Professional Documents
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Final Paper LONG - Edited
Final Paper LONG - Edited
Final Paper LONG - Edited
Brittany Long
Tom MacDonald
Dr.Abrams
20146889
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This paper will explore how postcolonial theory aids in uncovering colonial racialization
and its continuation in the present—analyzing the legacies that have affected indigenous People
and how the current Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has failed to address the issues
that postcolonial theory explores. The current TRC recommendations have adopted
reconciliation as a State-supported process involving schools to help repair and discuss the
broken relationship between Indigenous Peoples and settler Canadians. However, it still fails to
address the racialized systems of knowledge and power that exist in Canada today. Throughout
this paper, I will discuss how postcolonial theory, colonialism, and colonial racialization can
further expand on areas where the TRC is failing Indigenous Peoples. Additionally, I will be
analyzing the places where the current TRC is weak in fully recognizing the past and present
Indigenous Peoples have dealt with many hardships and difficulties since settlers came to
Canada and took their land away. The Canadian government established the Indian residential
school system, which was operated with help from the United Roman Catholic Presbyterian and
Anglican churches. Their primary goal was to provide Indigenous children with religious
training, teach them English or French and help develop skills that would allow them to function
successfully in a settler society (Petoukhov, 2021). Not only did these schools uproot children
from their families, but they also took away their culture and were often subject to physical,
mental, and sexual abuse by the staff of these schools. Many attempts have been made to
compensate for the effects of residential schools, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
(TRC) was one of them. The TRC was established in 2008 as part of a court-mandated
settlement for survivors of a residential school system (Eisenberg, 2018). Despite this effort, the
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current TRC has failed to address the issues such as empire, colonialism, and their legacies. It
has also failed to acknowledge injustice as a thing of the present and not the past.
Postcolonial theory sees the world in terms of empire, colonialism, imperialism, and their
legacies, analyzing how they need to be acknowledged to break down the systems of race and
power to improve the current TRC. Empire and processes such as colonialism and imperialism
have been central to the making of modern societies (Go, 2018). Systems of race and power are
still prevalent in today’s society, affecting how certain groups, such as Indigenous Peoples, are
treated. Go discusses that through postcolonial theory, the world can recognize that social forms,
relations, social knowledge, and culture are typically influenced and shaped by the history and
structures of global hierarchy and power relations (Go, 2018). Analyzing and recognizing how
these factors play into the structures of today's society is essential to acknowledge the work that
still must be done to help reconcile with Indigenous Peoples. Postcolonial theory aids in
understanding ways in which we can improve the current TRC to help properly reconcile with
Indigenous Peoples while acknowledging the present-day forms of colonialism that still exist. Go
claims that postcolonial theory can be helpful for the sociology of race by turning its attention to
the themes of empire, colonialism, and their legacies. Acknowledging and confronting the
systems of race that still affect marginalized groups, such as Indigenous Peoples, will help
When discussing colonialism, it is essential to look at the culture of colonialism and how
this can produce different subjectivities for colonized/colonizers—diving deeper into how race is
acknowledged and becomes the foundation for these relations. Indigenous People were subject to
residential schools because of their race and culture. Indigenous People are often subject to a
settler Canadian "culture" because not many People have knowledge surrounding Indigenous
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Peoples and their culture/language. Indigenous People's culture is not commonly discussed, with
very little recognition. Accepting our past and the mistakes made along the way is the first step
to breaking down these subjectivities for Indigenous Peoples. Canada is still very divided
between Indigenous Peoples and settler Canadians. The government needs to take steps to
dismantle the structures of colonialism that still exist, such as visible displays of settler
colonialism by having statues, plaques, and public displays honouring historical figures.
Beginning to create displays of Indigenous Peoples and places of significance can help bring
recognition to their land while educating People about the past and present injustices.
Colonial racialization is another factor to consider and discuss ways it can be used to help
improve the TRC. It was only through the imperial encounter and systems of colonial power that
race was invented, constructed, and deployed as a tool of power in the first place (Go, 2018). The
manipulation of the race was used to help create a system of power for settlers, allowing them to
create a hierarchy where they were on top. Indigenous Peoples had to follow the policies created
and produced to stay out of trouble. An example of this would be complying by sending their
children to these "school systems". Racialization can be used to help justify policies that are
made for those who do not fit the definition of a settler colonialist. Colonialism racialized,
fragmented, and hierarchized colonized groups such as Indigenous Peoples for the maintenance
of colonial power and dominance (Nnaemeka, 2008). Settlers formulated policies for Indigenous
Peoples that led and allowed them to maintain power through structural racialization. Therefore,
analyzing how colonial racialization took place will allow us to shed light on areas where
Indigenous People are still racialized. Once this is done, we can explore how the TRC has failed
once again to discuss all actions and systems currently present in society today.
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The current TRC has been operating based on recognition and not fully addressing or
focusing on what postcolonial theory says about colonialism (Eisenberg, 2018). In Coulthard’s
book Red Skin, White Mask, he illustrates how politics of recognition do not take power and
(Coburn, 2016). The system built to help reconcile with Indigenous Peoples was mainly about
recognizing the injustices that occurred and acknowledging the harm done. However, this falls
short for Indigenous Peoples because injustice is not only a thing of the past but a thing of the
present. Indigenous Peoples are currently facing power systems and structural inequalities that
affect their day-to-day lives. Actions speak louder than words, and Canada must do more than
recognize the harm done. As there is still harm being done, the TRC fails to highlight this. It is
crucial that settler Canadians take the time to reflect on their position in the injustice, whether
they were alive or not when residential schools occurred. How might they benefit from the
societal structures in place today, recognizing that these same structures affect and perpetuate
marginalized Indigenous Peoples? Instead, the TRC blames the past and is unwilling to take
There has been evidence to suggest that many Canadians misunderstand or fail to
acknowledge the history and lasting structures of settler colonialism in Canada (Miles, 2019).
involving schools to help repair and discuss the broken relationship between Indigenous Peoples
and settler Canadians. Schools are starting to teach about reconciliation; however, they are
lacking in addressing the current structures of colonialization still in place today. Instead, they
are solely addressing colonial violence and injustice towards Indigenous Peoples as parts of our
past, not acknowledging the current racialized systems that still exist (Miles,2019). Failing to
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discuss and educate students about settler colonialism in Canada is upsetting and frustrating for
Indigenous Peoples. Once again, the TRC does not fully recognize the continuation of
colonialism. This needs to be a priority while also recognizing and discussing the continuation of
colonialism that lies within our current structures, as this will help further reconcile with
Indigenous People. Throughout his paper, Miles makes three insightful challenges that teachers
need to face to help appropriately educate about our past with Indigenous Peoples while acting
on the TRC's recommendations. First, he wants teachers to challenge the settler-colonial state
and acknowledge that injustice is not a thing of the past but of the present while also encouraging
There is still a high percentage of Indigenous Peoples and reserves that do not have
access to clean drinking water and affordable food and often have little access to healthcare.
Canada is not trying to help accommodate Indigenous Peoples, continuing to invest and support
parts of the country where it may not be needed as much. When it comes to actions, Canada falls
short as, when looked at closer, the TRC aims to change attitudes surrounding Indigenous
Peoples instead of putting effort into fixing the systems. The government lacks the effort to
tackle the more significant problems, such as current systems of race and power. The TRC wants
to help repair the relationship with Indigenous Peoples. However, they only want to put in so
much work, failing to discuss empire, colonialism and the legacies that currently exist in the
country. Along with this, pipelines are being built through the reserves of Indigenous Peoples
showing that we again do not respect them or their land and are willing to do anything for
economic gain.
The TRC fails to recognize the present racialized systems of knowledge and power that
exist in Canada today. However, as mentioned earlier, postcolonial theory analyzes how empire
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and colonialism matter and need to be acknowledged to break down these systems of race and
power to improve the current TRC. In Canada, the systems put in place were meant to benefit
white colonists, creating huge disadvantages for Indigenous Peoples. The TRC lacks to tackle
these racialized systems to help improve the lives of Indigenous Peoples. Postcolonial theory can
help highlight the systems of empire, colonialization and, most importantly, the legacies
affecting Indigenous Peoples, which can help dismantle the current TRC, highlighting its weak
points. These systems can be seen when looking at education, employment and poverty rates for
Indigenous Peoples compared to the rest of the population. Indigenous People always fall short
on these systems because of the lack of funding and accessibility. As well, healthcare outcomes
for Indigenous Peoples are also lower because of access but also treatment. Healthcare staff from
an Alberta Hospital ranked non-indigenous People as more urgent than a First Nation, further
exemplifying one of many racialized systems that still exist today (Yourex-West, 2022). Other
examples include high incarceration rates of Indigenous Peoples and the lack of police
involvement in cases surrounding the missing and murdered Indigenous woman. Therefore, the
TRC needs to make improvements to tackle these systems and improve the experiences of
Indigenous Peoples.
The term reconciliation is still a profoundly problematic term that many do not
understand or agree with. The concept of reconciliation in Canada is contentious, and there is no
agreed-upon framework or definition (Miles, 2019). How can the TRC be successful if many still
do not understand reconciliation or agree with it? Canada lacks a foundation for reconciliation,
making empty promises to Indigenous Peoples, and is not trying to restructure the state. Instead,
they are attempting to change attitudes and beliefs surrounding Indigenous People, which yet
again is not tackling the current structures of colonialism that are in place. The commission’s
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mandate was broad, and it called for a commitment from the ‘People’ of Canada, whether they
However, how can one participate in reconciliation if there is not an agreed-upon definition or
framework that should be followed? Canada says it wants to reconcile with Indigenous Peoples.
However, they do not want to put in the work and challenge the systems of race and power that
Overall, the TRC falls short of taking steps to reconcile with Indigenous Peoples. The
commission lacks a clear definition of agreed-upon terms, leaving many confused about what
reconciliation truly means. Postcolonial theory, colonialism, and racialized colonialism can aid in
analyzing how the TRC has failed Indigenous Peoples. There is a lack of recognition of the
current systems affecting Indigenous Peoples. The TRC has been failing Indigenous Peoples for
many years, and they deserve more than just recognition of past mistakes, but actions to change
the current systems affecting Indigenous Peoples. In conclusion, the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission needs to make changes, including adding steps to dismantle the racialized systems
that currently exist in Canada. While also acknowledging and discussing present legacies and
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Bibliography:
Coburn, Elaine. 2016. “Coulthard, Glen Sean. Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the
Go, Julian. 2018. “Postcolonial Possibilities for the Sociology of Race” Sociology of
Miles, James. 2019. "Teaching history for Truth and Reconciliation: the challenges and
311.
Nnaemeka, Obioma. 2008. "Racialization And The Colonial Architecture: Othering And
America 123(5):1748-1751.
indigenous-patients-is-growing-is-a-reckoning-in-canadian-health-care-overdue/).