The History Of Aboriginal Peoples In Canada

1. The History Of Aboriginal Peoples In Canada

2. VOCABULARY #40 • Aboriginal people: They are the first people to live in any nation. In Canada, Aboriginal people refers to Inuit, Métis and First Nations

4. Inuit – Replaces Eskimo • Métis – A Métis is a mixed Native and European ancestry who self identifies as Métis, and is of Métis Nation Ancestry

5. Status Indians : Those who have legal rights under the Indian Act. They have rights under treaties, or where no treaties have been signed, Rights as registered

6. Non Status Indians- Those that have given up legal status as Indians, while still retaining their cultural identity

7. Age & Gender Distribution for the Métis, Non-Status Indian Populations in 2007 and Non-Aboriginal Population in 2006, Canada

8. Indian – Only used when referring to Legislation (such as the Indian Act) • When used in a historical sense (The National Indian Brotherhood) • Legal Status (Example “Status Indian”)

10. First Nation – Come to be used in place of Indian Band or “Indian Nation”

11. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was Important Because . . . • - It prevented any further settlement across North America until treaties had been negotiated With Aboriginal peoples. • - Recognized That the Aboriginal peoples lived as nations on their own lands • - This law is the basis for many modern Aboriginal land Claims because in Several provinces such as BC, treaties were never signed.

12. Canadian Government Gathered Aboriginal peoples on Reserves Because…#41 • - In 1830 Aboriginal peoples were seen as blocking the settlement of the British North America Act • -The Federal Government passed legalization which granted it Control and management of the lands and property of the Indians in Canada

13. Percentage attended residential school, Aboriginal population 15 years and over, off reserve, Canada, 2001

15. Negative Impacts on the living Conditions Of Aboriginal peoples On Reserves #42 • Reserves limit Aboriginal peoples ability to Participate fully in Canadian Economy. • Only 0.4% of Canadian land is for Indian Reservation. Therefore the Enclosures are reduced, and there are smaller reserves • Power Given to the Chief and Council to control community members is not used Wisely, so there are some who can be wealthy while the rest still live in poverty.

16. As a result, Living conditions are lower than in the rest of Canada, and the Life expectancy is lower by 6 years and the suicide rates are over 8 times higher

17. Why did the Canadian Government want to Assimilate Canadian Aboriginal nations ?#43 • The Canadian Government wanted to assimilate Canadian Aboriginal nations because they wanted Aboriginal peoples to adopt the Same culture and essentially become the same as European Canadians. Assimilate: To become similar to ones Environment

18. The Indian Act 1876 #44 • It was an Official way of Encouraging Aboriginal Peoples to Give up their own culture and Traditions. And thereby assimilating them into the mainstream culture of Canada

19. Advantages of The Indian Act To the Aboriginal Peoples Of Canada • Are there any? I don’t think so…

20. Of The Indian Act Disadvantages • Denied the Right to take up land as others could • Denied the Right to Vote in Provincial Elections • Being Aboriginal was thought to incompatible with being a Canadian Citizen • If an Aboriginal person wanted to vote, They had to trade “Indian Status” for Voting Rights

21. Aboriginal peoples or “Indians” lost their status and benefits if they lived off Reserves, joined the military, obtained higher education, or married a non-Indian. • Potlatch was outlawed and Aboriginal Art and memorabilia were shipped to Museums across N.America • Reserves have been made smaller and offer fewer economic opportunities than original Aboriginal Territories.

22. Potlach: usually involving ceremony, includes celebration of births, rites of passages, weddings, funerals, puberty, and honoring of the deceased. Through political, economic and social exchange, it is a vital part of Aboriginal peoples culture.

23. Tlingit Chiefs, dressed in full regalia, are gathered at a Potlatch ceremony in Sitka in 1904.

26. Negative Aspects of Residential Schools • Children Taken from their homes and family • Forced to abandon language and culture • Criminally abused in some cases • By 1930, only 3% of the students progressed beyond grade 6 • By 1950, only one third of Native pupils progressed beyond grade 3 • Only after the 1990’s were the Aboriginal Children allowed to attend schools within the public School system

28. “The Residential schools should be located in Centres of white settlement. Not only would this sever familial connections but it would surround the children with the wonders of white civilization. And it would have further advantage that Indians would less likely to cause trouble if their children were under direct control of the state” – J. Macrae, Inspector of protestant Schools, 188 • Discusses the way the White people wanted the residential schools to work for the benefit of themselves. They also address the fact that Indians would not cause trouble if their children were under control of the state. This implies that white people thought Indians as troublesome and against the Government

29. “Before the Gospel was preached by the Missionary, the Natives were ignorant, Superstitious, degrade, wild and cruel” Reverend W.Pierce, 1896 • This quote addresses the way Aboriginals were thought of by others. They were seen as uncivilized, wild and wanted to change them to do as the White people want.

30. “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 • This Quote states that there is an “Indian Problem” according to white people. This says that white people want to “fix” that problem by educating Natives within white culture.

31. “The purpose of the Indian Act is to Continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question and no Indian Department” – Duncan Campbell Scott, Superintendent of Indian Affairs 1902 • This quote suggests that the point of the Indian Act is to Eliminate the Culture by Which Aboriginals stand out from the rest of the civilization. It also shows that people wanted the Aboriginals to be mixed with the rest of the society eliminating the differences between the peoples in Canada.

32. Canada was becoming a bilingual/multicultural society, but it was more diverse if one takes into account the First Nations who were the original residents of this land. • 45) The right to vote in 1960 did little to improve living conditions on reserves=poverty, poor health, and inadequate housing and education. • Some who tried their luck in the city often lacked education, job skills, and ability to adapt to urban life, faced hostility and discrimination. • 1968 National Indian Brotherhood was formed to lobby on behalf of the Aboriginal people living on reserves. • In response Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal government proposed a policy outlined in the White Paper of 1969. • White Paper=a document that a government puts forth for discussion.

33. 46) Trudeau and his Indian Affairs Minister, Jean Chrétien, felt that Aboriginal peoples should be treated exactly like other citizens and any special rights they had on the reserves, such as not having to pay income tax, would be abolishedmore done to encourage Aboriginals to leave the reserves and seek jobs in the mainstream of Canadian society. • Aboriginal peoples were furiousWhite Paper=attack on maintaining their unique identity. • 47) National Indian Brotherhood argued that instead of assimilation into “white” society they wanted self-government and control over their own affairs. • 47) They present the Citizens Plus, or the “Red Paper”a surprised Jean Chrétien shelved the White Paper but didn’t offer a new policy.

34. Educational Concerns • Residential schools abandoned in 1969. • Aboriginal peoples took over education in “band schools”could study own language and culture. • Secondary education was not available many students had to take part in a government-run “boarding home program” and attend schools in Vancouver and New Westminster • In 1990 Phil Fontaine, a prominent Aboriginal chief and lawyer, fought to get some compensation for the abuses the Native children suffered in residential schoolsIn 1998 $350 million healing fund was created

35. Environmental Concerns • Aboriginal groups were concerned that hydroelectric and natural gas projects would endanger their traditional activities of hunting, fishing, and trapping. • In the 1970’s Inuit, Métis, and Indian Brotherhood of the Yukon and Northwest Territories struggled to halt the construction of oil and natural gas pipelines that were to run through their lands • Berger CommissionIn 1977 the commission recommended the construction of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline should be suspended for ten years pending an in-depth environmental study and negotiations with the Aboriginal peoples about financial compensation, self-government, and other issues. • By 2000, Aboriginal peoples were open to the idea of building a pipeline and stressed control and some ownership of the project. • In 1980’s~1990s Cree residents of Northern Quebec halted a Hydro Project which threatened to flood some of their ancestral territories.

36. The Path to Self-Government • 1980s Assembly of First Nations to represent themselves in their dealing with the federal government. • 50) Pressured government during constitutional negotiationsAboriginals entrenched in the Charter of Rights and FreedomIn 1985 Bill C-31 gave Aboriginal band councils the power to decide who had the right to live on Aboriginal reserves • 49) Brought about question of self-government=Aboriginal peoples claimed that control over their resources would allow them to tackle social and health concerns in their communities. • Aboriginal land claims • 51) Specific claims=First Nations’ claims to land based on the belief that the government did not fulfill its obligations under treaty or other agreement • Comprehensive claims=Assertion of right of Aboriginal nations to large tracts of land because their ancestors were the original inhabitants.

38. Oka Confrontation • 52 • Disputed land in Oka, QuebecOka town council wanted to expand a golf course into the land that Mohawks at the nearby Kanesatake reserve considered sacred. • Mohawk warrior society blockaded the land • July 11th, police advanced on Mohawk lines, gunfire broke out, and an officer was killed. • Police blockaded Kanesatake—Mohawks • Montrealviolent confrontations between Quebeckers, police and Mohawks. • Across Canada, other Aboriginal groups blockaded highways and railway tracks in support. • Robert Bourassa (Premier) called in the Canadian Forces. • Disputed land was purchased by the federal government and given to Kanesatake

40. Land Claims in British Columbia • 53 • Land claims in B.C.=Comprehensive • The Royal Proclamation of 1763 declared that “any lands whatever, which, not having been ceded to or purchased by us, … are reserved to the … Indians.” • Opponents=deny the 1763 proclamation is valid • Assert that Canada exercise traditional rights of “discoverers and conquerors.” • The land ceased long ago to belong to the First Nationswithout written records its difficult for First Nations to prove continuous occupation. • ·         History of land claims go as far back as a century • o 1887=Nisga’a, original occupants of the Nass Valley, began asserting their land rights • o 1992-made a land claim (first group) even when the Indian Act made it illegal to raise funds for land claims     

41. Nisga’a Territory

42. 1993 won partial victory when Supreme Court of Canada acknowledged the concept of Aboriginal title (right to land) did indeed exist oThen, two neighbouring nations, the Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en took land claim to court=Delgamuluukw case o In 1996=Nisga’a offered a settlement entitling them to 8% of their original claimed land, ownership of forests, and partial profits from salmon fisheries and hydro developmentright to develop own municipal government and policing$190 million over fifteen years in compensation for lost land. o In 1998=Supreme Court defined “Aboriginal title” in ruling on the Delgamullukw case=Aboriginal groups could claim ownership of land if they can prove that they occupied the land before the Canadian government claimed sovereignty, and that they occupied it continuously and exclusively. o Opponents=feared more expensive land disputes would come about and business feared that future court causes would hurt their investments on the land. o BC Government decided no vote would be held over the issue because the majority cannot fairly decide on the rights of the minority. Gitksan territory

43. But then Gordon Campbell came into power… • 2002: New Liberal gov’t holds “mail in” referendum in effort to challenge supreme court’s approval of the Nisga’a treaty • Outrage amongst many groups in BC: Highly controversial: critics challenge questions, format, legality, implications and purpose. • Many groups call on people to spoil ballots or send them to First Nations for burning ceremonies • Only 36% of ballots returned to gov’t, 90% of those ballots that were not spoiled predictably voted “yes”

44. The Nisga’a Referendum Stats April 2 to May 15, 2002 • Elections BC mailed 2,127,829 referendums to registered Prov voters. • Additional 16,930 packages mailed to unregistered voters or to voters who had moved and did not receive their original referendum package. • 26,702 individuals returned voting materials by the deadline that were not considered during the ballot count because they did not meet the requirements of the Treaty Negotiations Referendum Regulation. • 763,480 ballots were considered during the count, representing 35.83% of total registered voters. 90% voted in favour of the 8 questions posed in the referendum

45. Referendum Questions • Private property should not be expropriated for treaty settlements. • The terms and conditions of leases and licences should be respected; fair compensation for unavoidable disruption of commercial interests should be ensured. • Hunting, fishing and recreational opportunities on Crown land should be ensured for allBritish Columbians. • Parks and protected areas should be maintained for the use and benefit of all British Columbians. • Province-wide standards of resource management and environmental protection should continue to apply. • Aboriginal self-government should have the characteristics of local government, with powers delegated from Canada and British Columbia. • Treaties should include mechanisms for harmonizing land use planning between Aboriginal governments and neighbouring local governments. • The existing tax exemptions for Aboriginal people should be phased out

46. A Powerful Force for Change  55) Ø The creation of the territory of Nunavut in 1999 resulted from the Largest treaty ever negotiated in Canada o Inuit gained political control of some 1.6 million square kilometers on the Eastern Arctic. o Importance=Aboriginal claims and self-government will continue to be a powerful force for change in shaping the nation into the 21st century.