How does "resource exploitation on their land" play a part in this discussion. Seems like quite the non-sequitur. The way the residential school program was im

How does "resource exploitation on their land" play a part in this discussion. Seems like quite the non-sequitur. The way the residential school program was implemented was gross (it was massively underfunded leading to absurdly neglectful conditions and crowding, should never have been put in the hands of people who felt that Christianity was the purpose, and most importantly should have been voluntary), and was driven entirely by prejudice. However if you have essentially a people that time forgot in far flung locations while the rest of the world is rapidly progressing...it's a tough situation. There are people involved in the residential school program who probably really did have good intentions. They weren't a part of some broad "steal `their' resources" evil plot. And we face the echos of this problem to this day. Remote, extremely low density aboriginal groups. No, they don't want to "live off the land" (and the reserve is full of snowmobiles, pick up trucks and guns, and we have regular newspaper articles complaining that watermelons are expensive or that there isn't piped water). Suicide and substance abuse are endemic -- up to 9x the non-aboriginal rate -- not because people are sad about something that happened a hundred years ago, but because they live in the middle of nowhere, with no prospects, and suddenly the things that amazed and entertained their ancestors four hundred years ago isn't engaging to kids who have an awareness that the rest of the world exists. In a normal, functioning world, yeah their "indigenous culture" wouldn't be so defensively guarded and a part of their identity. I come from Scottish and Irish culture. I have never worn a kilt. I have never played a bagpipe. I have never eaten haggis. I have never flown scottish or irish flags, or concerned myself whatsoever with whatever happens there. Because I'm a part of a multicultural, rich, integrated society. I identify with the whole, not for some uniqueness that I demand be identified. And I'll take the inevitable downvotes by the "yeah you're white you don't have a say" crocodile tear crowd, but this is all spot on.