A recent Harvard graduate has released the findings of a research project looking at relations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in the Rainy River district.Jeff Denis, now an assistant professor at McMaster University, says despite the proximity of native and non-native communities, and the many relationships, racism and prejudice persists.
"One of the things that's very common is something called sub-typing," says Denis, "where people view individuals who violate stereotypes as exceptions that prove the rule. So they will say things like 'my best friend is native, but he's not your typical native,' or 'we have good Indians in this town.' The implication is that Indians elsewhere are not so good."
The report is based on 18-months of research that included interviews and surveys across the district.
