Your Home and Native Land

Hello internet, and welcome to Wednesday!

Monday was Thanksgiving here in Canada, as I'm sure your bellies can recall. In the U.S. it was Columbus Day--something many people would like to see changed, as it turns out Columbus was kind of a big jerk. He's been accused of tyranny, terrorism and genocide. And, as often happens with big jerks in history, he went on to be painted quite favourably by settlers in the continent he claimed.

Columbus's attitude towards native peoples in the lands he conquered was a common one, and it had profound repercussions that continued far beyond the colonial era. It's well-known that the government of Canada has a shameful track record when it comes to ensuring that the needs of its indigenous groups are met. This leads me to my focus this week: Aboriginal women in Canada.