First Nations Income Assistance in Perspective: Assimilation, Active Measures and The Way Forward

Abstract

The legacy of assimilation policy and the push for universality during the welfare state era weighed heavily on the development of the Income Assistance program for First Nations. Today, high rates of income support dependency, couple with poverty, unemployment and other social problems on-reserve, pushing the federal government to reform the IA program through the introduction of active measures. This paper argues that in order to achieve long-term success in reducing dependency and alleviating poverty on-reserve, the government will need to work with First Nations in partnership to develop IA program that recognizes the legacy of assimilation and works to overcome it through a holistic and culturally relevant program design.