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Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation prevented any further settlement across North America until treaties had been negotiated with aboriginal peoples. It also recognised that aboriginals had organized nations on their own lands. Law is important because it is the basis for many modern aboriginal land claims because in several provinces, including BC, treaties were never signed. -
Reserve System
Aboriginal people were seen as blocking the future settlement of the British North America. They were pushed onto reservations, lands set aside on which aboriginal people can reside. Followed by the legislation which granted the government control and management of the lands and property of the aboriginals in Canada, passed by the federal government. Living on reserves limits the ability of aboriginal peoples to fully participate in the canadian economy. -
Indian Act
The Canadian government’s official way of encouraging aboriginal peoples to give up their own culture.
Annual treaty payments to aboriginal peoples across the country
exempted aboriginal peoples from paying income and sales taxes
National chief and assembly of first nations said that the indian act states that they were children, wards of the state and that it was a colonial mindset.They were denied the right to take up land as others could and the right to vote in provincial elections. -
Aboriginal Right to Universal Suffrage
Aboriginal peoples were finally given the right to vote in federal elections in Canada. This was referred to as the “sixties scoop." Great effort was also taken to remove aboriginal children from their families and adopt them out to white Canadians in an attempt to remove aboriginal culture from contemporary Canada -
National Indian Brotherhood and Native Council of Canada Formed
Prime minister Pierre Trudeau and indian affairs minister Jean Chretien wanted to make changes to the reserve system, because
ill health, and poverty were common on many reservations. -
White Paper
Canadian government introduced a "white paper" to address the issues facing aboriginal peoples in Canada.The premise being that equality was necessary for a solution to the problems of indian and special status had been the major cause of difficulties.
Aboriginal community rejected the proposal.
Harold cardinal wrote "UNJUST SOCIETY" in 1969, which was strongly critical of federal policies regarding aboriginal people. -
Residential School Systems Abolished but not All Closed
United church of Canada and several catholic religious orders accepted responsibilities for the harmful practices in residential schools. People have been awarded compensation for the sexual abuse that they suffered in residential schools and many lawsuits are still ongoing.
As a result of pressure from aboriginal groups, the residential schools were closed entirely in 1980 -
Movement Toward Self Government
As a result of all of the work that the assembly of first nations put into raising awareness among aboriginal peoples, aboriginal rights became more clearly recognized, and aboriginal peoples began to submit hundreds of land claims.
By 1975, the declaration of the first nations was adopted, which included the rights of nationhood and self-government -
Assembly of the First Nations
Federal government funded programs to support local government initiatives among the aboriginal peoples. Office of native claims was created in 1974 to deal with the issue of land rights.However, despite these measures, the federal government did not contribute much to the development of aboriginal peoples during the 1970’s.
Therefore, in 1980’s, the NIB or assembly of first nations stepped up its efforts to work towards and demand better conditions for aboriginal peoples in Canada -
Passing of Bill C-31
Substantial changed made to the indian act.
There was an abolishment of the concept of enfranchisement, meaning all aboriginal people who qualified for indian status through family ties retained the rights that went along with this status regardless of their life choices.
Bands still demanded more control over their own affairs -
Meech Lake Accord
Prime Minister Mulroney attempted to amend the constitution so the province of Quebec would agree to be part of the “it”.
Accord referred quebec as a “distinct society”. Feminists and aboriginal activists opposed the accord and viewed the agreement as giving one group special status while their status remained unacknowledged.
Elijah harper openly criticized the accord in 1990 since he believed that aboriginal peoples deserved special status alongside quebec -
Oka standoff
In the municipality of Oka, quebec, officials decided to extend a nine-hole golf course onto land that the mohawks claimed had always belonged to them. The mohawks set up blockades of major roads that lasted for over six months, which was stormed by police, one officer was killed. Canadian army was called in, and resulting to a tense standoff. Finally, an agreement was reached, and the federal government bought the disputed lands and negotiated its transfer to the kanesatake first nation. -
Gustafson Lake, BC
Other protests were to follow in gustafsen lake when aboriginal people re-occupied land that they claimed was sacred ground -
Nisga’a treaty
Nisga’a people of British Columbia signed a unique treaty with both the provincial and federal governments. They were given powers of self government pertaining to issues of culture, language, and family life, and ownership of 1,922 square kilometers of land. Under this treaty, no non-aboriginal settlers were forced from the territory and non-aboriginal settlers do not have the right to vote for the councils that govern the region. -
Ipperwash ontario
Aboriginal people occupied land on a former army base that had been taken from them during the second world war but was never returned. -
Delgamuukw Case
Concerned with the aboriginal title of traditional lands
Indigenous nations wanted to protect their land from logging and to let people officially recognize their title
Two first nations launched the actions against the government but they each claimed title over distinct lands
This came to be known as the Delgamuukw case -
Statement of Reconciliation
A statement of apology from canada to the former students of the indian residential schools
Addressed by jane stewart minister of indian affairs and northern development
Aboriginal healing foundation was created to manage the fund -
Creation of Nunavut
Nunavut was created where aboriginal people were given the right to self government over natural resources, education, and justice systems. There were no political parties since people run for election as individuals and then the elected members vote for the member who they want to lead the government.
