Wherever the European
colonizers, explorers, missionaries, and trappers went in Canada
they encountered people who had occupied the land for thousands
of years. At the time of initial European contact 12 language
families existed that were composed of numerous languages. For
the Native peoples the intrusion of the newcomers was to be a
disaster of unparalleled dimensions. Up to 80 percent mortality,
due to introduced European diseases against which the Natives
had no immunity, left the remnants relatively helpless in the
face of an alien political and economic system. Instead of being
absorbed by the white community, as was anticipated not that
long ago, however, Natives have prevailed and are beginning see
results in their long battle for social justice.
