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Doctrine of Discovery
The doctrine of discovery originated in Canada during the 1400s and was an international law that gave authorization to explorers to claim land that was not already claimed by Christians. This means that even if the land was inhabited by local Indigenous people, they could claim it without any consequences. This unjust idea of superiority had extremely negative effects on Indigenous people across Canada. Many were displaced, murdered, and dehumanized overall. -
The Seven Years' War
The Seven Year's War, which spanned from 1756 to 1763, was a major conflict between the French, British, Spanish, and Indigenous. They mostly fought in the region of the upper Ohio River Valley, where multiple parties were vying for land and were willing to fight to claim it. This conflict resulted in devastating losses totaling around 1,000,000 deaths, as well as the loss of France's large amount of territory in North America to Great Britain. -
The Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation of 1764, set rules for European settlement of Aboriginal territories in North America, The proclamation's goal was to minimize conflict between settlers and Indigenous people. It is also intended to respect Indigenous land rights by forbidding settlers from claiming land from the Aboriginal occupants unless it has been first bought by the Crown. Although the proclamation failed in some aspects, it did serve as the basis of the treaty-making process throughout Canada. -
The Quebec Act
The Quebec Act was passed in May 1775 and was intended to gain the loyalty of the French-speaking majority of Quebec. In order to accomplish this, the act guaranteed the freedom of worship, restored French property rights, reinstated French civil law, and permitted the use of French in Quebec. Although this act helped to reconcile the English and French populations in Quebec, it also allowed for an expansion in colonial settlement, encroaching on existing First Nations reservations. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 began when the United States declared war on the British after they began encroaching on American maritime rights and cutting into American trade. The war lasted from 1812 to 1815 and resulted in a draw on the battlefield. This draw, however, was widely seen as a victory for the U.S. as they were able to bring the world's greatest military power to a standstill. This achievement gained them international respect and instilled a sense of nationalism among its citizens. -
Gold Rush
The gold rush began in BC in 1858, when large amounts of gold were found mainly in the areas alongside the Thompson and Fraser rivers and the Caribou region. People from around the world came to BC in search of the lucrative gold. This influx of people caused First Nations in the areas to be ignored, and often gold would be mined from their land without any compensation. They did, however, receive some benefit by selling information on the location of gold and trading the gold themselves. -
Chilcotin War
The Chilcotin war broke out in April 1864 between members of the Tsilhqot'in people in British Columbia and white road construction workers. The construction workers entered the Tsilhqot'in territory without permission, and some of the construction workers were First Nations, had been working without compensation, and were nearing starvation. After a disagreement with a local chief, one of the white construction workers was killed. The killing continued, and eventually the chiefs were executed. -
The Numbered Treaties
The Numbered Treaties, including 11 separate treaties, were signed from 1871 to 1921. These treaties covered the area between the Lake of the Woods, the Rocky Mountains, and the Beaufort Sea. The treaties promised to give Indigenous people goods, reserve lands, annual payments, and hunting and fishing rights. In return, the government received control of the land. The government, however, did not honour their deal, giving minimal land for reserves and underfunding education, supplies, and food. -
Treaty of Washington
The Treaty of Washington was signed by the British and United States in 1871, several years after the conclusion of the American Civil War. The goal of the treaty was to settle disagreements caused by the civil war and achieve peace between their nations. The treaty was a success as it resolved many disagreements and allowed for peace that continues to this day. -
The Indian Act
Created in 1876, the goal of the Indian Act was to eliminate and convert indigenous culture and beliefs. In order to achieve this, the government created restrictions, reservations, and residential schools to monitor and forcefully eliminate any Indigenous beliefs or culture. The outcome of this act was obviously devastating, with many residential school students dead or severally traumatized from their experiences, and with many other Indigenous people losing touch with their identity. -
The North-West Reistance
The North-West Resistance was a five-month period in 1885 where Louis Riel gathered Metis and First Nations troops to rebel against the Canadian Government. The conflict was an act of retaliation due to unfair land loss, the disappearance of bison herds, and other reasons. This resistance, however, was defeated, and Louis Riel was executed. The outcome also resulted in the rapid spread of Canadian law to the west and the subjugation of the plains, where many First Nations resided. -
The White Paper
The White Paper was proposed in 1969 by the Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau. The paper's goal was to dismantle the Indian Act and assimilate Indigenous people into mainstream Canadian society, creating a sense of "equality." The paper, however, was not successful and was unanimously rejected by Indigenous people across the country, as they believed that the assimilationist approach was a threat to their cultural identity, legal status, and land rights. -
The Calder Case
In 1967, Frank Calder was the first Indigenous person elected to British Columbia's legislature. In 1973, Frank Calder and other Nisga'a elders sued the provincial government of British Columbia, declaring that Nisga'a title to their lands had never been lawfully extinguished through treaty or by any other means. And, although the case was dismissed in trial, it served as the foundation for the famous Nisga'a treaty and continues to be cited in modern Aboriginal land claims across Canada. -
The James Bay Agreement
The James Bay Agreement was the first modern land claim treaty that was signed by the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee, the Inuit of Nunavut, the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, and Hydro-Quebec. The treaty's goal was to allow the Quebec government to resume and complete the construction of hydroelectric dams in the James Bay region. In return, the province recognized the specific rights of the Cree and Inuit and committed to paying $225 million in compensation over 20 years. -
The Oka Crisis
The Oka crisis was a 78-day standoff in 1990 between the Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec. The standoff was the result of a proposed expansion of a golf course and the development of town houses on disputed land in Kanesatake that included a Kanyen'kehà:ka burial ground. The tensions in the standoff were high, which unfortunately led to the death of a police officer. The protest, however, was successful in stopping the construction of the golf course and the townhouses.