Summary & Background
Residential schools controlled by European churches have been part of Canadian indigenous people’s history and are associated with controversial issues affecting students’ physical and mental health and challenging living conditions. Numerous chronic illnesses that developed in pupils of these schools prove the lack of proper health care. Cases of asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, allergies and other dangerous diseases were not effectively addressed. The physical and sexual abuse took place in residential schools, which exacerbated the situation. With the indigenous population of about 3% in Canada, the number of students affected by negative experiences in these schools was high.
Reflection
As I became familiar with the topic, I realized that I had imagined residential schools differently. Most of all, I was amazed at the poor health care level in these institutions. The statistics of disease percentage, which are officially confirmed, are credible and prompt one to think about the inhumanity of residential school employees. At the same time, I believe that the total number of students in these schools was deliberately underestimated so as not to aggravate the statistics. To assess the whole picture objectively, I would use not only official data but also information from other sources to obtain an accurate idea of ​​the number of students who were negatively impacted by residential schools.
What Now
My opinion about the social conditions of the indigenous population has changed. While reflecting on the discussion, I realized that I would like to know more about what additional measures were taken to protect these people, in addition to payment plans and settlement agreements. In the future, I intend to conduct an individual analysis of the decisions made by the government. Obtaining information from primary sources, for instance, the records of real students can help me get more valid data.
Health and Nutrition Labeling in Canada
Summary & Background
The topic of nutrition labeling in Canada is a crucial aspect of food quality control. Particular attention is paid to products containing sugar as a dangerous additive that is associated with hazardous health outcomes. The movement to ensure safe nutrition, which began in the 1970s-1980s, has become national. Detailed scientific evaluations of some popular products and beverages reveal non-compliance with quality standards, which indicates the problem exists. The analysis from the perspective of health care allows asserting the threats of food that cannot meet the current nutritionists’ requirements.
Reflection
Before studying this topic in detail, I did not realize that so much attention was paid to nutrition labeling. This is not a revelation to me that sugar-rich foods are bad, but I did not think about it from the national health perspective. I find the clinical data to be credible, although information from other private clinics could add to the overall picture of the issue. Myself, I have learned that this topic is crucial as one of the essential aspects of the national health system.
What Now
In the future, I will become more attentive to the composition of the foods that I often eat. I do not think I will give up sweets completely, but the discussion encouraged me to limit my junk food intake. In addition, I intend to educate my family and friends about the findings that we have studied. I am sure that containment measures are not superfluous because, without proper control, manufacturers would be willing to supply even more incorrectly labeled products to increase profits. Therefore, I would like to familiarize myself with the list of all prohibited ingredients in more detail to avoid negative effects on my health.