There are still many issues facing the Indigenous populations in Canada. There’s a lack of jobs on reservations. As a result, ambitious young people leave their Indigenous communities in order to live and work outside of the reservation so they can earn a decent income. The separation from their family and community can leave them feeling isolated which has negative effects on their mental health. In comparison to the general population, fewer Indigenous peoples enroll in and graduate from college/university and have higher rates of drug use, unemployment, poverty, suicide and incarceration. The federal government should provide post-secondary subsidies for students with an Indigenous background. It should also provide career development and training programs in order to reduce the income gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. Remote Indigenous communities in the North still lack consistent and reliable access to clean water, electricity and adequate indoor heating despite the increases in federal funding. The federal government should fund permanent road and transportation infrastructure and increase the supply of essential resources to isolated communities.

Resource extraction of oil, gas and mining pollutes the air, land and water and disproportionately impacts the Indigenous communities that are located nearby. Federal and provincial government policies sometimes supersede Indigenous land sovereignty. For example, the federal government may construct a pipeline that passes over Indigenous land and violates territorial sovereignty because building Canada’s energy infrastructure has priority.

Individuals can contribute to reconciliation in a variety of ways. We can choose to support Indigenous-owned businesses. These include small businesses in the service sector such as hiring an Indigenous repair or handyperson, eating at a restaurant that employs an Indigenous chef or that offers an Indigenous cuisine. One can volunteer his/her time or donate money to charities that promote Indigenous causes. In the future, I’ll kindly ask family members and friends to avoid the use of derogatory terms in reference to Indigenous peoples.