Indian Act Research Paper

This enables the federal government to assume full responsibility over the entire First Nations population. In A People’s Dream Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada, by Dan Russell, 2000, he brings up issues about the federal government making policies that have direct affect on First Nations People and they have no knowledge or say of what happens regarding decision about their people[4]. The federal government has a great deal of power that will ultimately alter how First Nations are dealt with. Dan Russell discuses both the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlotte Town Accord that would have had a major impact on how “Indians” were handled he states “Canadian history and laws, since shortly after initial contact with Europeans settlers, have limited the possibilities of easily exercising Aboriginal self-government in Canada”[5]. Once the first wave of settles arrived in North America, the Dominion of Canada created the power to control how settlers and resources were handled which left them also having to deal with the original inhabitants by means isolation in reserves. To look back into history even in the earliest stages of civilization First Nations People were only “interpreters and clerks, but none at the policy-making level”[6], in order to create change they need to be where these policies are being made. In making these policies and procedures there has been little to no

Throughout history, the Native people of North America and the Europeans have continually had arguments and disputes over land. To this day there are still issues trying to be resolved. Twenty years ago, the beginning of one of the most violent and intense land disputes in present day Canada occurred. This event is now referred to as the Oka Crisis, named after the town Oka in Quebec. This crisis caused a confrontation involving the Quebec provincial police, the Canadian armed forces and the Mohawk people.1 The stand that the Mohawk people took in the town of Oka became a major revelation for the aboriginal people spreading awareness of aboriginal rights across Canada.

After much discussion, it was decided that the Indians and Eskimos of Newfoundland would be the responsibility of the government and were then given much more rights than the Indian Act stated, including the right to vote. Be that as it may, these privileges of theirs weren’t included in the Indian Act, yet something the act is trying to encourage is abandoning their tribal cultures and aboriginal title to gain the right to vote. Which may drive the first nations to want what other first nations have been

The Canadian government has great control of where the aboriginals are situated and what resources and services are made available to them. In 1876 the Indian act was created by the Canadian government (Indian Act). “The Indian act is a Canadian federal law that governs and matters pertaining to Indian statuses, bands, and Indian reserves”(Indian Act). A part of the Indian Act made the government give some crown land to the Aboriginals; the

After the strangling claws of the Indian Act were felt, the Canadian government began to issue more laws that intruded with the aboriginals lives and took away their rights. The first of these was the “Potlatch Law” (Hanson, n.p.). It banned potlatches and other ceremonies of the aboriginals, all for the purpose of forcing the

These were also laws put into effect to fine or imprison anyone receiving money for the prosecution of claims on behalf of a First Nations Band which meant

The purpose of the Indian Act was to encourage assimilation. This was achieved by suppressing traditional ceremonies, defining who was "Indian" and who wasn 't, and moving First Nations to reserves in hopes of disconnecting First Nations ' ties with the land. The term status Indian was used to define someone who is registered according to the provisions of the act and is therefore eligible to receive specific benefits.

When the Europeans came to North America they way of life of the Aboriginal peoples was threatened. Once Canada started to form, things for them started to drastically change and the government decided to create residential schools.

Conflict between Canada and the First Nations has been going on since the Europeans first arrived. After their arrival the First Nations way of life was hindered severely; The Europeans brought many diseases that the Aboriginal people were unfamiliar with and had no resistance to, or cure for. “By the 16th century about 80% of Canada's Native population had died from the various diseases (Renneboog, 5).” The Europeans also came to Canada with the intentions of taking all of the land for themselves, disregarding the people who occupied the land before them. Over time the Europeans had manipulated the First Nations to their will and the Aboriginals were discriminated for their different complexion, culture, customs, and way of life. But

The Indian Act document signed in 1876, resulted in the first nation people to give up their land, religion, culture, and rights. The government wanted the first nation people to give up their Indian status and be them, follow their culture.

The first paper by Ladner and Orsini, (2003) gives a detailed account, review and analysis of the First nations governance act. The paper reflects on the act and provides arguments supporting the fact that it is an example of a gentler, subtle form of colonialism that is still in practice today. It argues that although the government has well researched the problems affecting the first nations, it has not efficiently advocated the involvement of these people in their own welfare and improvement.

The lack of organization limited the Aboriginals and resulted in unfulfilled promises. Because the government was more concerned with changing the carious First Nations groups rather than collaborating / negotiating with them, Canada was seen as an oppressive colonizer. Upon signing the treaties, Canada obtained control of most aspects of society; especially in regards to schooling, resource extraction, land use, and implementation of laws for various social issues. This lead to limited funds for education, supplies, and minimal allocation of land for the First Nation groups

Forced changes to the current use of lands and waters by signatories to Treaty 8, other First Nations and Métis.

The Indian act brought a huge change in the first nations culture as they had to adapt to a whole new life with residential schools being implied, had to adapt to living on reserves and they had one of their most important piece of culture the potlatch was banned. The Residential schools main purpose was “to Kill the Indian in the child” which is just saying that the government wanted the first nations people to learn how to be more like the colonists. The banning of the potlatch was one of the most destructive things that came from the indian act as the potlatch was one of the biggest ceremonies that a first nations could throw as it was a showing of wealth by the host and really just a huge showing of culture and when the government took it away it was like they took away the entire first nations culture . The government wanted to take over canada and create it a the euro-canadian

Treaties show prevalence today because they can demonstrate how convoluted the history of Canada’s relationships with the Aboriginal peoples is. One factor that makes this history perplexing is trying to fathom who has claim to the lands that people stand on. Moreover, when the government was willing to substantiate what scheme they wanted to employ in order to solve the issue of cohabitation of the aboriginal peoples. Historically, in the fur trader era, it was