Why
is there silence surrounding slavery in Canada?
When a citizen of any other country
thinks of Canada, the thought that usually comes to mind is a peaceful and
cooperative nation that is a shining example of tolerance and civil rights.
However, Canada has had many dark chapters in its history. If one looks deeper,
the innocent facade of the Great White North is shattered, revealing some
disturbing truths behind it.
9
Slavery In Canada
Like America, Canada was built in
part by slave labor, centered
mainly in New France, which is now known as the province of Quebec. Thousands
of African and Aboriginal people were sold into bondage, either bought from
traders overseas, traded between the French and the British, or even sold by
Aboriginal people themselves, who had little other use for those captured in
wars between various tribes.
Between 1671 and 1833, around 4,000
slaves were held captive in Canada, two-thirds of whom were First Nations
people and the rest mainly African. Most of those held in captivity were very
young, between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. All were forced to serve the
political and social elite of the times, and although their treatment was much
better than that endured by American slaves, they still enjoyed little freedom
and endured the pain of being separated from their families and culture.
The main reason the slave trade in
Canada did not balloon to the proportions seen in the United States was the
principle differences in industry between the two nations at the time. Canada’s
main source of income was the fur trade, an industry served primarily by
hunters, and Canada’s farming industry was not focused on exportation, unlike
the massive cotton industry in the US. Slaves were also very expensive during
this period—even an unskilled slave cost as much as four times an average
person’s annual income. That said, the abhorrent practice did exist in Canada
and affected thousands, leaving an often unmentioned scar on the nation’s
psyche.
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