Reserves are restricted areas for Indians filed under the Indian Act to live in. A registered Indian is called a status Indian. A community of Aboriginals is called a band. The installation of the reserves has split up many blood relationships between different First Nations that had been around for hundreds or thousands of years. Families that once hunted together would no longer be able to do so.
Poverty in reserves is very common. Due to the lack of ability to fish or hunt, it became difficult for Aboriginals to be able to support themselves and their families. There is the option to leave the reserve to find work or start a new life, but that meant they’d lose their Indian rights, face discrimination and endanger the connections to their family inside the reserve. Housing conditions just barely meet the expectations of a healthy home. The water on reserves is lacking proper quality, there are lots of major repairs needed to homes, shortage of housing and mould. Living in a reserve can easily be compared to living in a ghetto.
The government pays little attention to the people they are keeping in isolation, yet paying lots of money to ensure funding for different services, programs and salaries for band members. So why are the reserves in such poor condition and lack concern from the government?