Minorities and Human Rights

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Minorities and Human Rights

Post-WW2

Inuit

Inuit families living in Inukjuak forced to move

Canada joined the NORAD; gave Americans control of the Arctic

Americans were building a radar station in Inukjuak

The Inuit families were not informed about the construction

Immigrants

Japanese-Canadians given full citizenship rights

Japanese-Canadians given $1,222,829

Immigrants from China, India and Sri Lanka allowed into Canada

Canada accept’s Jewish refugees

United Nations and Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Everyone given equal rights

All human beings are born equal

WW2

First Nations Soldiers

Leaders were tricked into selling reserves at cheap prices

First Nations soldiers were promised extra land and financial support after the war

When soldiers returned, they got no extra land and they weren’t given any extra financial support

Japanese-Canadians

After Pearl Harbor, America pressured Canada to do something about Japanese people living in Canada

Canada ordered all “enemy aliens” to either leave the country or go to detention centers

Men had to live in camps that had no insulation

There were 10 showers for 1500 women

French People

Only agreed to go to war if Canadian government promised it would not enact Conscription

Canadian government still enacted Conscription in 1944

Most men went to serve in the military

Women started to work in the factories

Black women faced discrimination

Forced to make dangerous things like grenades

Pre-WW2

Jewish Refugees

Canada didn't accept them

Said it was the USA and Cuba’s problem

Hitler

Became the leader of Germany

Sent Gypsies etc. to concentration camps

Targeted Jews and killed them

Stripped Jewish people of citizenship

Great Depression

Chinese people

Paid only half the wages of the white people

Roaring 20s

Famous Five

Challenged government by asking if women could be appointed to the senate

The supreme court responded by saying that they couldn’t

Eventually, the government allowed women to be appointed to the senate

Residential Schools

All First Nations children between 7-15 years forced to go to residential schools

Lots of children died at the schools

Epidemic of disease like Tuberculosis

Punished if they spoke their own language

Physically and sexually abused

Chinese People

Chinese Immigration Act

Found it very difficult to get jobs

When they applied, the companies always said they were full

WW1

Conscription

Conscription enacted in 1917

Anger in French-Canadians

Felt they had nothing to do with the war

Riots and rallies in Montreal by French-Canadians

Enemy Aliens

People from German backgrounds labelled “Enemy Aliens”

The Act that allowed women to vote also took away the right for people of German to vote

War Measures Act

Allowed government to easily put the “enemy aliens” into camps

Paid $0.25 a day

Forced to build roads and national parks

Started to work in factories

Got the right to vote in 1917

Only white women got the right to vote

Women of color didn’t get hired into the workforce

Women of color like Black still didn’t get the right to vote

Black-Canadian Soldiers

Showed their heroics in the army

Recommended to get medals but they were denied since they were black

Commander of the army said that neither him or his men would sleep or even sit with a Black soldier

French-Canadian Soldiers

Given very little supplies during WW1

The French-Canadian soldiers were not promoted within the army

The army manuals were not in French

Reactions to Canadian Declaration of WW1

Women

Didn’t have any say on if they wanted the war to happen

Had to endure the consequences of war

Pre-WW1

Komagata Maru

Forced to go back to India after 2 month stalemate

Had people from India ethnicity

1950s

Bill of Rights

First Nations allowed to vote

Protects freedom of speech, religion and press

St. Lawrence Seaway project

Communities living near the St. Lawrence river are displaced

USA pairs with Canada

1960s

Contraception

Government legalized contraception

Birth Control Pill

Official Languages Act

Equal status to French and English

Government services available in both languages

Africville

Residents forced to move to Halifax

Residents had very bad living conditions

No running water and sewage system

Canadian Radio-Television Commission (CRTC)

Show concerns of Aboriginal people

Television programming reflect Canadian culture and multiculturalism

Universal Health Care

Medical Care Act

All Canadians granted free health care

1970s

Royal Commission on the Status of Women

167 different recommendations to improve quality of life of women

Jeanette Lavelle

Pressured government by saying that the Indian Act was discriminatory

Said that if a Indian man married a non-Indian women, he wouldn’t lose Indian status

If a Indian women married a non-Indian man, she would lose Indian status

Irene Murdoch

Divorced her husband and asked for 50% of their farm

Worked 25 years on Farm

Court denied

Said it was expected for a regular farmwive to work 25 years

James Bay project

Signed without telling Aboriginal people in the area

1980s

Indian women

Could marry Non-Indian men and still keep Indian status

Inherit family land

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Gave Aboriginals treaty and normal rights

Equal rights to both men and women

1990s

Canada

Involved in global missions that helped solve human rights issues

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples

Submits its report

Sets out 440 recommendations over a 20 year plan

2000s

MV Sun Sea

Allowed into Canada

Left Sri Lanka due to violence in country

2010s

Temporary Workers

Thousands of temporary migrant workers deported

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Releases its report

94 actions to "redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation."

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Canada agrees with it