Cultural assimilation of Indigenous people

As soon as the French settled in North America, they attempted to “civilizeˮ Indigenous people. Relying mostly on the efforts of missionaries, their goal was to make Indigenous people remain in one location and habituate them to living according to French customs. During the 19th and 20th centuries European Canadians instituted numerous policies to accelerate this process, largely through the Department of Indian Affairs, whose course of action consisted of close supervision and forced guardianship with a view to assimilation. Legislation, such as the various versions of the Indian Act, which provided a paternalistic framework for the management of Indigenous affairs, upheld the government’s objective. The removal of leaders, a ban on traditional spiritual practices and ceremonies, and the insistence on residential schools were part of Ottawa’s policy of assimilation, against which many Indigenous people protested. The policy had far-reaching consequences for First Nations communities. Many people today consider it cultural genocide.