Man. I would love to see a similar letter applied to "White Canada" - racism against the Aboriginal peoples is very real here, but I feel that it's much less "in your face" than in the US. I'm not sure which one is more dangerous. I think a lot people see the world as very black and white (pun intended). As such, when challenged to self-examine, their first response tends to be, "Well, how can I fix it? What can I do to be better?" It's often something I ask myself, but I'm still not sure what the answer is. And perhaps without that answer, that's why people seem to be so reluctant to take on this constant battle with themselves.
The First Nations are substantially more powerful than Native Americans. They're also more numerous. There are under three million Native Americans in the United States in a population of 350 million; there are almost a million First Nations People in Canada in a population of 35 million. I grew up in New Mexico (10% Native American), moved to Washington (2% Native American) and lived in California (1% Native American). In New Mexico, particularly where I was, the Hispanics (47% of the population) deeply resented the Native American population because they had perceived economic advantage from the Federal government, which was seen as a recent invader since the Hispanic culture of NM predated the United States by 200 years. However, the resources possessed by the Native Americans were sparse indeed and largely related to vast swaths of land and the ability to ticket, host gambling and sell fireworks thereon. In Washington, Native Americans were resented under everyone's breath because, well, for one thing don't be racist (the fact that I called Native Americans "Indians" when I arrived caused me a lot of grief, despite the fact that they were Indians where I grew up and still are) and for another thing, the benefits available to Native Americans were seen as unfair boons that encouraged sloth and debauchery. Fishing rights, for one. Tax exempt status. Which could be combined to allow the Native American tribes to lease out $1/year fishing rights to white sailors. That the majority of Native Americans in WA live in unhappy conditions was not seen as a counterbalance; obviously, white people wouldn't become child-beating alcoholics if they were given "free land" and subsidized living. Thus, dwellers on "the Rez" can be simultaneously condemned for living there and also for enjoying the advantages of not living there. In CA, Native Americans are a concept to be respected but never viewed. The on-ramp onto the PCH out of Santa Monica is named after a river that isn't there anymore in the language of a tribe that died out over a hundred years ago. Tribal casinos have a garnish of native american culture, like a lemon twist on a cocktail... they certainly aren't drenched in symbolism like the fourteen I passed on the way to Olive Garden growing up. And they certainly aren't "Indians." Indians are... Johnny Depp, for reasons none of us understood and are embarrassed to discuss now. And while I've never lived in British Columbia, I've spent as much time there as I can... and the vibe I got was that the First Nations weren't like any of these. The First Nations were a group with a lot of legislated power that they had by birthright and while there was resentment about that amongst the white folx, there wasn't much to be done about it... unlike those filthy Chinese and Indians (dots not feathers).
I suppose I am comparing the Canadian First Nations to racism against blacks in the United States. To be perfectly honest, I didn't even realize there were still Native Americans around. I can't speak for the Inuit (or any tribes in Eastern Canada) as I've never met any, but growing up in rural Alberta/Saskatchewan is much different than British Columbia. Japanese internment camps in WWII really defined a separation within Canada that still continues to exist, though most prominently in BC. "Indians", outside of liberal inner cities, is a term still widely accepted. There is a lot of thievery, a lot of issues concerning education, land, and money. Unfortunately in the prairies, this: |a lot of legislated power that they had by birthright and while there was resentment about that amongst the white folx is a problem when almost everyone seems to be white. Hopefully we can begin to see real change with an inquiry into the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, though many still believe they have "brought it on themselves." This article is a good start on the topic.
You won't hear this much, but racism in the United States is unique in that it gets addressed, not in that it exists. Consider: for most of Europe your choices are "native" or AUSLANDER. Melting pot? My ancestors fought yours in the Crusades! Canada and the US are on this list. Europe and Asia... aren't.
Living in the perpetual Anglos vs Francos battleground that is Quebec, I didn't even realize there were so many issues with the First Nations until this last election. I don't read the news much so the extent of my knowledge constituted the couple months in school spent learning the difference between Iroquoiens and Algonquiens and the sight of the same group drunk aboriginals downtown for the past 10 years :( I feel they really have not been part of the narrative for too long and we have failed them greatly by shoving their problems aside by pretending they don't exist... I hope to see a positive change soon: we owe it to all Canadian citizens to be treated well.