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Myth Busters: Debunking Myths About Indigenous Peoples in Canada
Updated: Oct 17, 2023
The many myths surrounding the Indigenous People of Canada have grown throughout the years. Some have their beginnings in early forms of legislation, others in outright rumor.
Discrediting such myths and clarifying the issues which have much to do with Indigenous People’s rights and freedoms as they pertain to Canadian policy and programming is easily done with a few simple statements grounded in fact.
Here are the details behind some of the more popular myths around the Indigenous People in Canada. For more information on our Indigenous Awareness Training, please click here.
Myth #1: Almost Every Indigenous Person Lives On-Reserve
According to Statistics Canada, Indigenous People live in every Province and Territory of Canada, and not necessarily on-reserve. Ontario, Manitoba, the Prairies, and British Columbia are home to the largest share of Indigenous population. As of 2011, one in every five identified as a Status Indian resided on-reserve, and 54 percent of First Nation People lived in an urban centre. Little known fact but Canada has Reserves, the USA has Reservations.
Myth #2: Indigenous People are Protected by Treaties, Guaranteeing Income and Rights
Issues revolving around treaties have been in and out of the Canadian court system for years, some of which pertain to the environment, wildlife, governance, and land ownership. Likewise, financial benefit, taxation, and even spiritual and cultural beliefs have been subject to treaty provisions.
However, Indigenous People have not had the benefit of either guaranteed rights or income as a result of treaties negotiated with Canada. Of the many historical treaties signed within Canada from the 1870s to the 1920s, many have resulted in comprehensive land claims, court decisions, and settlements, which have barely touched on the initial livelihoods and healthy lifestyles Indigenous People would have enjoyed prior to such negotiations.
And, although land claim settlement monies are often paid to Indigenous communities in the form of a trust, very few communities partake in a per capita distribution (many require a majority vote from Band membership for such,) and allow the funds to remain in the trust for the long-term benefit of the community.
Myth #3: Indigenous People Don’t Pay Taxes
There are a few tax exemptions for Status Indians under the Indian Act (Section 87) however, for the most part, Indigenous People are taxed like every other individual. And, those individuals who are identified as Métis or Inuit are not exempt from taxation.
Legislation does identify that the personal property of an Indigenous person or a First Nation Band, located on-reserve, is exempt from tax.
Related: Indigenous Engagement
Likewise, employment income which is generated on-reserve can be tax-exempt. Each Canadian province has established policies with regard to Indigenous People and tax exemption, according to their jurisdiction.
Myth #4: Indigenous People Get Free Post-Secondary Education
Some funding is provided to Indigenous and Inuit communities for the purpose of supporting students in post-secondary education.
Programs have been established to contribute toward the cost of a post-secondary education for an Indigenous person, however, there are no such supports for those who self-identify as Métis or non-status Indian.
Likewise, not everyone who is eligible to receive such supports through their First Nation actually receives it. With increased demand on limited funds, some First Nation communities have taken it upon themselves to limit funding support for those students who are pursuing their first certificate in post-secondary education.
Still further limit supports to those who are residing on-reserve while in the pursuit of such education.
Myth #5: The Only Indigenous Business is in the Resource Sector
Including mining, forestry, agriculture, and oil and gas, only 13 percent of all Indigenous-owned small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs,) had a direct link to the resource sector. At present, the larger share of Indigenous enterprises is within the service sector, such as business development and management, and construction.
Myth #6: All First Nations Communities Are The Same
No two Indigenous Communities are the same regardless of their geographical location. Each First Nation has their own way of doing things and their independent way of life will differ greatly from other First Nations.
Regardless of the physical distance between First Nations; language (regional dialect), traditions, culture, community and society will differ from community to community.
Debunking Myths About Indigenous Peoples in Canada:
Myth #1: Almost Every Indigenous Person Lives On-Reserve
Myth #2: Indigenous People are Protected by Treaties, Guaranteeing Income and Rights
Myth #3: Indigenous People Don’t Pay Taxes
Myth #4: Indigenous People Get Free Post-Secondary Education
Myth #5: The Only Indigenous Business is in the Resource Sector
Myth #6: All First Nations Communities are the Same
To find out more about Indigenous Business, Relations and Partnerships, contact CIPS today for a consultation. Click here
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This article gave me a better way to think about focused web experiences. Pokémon Team Builder is one example I encountered when I needed to sketch out a Pokémon team before committing to it, and it kept the process pleasantly small.
Challenging myths is important because assumptions can easily shape how people communicate, make decisions and treat others without them even realising it.
That links naturally with level 5 people practice guidance, where inclusion, professional behaviours, organisational culture and evidence-based decision-making are all important parts of building fairer and more effective workplaces.
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The persistent claim that Indigenous people in Canada get a universal "free ride" on tuition ignores how competitive and capped the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) actually is. Individual bands receive a finite annual education budget from the federal government, which means communities often have to establish strict priority criteria or maintain waitlists that leave dozens of qualified students to take out standard student loans. A researcher on Veergame was breaking down public administration budgets, student grant allocations, and educational policy yesterday, and seeing how funding caps haven't matched inflation or demographic growth proves that higher education is far from an automatic, cost-free guarantee for every applicant.