Anishinabee social movment - Research Paper Example

For instance, Japanese immigrants were deported from the country as soon as the war ended. Blacks, women and especially the aboriginals faced racial discrimination from white settlers. The Indian Act, which was enacted in 1876, ensured that the government would control all lands belonging to the natives. It also aimed at assimilating Indians into western culture and abolishing their own customs. However, after serious coercing from Indian movements, the act was changed in favor of the natives in 1951.

Key customs and cultural ceremonies that had been banned, such as pow-wow and potlatches, were reenacted. The natives, for the first time were allowed to own and drink alcohol; though the drinking was restricted to Indian reserves. By this time majority of Indians were still not allowed to vote. The few who enjoyed the benefits of voting were the enfranchised Indians, who were completely assimilated into the western culture. (Canada in the Making, n.d.) However, this rule was also abolished in 1960 when non-enfranchised Indians were allowed to vote in federal elections.

Though it seemed that Indians were headed for the right direction, they were denied the right to govern themselves. Another blow came when Pierre Trudeaus came to power in 1968. Issuing a White Paper, he openly opposed treaty negotiations with the aboriginals. Furthermore, his government clashed with the natives on the land rights. As a result, they responded to him with a document dubbed Citizen Plus in 1970, later known as the Red Paper. Backed by a delegation of aboriginals and other Canadian citizens, the paper opposed all policies of the new regime.

Eventually, the government accepted their radical proposals. (Canada in the making, n.d.) At the onset of the ‘70s, there were rapid reforms that uplifted several discriminatory laws affecting aboriginals. For instance, in 1969 Joseph Drybones was convicted for drinking outside the reserves. He fought the case up