Breaking the Cycle: Understanding Social and Economic Marginalization
by Broden Halcrow-Ducharme

A small plant growing through a crack in the sidewalk. Change often begins the same way, pushing through even the hardest ground.

The image of the small plant breaking through concrete symbolizes resilience and renewal. It reflects how Indigenous communities continue to grow and create change, even when faced with barriers built to hold them back. Like the plant, strength and transformation find a way through even the hardest ground.​

 

Across Canada, many Indigenous communities continue to feel the heavy impact of policies created long ago. Laws such as the Indian Act and the reserve system limited access to land, movement, and opportunity, leaving lasting social and economic gaps. For generations, opportunity was not shared equally, and access to basic needs often depended on who you were and where you came from.

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For Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, these inequalities are connected to a long history of colonization, displacement, and discrimination. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has shown how poverty and exclusion increase vulnerability to violence. These barriers still affect access to housing, education, healthcare, and employment, shaping safety and well-being across generations.

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This issue is not only about poverty. It is about exclusion. When people are left out of systems that affect their lives, their ability to take part in their own communities and economies becomes limited. For many Indigenous families, this began with the loss of land, livelihood, and freedom to move. Over time, these restrictions became normalized and passed down through generations.

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The effects can still be seen today. Access to housing, education, and employment remains limited in many regions, which can increase vulnerability to harm. Experiences of racism and neglect within health and social services can leave people without the care they need. Without long-term change, these patterns continue to repeat.

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These challenges did not appear on their own. For generations, government policies and systemic practices created barriers that still shape daily life. They include:

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• Loss of land and resources, which removed communities from traditional economies and self-sustaining livelihoods.
   

• The Indian Act, which restricted movement, governance, and ownership, reducing independence.
   

• The residential school system, which separated families, disrupted culture, and caused deep intergenerational trauma.​

 

Breaking these cycles takes more than acknowledgment. It requires ongoing investment in Indigenous-led solutions, education, and community development. When policies are shaped by the people they affect, real change can take root.

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When opportunity is shared and dignity is restored, healing begins to grow, like that small plant breaking through the concrete, finding its way toward the light.​

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