"I mean, that was a typical argument in favour of slavery. "

This isn't even anywhere near true.

First - Canadian colonialists did not, and do not, benefit from the labour inputs of aboriginal citizens. They were never some kind of advantage to Canadian development.

Second - that Canadians of Aboriginal descent live at considerably higher standards that the neolithic people they were, and would be otherwise - is unambiguously factual.

"aboriginals who were living within their own land of origin and had this life thrust on them unrequested"

They are living in homes, have cars and TV 'unrequested'?

We are 'forcing' them to do this? They couldn't just go ahead and live in huts and tents if they so chose?

How 'paternalistic' is it to contemplate that somehow Aboriginals really want to live as their ancients did, in skin tents and huts, with no hot water, no medicine, education or any of the advantages of material advancement?

In reality - they want all the same thing we do: homes, heating, hot water, grocery stores, cars, food, entertainment. They're just not organized enough to 'trade' services or labour to the point where we care to give them anything for it.

They want the material benefits of Colonialism for the same reasons we do.

So we end up mostly giving it to them.