Aboriginal Rights and Self-Government

Aboriginal Rights and Self-Government

Native Peoples or Aboriginal Peoples

(First half of 20th century, used terms Indian, Eskimo, Metis)

_Aboriginal peoples = the first peoples to live in any nation

In Canada term refers to four groups: Inuit (replacing Eskimo) Metis (mixed native and euro ancestry who self-

identifies as metis) and First Nations (legally defined Indian nations consisting of status Indians), and non-status Indians

Status Indians: Legal rights under Indian act. Have rights under treaties, or where no treaties have been signed have rights as registered Indians

Non-status Indians – have given up their legal status as Indians, while retaining their cultural identity

Late 1960s- organizing to pressure Ottawa and provincial govt’s to deal with health, education, and poverty crisis

National Indian Brotherhood: forms 1968, to lobby on behalf of Aboriginal peoples living on reserves

Trudeau’s response to crisis: White Paper of 1969

White paper = a document that a govt. puts forth for discussion, if accepted may be passed into law

Calls for end to “overly protective attitude”

The White Paper

Indian affairs minister – Jean Chretien aboriginal people should be treated like all other

citizens Abolish all special rights they have on reserves

i.e. not paying income tax

Encourages aboriginals to leave reserves and get jobs in cities - assimilation as solution to social problems

Aboriginal response: White paper is attack on their right to maintain unique identity, “cultural genocide”

The White Paper

NIB leads movement against white paperSolution is not assimilation into white

societyRight to self-government, control over own

affairs

Present own paper- Citizens Plus or the “Red Paper”

Chretien & Trudeau withdraw White Paper

Residential Schools

Residential school system fully abandoned 1969

Many take over education through “band schools” - could study own languages and learn about own cultures and traditions

Lack of secondary schools = most have to leave home very young.

Government run “boarding home program”, some high school students sent to live with families and attend schools in cites far from home, loneliness. Many returned before graduating.

Legacy of residential schools: thousands of cases of severe physical, emotional/psychologicla, sexual abuse. Ongoing lawsuits.

1998 federal govt. apology and $350 million healing fund

“The prime purpose of Indian education is to assist in solving what may be called the Indian problem, to elevate the Indian from his state of savagery.”

-F. Pedley, Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs, 1906

“For the Indian to survive, says the government, he must become a good little brown white man… the only good Indian is a non-Indian” (Harold Cardinal, Unjust Society)

Environment

Industries expanding around reserves- hydroelectric, natural gas Threat to traditional activities (hunting, fishing, trapping) &

relationship with land

Mackenzie Valley pipeline: most significant victory during 70s: won by Inuit, Metis, and Indian Brotherhood of the Yukon and N.W. territories.

Lobbied to stop construction, demand a study to determine its impact on their lands and the environment. 1977 commission recommends 10 year suspension to study environment.

Quebec 1980s-1990s: Cree peoples halt construction of new phases of James Bay Hydro Project (would flood large part of their ancestral territories)

Self-Government

1980 form Assembly of First Nations to represent them in dealings with federal govt.

Constitutional Negotiations– pressure for political leaders for legal recognition of Aboriginal rights. Entrenched in Charter.

Bill C-31: passed by parliament in 1985. Gives aboriginal band councils power to decide who has the right to live on reserves

Increase in band council powers raised question what other powers should be transferred from federal to band? Management of education Justice systems Resources –would provide $ to resolve their social and health

concerns

Land Claims:

Federal Land Claims: 1970s : Federal Government funds programs to

support local government initiatives among Aboriginal peoples

Office of Native Claims created 1974 to deal with land rights

B.C. Land Claims:

Total Aboriginal land claims (overlapping) = 110%

B.C. government wants a total land settlement of ~5%(comparative to Aboriginal population of B.C.)

1975 Declaration of First Nations – adopted, includes rights to nationhood and self-government

Provincial Government

Coast Nations

Population Distribution