if they are not taught that their white privilege eventually shows through.

Study the history of what was done to the indigenous people of Canada in the 17 and 1800s. It was disgusting and evil.

We have a leader who seems to be deeply invested in shutting down our oil and gas industry. He shut down oil and gas. Which put hundreds of people out of work. Then he slapped us with a carbon tax. He told us the carbon tax dollars would be invested toward producing green energy projects and manufacturing jobs. So far, the Carbon tax went up again, he banned plastic straws, he’s hitting our farmers with heavy restrictions on fertilizer, because it’s not green enough. \nMany of our indigenous communities have been living for years with contaminated water. He promised he was going to ensure the indigenous communities have access to clean drinking water. He has not fulfilled that promise. \nHe’s bidding $30 billion dollars to hopefully sign a deal to manufacture electric car batteries for Volkswagen. \nHe’s investing in other projects, as well. Unfortunately, he’s only investing in eastern provinces. \nSo far, there has been no investments in western provinces yet. Many of the out of work oil and gas workers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are still waiting on the jobs they were promised. \nLow wages, high inflation, high taxes and high income housing is bringing a lot of us to our knees. \nOur leader is corrupt. It seems like every week there is another corrupt scandal he and his government are involved in. \nI can’t speak for every Canadian, but I can say with absolute certainty that a large number of us are sick and tired of our current leader. Most of us live with the hope that if our leader can get voted out. Canada may have a chance to go back to the way our beautiful country used to be.

We're polite and nice until we're taken advantage of or treated like an idiot! Kindness is important, but doing what's morally right is more important to me personally! So if that means me speaking up or calling out bs when I see it, I will! I do believe in giving each person their own clean slate. I adjust according to the person! That just means I don't assume anything about a person based on race, the job they have, the car they drive, how they look, the clothes they wear. Those things have no bearing on how I choose friends! It's all about the content of one's character! I do keep to myself most of the time but strive to be kind and polite when I'm around others! But everyone is different. You will run into aholes anywhere you go! Canada is NO EXCEPTION. You have to be careful still about how you move. For example as an indigenous woman I don't go out alone after dark. You can't just trust anyone and leave yourself vulnerable because you never known what someone's intentions are. You can find people that are so unkind. You can also find some of the nicest people in the world here. I imagine the same can be said about any country. Our government certainly doesn't represent us personally. We all have our own personalities and lives! And I don't judge others based on their race religion or their government at home! When I was a kid there was no shortage of people letting me know I'd never amount to anything. So yeah you can find aholes anywhere you go! Please don't leave yourself vulnerable and assume everyone here has good intentions! Especially if you travel alone! We still have a lot of issues you probably never heard of! You have to be careful anywhere you go! ❤

Tell me is this what you are wanting from our government? White powerful men murdered, stole land, inflicted disease and forced them onto reserves. They kidnapped their children and forced them to go to residential schools. Many Indigenous children never went back home and parents weren't informed if they died. The survivors that returned home have PTSD which still affects their families and community. Treaties are not honoured and they are the most disrespect people in Canada. We see the homes some live in and we wouldn't allow our pets to live there and some don't have clean water to this day. Our government has provided some relief; however, it is a trickle of the help and support they deserve. Many Canadians deem them as drunks, drugged and/or lazy. If we had and have to live like that we would be the same. The government whitewashed our history and don't teach true history. If you knew their true history you would be amazed at how strong many are and they continue to fight with not a lot of support from the rest of us.\n\nSo, tell me is this the help you want from our government?

Yes, I agree on some of the comments like; silent racism, cost of living and also about the dark history about Indigenous kids disappearance in catholic school.I know am 10yrs old but not too young to talk about it, same time I cannot ignore about what I see and experience (current affairs)! Every country have their pros and cons. Yes, USA might have better offers then Canada. I m not judging anyone or any country just sharing my experience’s For example: My family gad trip to windy City of Chicago US in December of 2022 with my parents and younger sister, before my visit I assumed that we will enjoy and have fun during trip but it was quite opposite “compared to what I see in Toronto” more homeless and addicts bullying pedestrians for money and when we had problem with ATM at bank the customer service was unfriendly and rude to us ( my parents having Asian background) people just degrade when they are from other culture: it is not fair to talk about Canada just because how a Country and it’s Governments works…. I am thankful being Canadian.

Canada is actively trying to kill off it's homeless instead of having shelters and mental health support. Like actual city hall talking about hoping the winter kills off homeless. I don't get how the world thinks Canada is this great place. I've been here 54 years, it's poor and horrible to it's own people especially if they're indigenous or homeless. Canada sucks and we're hoping the world doesn't notice.

I want to hear what the Native people have to say. All of the tribes in Canada, what they think and feel about everything, and how specifically they would like to be supported because it seems that any efforts made (though small) have missed the mark, or misunderstood the needs, lifestyle and value of Native civilizations. \n\nIt is nice to hear Indigenous people named when speaking on these issues, however I very rarely hear from them, and if I do it is one person, or a non-Indigenous person who studies Native reconciliation, and often is not diverse in terms of age and, as I mentioned earlier, individual tribes.

Canada; another stolen land where the British and French continue to occupy the ancestral lands of the genocided indigenous people… and Afrikans should be aware of this and group with the real natives of those lands!

I live in Canada, first it was ok but now it’s getting shitty with all the East Indian coming in to Canada and making Canada very harder, and they getting in the work force in positions and hiring there own people and they have no respect for black people , they same attitude they left from their country is the same behaviour they continue to excises here, smell very stinky, but is all to blame on the government and many of them not paying taxes because they agency runs bye Indian and they giving their own people work , and our children who born here cannot get jobs, thanks for your program and your true thoughts on why many people leaving Canada, Canada is changing rapidly, but remember it is written in the holy scriptures that these kingdoms will fall because of the rape rob and Mordor that they have done to the natives indigenous people of this land likewise our mother land African, bible prophecy have to fulfill.

Highly appreciate of you discovering the Canada, kindly put some light on Indigenous people suffering and and how many have parishes since also , how many indigenous children skeletons so far has discovered from the Catholic Church schools ??

I do not mean to be negative here but anyone of you who is well settled outside Canada, don't come to Canada!, unless you want to do labor work. I know people who have done Masters in Software engineering are working in a Pizza shops. If there is one job opening there are 10 thousand applicants for the same job. Companies showing fake jobs to satisfy govt. pressures. Automated refusals replies of your job applications are common.\n People get hired on sources and within companies. Racism exists, results are killings every now and then. Go and watch news channels like CP24. Thieves are here. Things do get stolen. Recently mass graves are found near schools in multiple areas of small children of indigenous people who were tortured and killed by white supremacy in the past. Recently a whole family is killed by a maniac. No capital punishments so killers, rapists walks free after 10-15 years tops.\n\nAshir sahib is being a little dramatic. I guess the agony of Pakistani bureaucracy has influenced him so negatively that in his mind he is comparing Pakistani life with Canadian life. He himself was driving truck initially. may be now a days retired or staying home or may have sufficient funds. But don't get too excited with his kind words. He is only showing the good side of Canada in some sort of excitement. \nThe bitter truth is that unemployment rate is too high here. Govt hides the truth. They couldn't even handle the pandemic properly. Alcohol is cheap marihuana (Hashish, Charas) is legal now. Every 3rd person is smoking weed. Drunk drivers kills innocents on roads often. Every region have different rules and regulations and policies. I moved to Niagara region and they charged me $200 deposit for water $200 deposit for hydro plus monthly bills separate. $1800 to $2000 is the rent of one bed apartment. Burlington where he lives has $2800 to $3000 rent monthly for a house. Go check online! Price of buying a home is in millions of dollars. Go check real estate.

What about all of the indigenous people of Canada that are ostracized from systematic racism? Black folks having more of a voice in Canada because the racism is underlying. In America, it's in your face

I’m tired of Canada making it about black people. The racism that occurs in the US has nothing does not ever compare to Canada. The racism in Canada is against the indigenous and do not forget that fight. Stop shoving your ass on the backs of the indigenous it is not the same

Canada is one of the worst places to immigrate to. I’m Canadian. I know what it’s like to live here. Plus I’m indigenous. So I’ve face racism and prejudice. Many think my people gets free handouts. From my experience that’s far from the truth. I’ve left my community for a better education. I was completely alone without parents and my siblings, living with an aunt that used me for another pay check. I couldn’t go to college because I couldn’t afford it, even tho I got accepted into three colleges. Now I’m working a part-time job that forces me to stand on my feet all day. Not many job opportunities are out here unless you’ve gone to college or obtain training. plus the rate for rent is horrendous.

There is lot of emotion in this piece, but not very much context or fact. Indigenous people suffer from addictions and mental illness more than the rest of Canada due -inter generational trauma, and resulting loss of dignity. While racism exists today, even if we were to eradicate entirely, indigenous people would still need help due to the damage done in the past. The solution is not fomenting more bitterness and resentment. This is not an easy fix and indigenous people need to be part of it. We need to find a solution where they can rediscover their identity, foster healthy norms within their own nation, while also being part of this nation. Look up Durkheim. Defunding the police is an utterly idiotic idea. Police need more training, and hence more funding, to help them do a better job.

White Canadians need to stop living in denial and start listening to the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of colour here in Canada.\n*NOW. IT CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER.*

The facts surrounding cannabis sales (demographic, buys) in Canada after it was legalized should be the most damning statistic there is. How does the RCMP justify their historical arrest rate of black and Indigenous people for cannabis possession when you see the actual demographic and customer base for cannabis.

Awesome topic: Racism in Canada!! Of it exists... As an indigenous women, minorities do not get a voice or platform. It’s hard to even step outside the door most day. Indigenous people are hated. It’s getting worse everyday.

What about the indigenous people of Canada & USA? People should read their history and understand the truth behind where they came from. Its funny how people forget how some nations are built.

Canada was founded only for white Europeans. It was never intended for people of colour. Even the indigenous aboriginals and enslaved Africans who were and are part of the story of Canada but written out of the official Canadian history books are not wanted here either. There is a secret plan to ethnically cleanse the country by eventually removing all people of colour from the country. The United States is also moving in that direction. The profiling is intended as a micro aggression to make non whites feel uncomfortable and mentally damaged and to push immigrants of colour out of the country.

The Canadian president is a moron he tries to throw this out for publicity it backfires because he doesn't necessarily live in the poverty and the desperation at Immigrant families living so he doesn't know that when they hear him say something it's going to spread like wildfire and communities are going to shift and things are going to change and then he goes on the defensive sending some a****** to Los Angeles to tell everybody their hopes are false inshort that's all he said at least in this documentary he probably just wanted high-skilled immigrant labor for cheap not blue collar workers and either way Canada belongs and will always belong to indigenous people no matter how many people speak French in that cold-ass funky place from Cali with love we are all citizens of Earth can't wait till this old mentality goes away under the truth

Yep..when Europeans showed up on the shores of North Americas..They were also scared of the indigenous people...Go Figure...Please Canada Knock off the BS..Lets deal with this properly.