The daily struggles to survive as Indigenous

Fifty years ago, an alarm was raised about the proportion of Indigenous Peoples in prisons, 23 per cent at the time. Systemic changes were proposed to eliminate the biases against Indigenous Peoples that created this mess. Today, that number is 32 per cent. One in three Canadians in prison is Indigenous. That is a stark measure of institutional racism.

A person holds up a feather at the ceremony marking the conclusion of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls at the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on June 3, 2019.The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY ROSE LEMAY

February 5, 2024

OTTAWA—On an overcast day a few weeks ago, a young Indigenous man stood up in the Ottawa Courthouse to hear his judgement. Let’s call him Mitig. Far from his First Nations community in northern Ontario, there was no family to support him. It’s a long sto...

To keep reading, subscribe and become a political insider.

Only $7.76 a week for an annual subscription.

Enjoy unlimited website access and the digital newspaper.

Cancel anytime.

Already a Subscriber?

Get Weekend Point of View Newsletter

A round up of the past weekâ€™s opinion writers and columnists on Saturdays and Sundays.

By entering your email address you consent to receive email from The Hill Times containing news, analysis, updates and offers. You may unsubscribe at any time. See our privacy policy