We Took Their Land. Now They Have No Homes

The brutality that so-called “civilized” colonialists have inflicted on defenceless people around the world in the name of “improving” their lives is truly breathtaking.

Indigenous Canadians are one such group. Like their neighbours to the south, they too lost their homes to settlers who arrived from across the oceans with powerful weapons and a voracious appetite for everything they could seize and exploit. Indigenous families were torn apart in the name of “Western” education, and the mistreatment they endured at the hands of their conquerors is still being revealed in mass graves throughout Canada. Sadly, after centuries of being treated as third-class citizens in their own land, successive Canadian governments have yet to find a lasting solution to the issues that afflict these communities.

The latest crisis affecting this vulnerable group is housing.

According to a recent report from social activists advocating for Indigenous rights, while Canada promotes itself as progressive and inclusive, thousands of Indigenous families are living in overcrowded, mouldy homes without access to clean drinking water and with decaying infrastructure. This is not a relic of history; it is a current reality that starkly contradicts Canada’s international reputation as a “first-world” country.

The Reality: Statistics reveal a troubling trend across Indigenous communities nationwide. Indigenous households experience overcrowding at rates six times higher than non-Indigenous Canadian homes. Multiple families often share a single dwelling due to a shortage of available housing, and children do their homework in shifts because there isn’t a quiet space.

This constant overcrowding creates stress and spreads illness rapidly within households. Children growing up in these conditions face serious repercussions for their development and well-being. Privacy becomes a distant dream for families in their own homes.

Currently, 29 long-term drinking water advisories remain active in First Nations communities across Canada. Families are forced to buy bottled water for drinking, cooking, and brushing their teeth because their tap water is unsafe. The psychological burden of not trusting one’s water supply profoundly impacts daily life.

This Situation Demands a Solution, Now: Addressing this crisis requires sustained funding, community control, and urgent action from all levels of government. First Nations need resources to build homes that reflect their designs and cultural requirements. Infrastructure improvements must be implemented alongside new construction rather than postponed indefinitely.

Finally, the federal government must honour treaty obligations with concrete actions rather than empty promises. Real progress involves listening to Indigenous voices and respecting their expertise regarding their own needs. Canada must translate its rhetoric on reconciliation into tangible investments that ensure fundamental dignity and improved living standards for all.

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