Victims of the Past

Victims of the Past provides a clear understanding of Canadian history from a First Nations point of view. Gerald Kiesman has spent 20 years researching how the Indigenous First Nation Metis and Inuit people have been impacted by colonization. Upon his research he recognized that the history written about Canada and the Indigenous First Nations Inuit and Metis peoples was far outdated and was from a one-sided view the European point of view. The books in libraries book stores and information in the media did not speak the truth about the relationship between the British French Spanish and Canada with the Indigenous First Nations Inuit and Metis people and did not fully identify the violence inflicted upon thousands of Indigenous children in the Indian Residential Schools along with other assimilation actions such as the Indian day schools Indian hospitals and child welfare sixties scoop. Victims of the Past looks at how Indigenous First Nations Inuit and Metis peoples lost control of their land and resources laws imposed upon them court battles treaties settlement agreements and how Canada was formed by European immigrants and looks at the history and impact of the government/church run Indian residential schools day schools and Indian hospitals and how it has impacted generations of Indigenous First Nations Inuit and Metis people today. Victims of the Past identifies the many challenges Indigenous First Nations Metis and Inuit peoples experience in todays society from the impact of the Indian residential school such as; poverty homelessness suicide crisis high rate of Indigenous children/youth in foster care high rate of Indigenous First Nations Metis and Inuit in the correctional institutions along with missing and murdered women and girls and also experience systemic racism in all areas of health justice education politics and in the general public. Victims of the Past provides an interpretation of Canadian history from an Indigenous point of view. Victims of the Past provides a direction in understanding the relationship between the Indigenous First Nations Inuit and Metis people and first settlers. Educating society from the Indigenous point of view is paramount in understanding the history of Canada.Truly a unique book. Phil Fontaine (former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations)