Canadian Aboriginal Issueshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adKggXHA1uM&feature=related

Indian Act 1876• turned the Aboriginals into

legal wards of the state (like children)

• goal of the government through the Indian Act was to force the assimilation of the Aboriginal peoples

• All "half-breed" Indians, like the Métis, were not entitled to Indian status. Assimilation – when a cultural group is

encouraged or forced to give up its culture in favour of the dominant culture

Reserves• The more pressure there was

for settlement of Western Canada, the more the government pressured Indian people to settle on Reserves

• Land controlled by the government

• Reserve clusters were kept far enough apart to discourage Bands from forming alliances against the government

• Also kept far from the rest of Canadian population, making assimilation difficult

Residential Schools – con’t

• After contact with Europeans - education became the primary instrument to assimilate Indian people

• Residential and industrial schools were established following the signing of the Numbered Treaties

• Run by Catholic, Anglican and Protestant missionaries

The objectives were:The objectives were:• to assimilate aboriginal children to assimilate aboriginal children • to Christianize; to Christianize; • to teach the 3 R's; and to teach the 3 R's; and • to develop children into to develop children into

farmers & housekeepersfarmers & housekeepers

Residential Schools• After a century of operation,

the residential schools had nearly destroyed First Nations communities

• These schools suppressed their language, culture, and spirituality

• The extended period of time spent in these schools with caregivers who were often abusive resulted in this abuse of children moving into the Indian communities

• The last government controlled residential school closed in 1986 http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=s_V4d7sXoqU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ryC74bbrEE

Aboriginal Rights

Bill of Rights 1960• After the passing of the Bill of

Rights, Status Indians on reserves gained equality in the right to vote without losing their status

• Prior to this time, those who applied to become enfranchised lost their status

• Gradually, provinces gave Aboriginals the right to vote provincially in 1969

• Though a noble attempt, the Bill of Rights legislation had not given the aboriginals the right to govern themselves

Federal White Paper 1969• A “White Paper” offers a detailed outline of a

government policy, which gives Parliament and outside organisations the opportunity to comment on future legislation. White papers will often become the basis for the actual Bill.

• The 1969 White Paper rejected the concept of special status for Aboriginal peoples within confederation.

• The government argued that Aboriginal and treaty rights were problematic regarding the economy, education and social issues and that all Canadians should be equal in law to all other Canadians.

• Could be argued that Trudeau didn’t want special status for everyone/ anyone, so this IS equality (just not equity).

• Aboriginal peoples fought against it (response called the “Red Paper” – 1970) because it meant losing historical rights and ties to land and heritage: their efforts eventually resulted in the inclusion of some Aboriginal rights in the Charter.

The Calder Case - The Calder Case - 19731973

• Supreme Court of Supreme Court of Canada recognized the Canada recognized the existence of aboriginal existence of aboriginal title in principle title in principle

• The Court ruled that The Court ruled that aboriginal title is aboriginal title is rooted in the 'long rooted in the 'long time occupation, time occupation, possession and use' of possession and use' of traditional territories. traditional territories.

• Result: Canada initiates a Result: Canada initiates a Comprehensive Claims process Comprehensive Claims process for treaty negotiations across for treaty negotiations across CanadaCanada

Mackenzie Valley pipeline- Berger Mackenzie Valley pipeline- Berger Commission 1974-1977Commission 1974-1977

• During the 1960s, new natural During the 1960s, new natural gas reserves were found in the gas reserves were found in the Beaufort Sea in the ArcticBeaufort Sea in the Arctic

• oil companies began to oil companies began to express interest in building a express interest in building a pipeline straight through the pipeline straight through the fragile ecosystem of the fragile ecosystem of the northern Yukon and northern Yukon and Mackenzie River Valley to Mackenzie River Valley to AlbertaAlberta

• In the mid-1970s, the Berger In the mid-1970s, the Berger Commission, led by Thomas Commission, led by Thomas Berger, examined the effects Berger, examined the effects of this proposed pipelineof this proposed pipeline

Berger Commission Berger Commission 1974 - 19771974 - 1977• Aboriginals in the region were particularly Aboriginals in the region were particularly

opposed to the pipeline, for several opposed to the pipeline, for several reasons:reasons:– Environmental concernsEnvironmental concerns– Skepticism about the motives and Skepticism about the motives and

interests of big businessinterests of big business– Perceptions that it infringed upon their Perceptions that it infringed upon their

land rights and special status. land rights and special status. – believed the project that could believed the project that could

jeopardize regional land claimsjeopardize regional land claims• Berger Commission - Berger Commission - ruled that a ruled that a

moratorium should be placed on moratorium should be placed on construction until 1987 to give time construction until 1987 to give time towards land claim settlements. towards land claim settlements.

• However, the pipeline was never built due However, the pipeline was never built due to the controversy and an unstable to the controversy and an unstable economy. economy.

http://archives.cbc.ca/society/native_issues/topics/295/

CBC archives: Victors and victims of the Berger report

Oka Standoff- 1990Oka Standoff- 1990• The The Oka CrisisOka Crisis was a land dispute and was a land dispute and

blockade between the Mohawk nation and blockade between the Mohawk nation and the town of Oka, Quebec which began on the town of Oka, Quebec which began on July 11, 1990, and lasted until September July 11, 1990, and lasted until September 26, 1990. 26, 1990.

• resulted in three deaths, and would be the resulted in three deaths, and would be the 11stst of a number of well-publicized violent of a number of well-publicized violent conflicts between Indigenous people and conflicts between Indigenous people and the Canadian government in the late 20th the Canadian government in the late 20th century.century.

• crisis developed from a dispute between crisis developed from a dispute between the town of Oka and the Mohawk the town of Oka and the Mohawk community of Kanesatake. community of Kanesatake.

• The Mohawk nation had been pursuing a The Mohawk nation had been pursuing a land claim which included a burial ground land claim which included a burial ground and a sacred grove of pine trees near and a sacred grove of pine trees near Kanesatake. Kanesatake.

• This brought them into conflict with the This brought them into conflict with the town of Oka, which was developing plans town of Oka, which was developing plans to expand a golf course onto the land.to expand a golf course onto the land.

• The mayor of Oka, Jean Ouellette, The mayor of Oka, Jean Ouellette, announced in 1989 that the remainder of announced in 1989 that the remainder of the pines would be cleared to expand the the pines would be cleared to expand the members-only golf club's course to members-only golf club's course to eighteen holes. Sixty luxury condominiums eighteen holes. Sixty luxury condominiums were also planned to be built in a section were also planned to be built in a section of the pines. However, none of these plans of the pines. However, none of these plans were made in consultation with the were made in consultation with the Mohawks.Mohawks.

• The golf-course expansion, which had The golf-course expansion, which had originally triggered the situation, was originally triggered the situation, was cancelled. The Oka Crisis eventually cancelled. The Oka Crisis eventually precipitated the development of Canada's precipitated the development of Canada's First Nations Policing Policy.First Nations Policing Policy.

Quebec's Minister for Native Affairs John Ciaccia wrote Quebec's Minister for Native Affairs John Ciaccia wrote a letter of support for the natives, stating that "these a letter of support for the natives, stating that "these people have seen their lands disappear without having people have seen their lands disappear without having been consulted or compensated, and that, in my been consulted or compensated, and that, in my opinion, is unfair and unjust, especially over a golf opinion, is unfair and unjust, especially over a golf course."course."

CBC archives: The Standoff Beginshttp://archives.cbc.ca/politics/civil_unrest/topics/99/

Nisga'a Treaty - 2000Nisga'a Treaty - 2000• The Nisga'a Treaty is a negotiated The Nisga'a Treaty is a negotiated

agreement between the Nisga'a Nation, agreement between the Nisga'a Nation, the Government of British Columbia (B.C.) the Government of British Columbia (B.C.) and the Government of Canada. and the Government of Canada.

• The last step needed to give legal effect to The last step needed to give legal effect to the Treaty took place on April 13, 2000, the Treaty took place on April 13, 2000, when Parliament passed the when Parliament passed the Nisga'a Final Nisga'a Final Agreement ActAgreement Act..

• As part of the settlement in the Nass River As part of the settlement in the Nass River valley nearly 2,000 square kilometres of valley nearly 2,000 square kilometres of land was officially recognized as Nisga'a, ̱land was officially recognized as Nisga'a, ̱and a 300,000 cubic decameter water and a 300,000 cubic decameter water reservation was also created. The Bear reservation was also created. The Bear Glacier Provincial Park was also created as Glacier Provincial Park was also created as a result of this agreement. The land-claim's a result of this agreement. The land-claim's settlement was the first formal treaty settlement was the first formal treaty between a First Nation and the Province of between a First Nation and the Province of British Columbia since colonial times.British Columbia since colonial times.