history of the indian act some history… 1763 – the royal proclamation (england claimed canada)...
DESCRIPTION
History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1876 – Indian Act -Included vision of assimilation. Government felt need to turn Indians into civilized Canadians -Government in charge of all Indians affairs -Government decides who is and is not Indian. -Métis have no status -Reserves could be broken up Indian Act had many changes betweenTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
History of the Indian ActSOME HISTORY…
1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada)-Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands-Land could be bought by Europeans-Aboriginals had sovereignty over their land-Legally protected Aboriginal people from Europeans
1850 – Act to Protect Indians-First time Indian “status” was defined. “Aboriginal by birth or blood”, “belong to band or tribe”, “Married to or adopted by Aboriginal”-Europeans – not FNMI people – defined who was Aboriginal
1857 – Act to Encourage Civilization of Indian Tribes-Introduced concept of taking away status rights (ENFRANCHISEMENT))-Had to be male, over 21, able to read/write, have education and money-Given 50 acres of land and money from band-Women and children also lost their status if man did too
![Page 2: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
History of the Indian ActSOME HISTORY…
1860 – Indian Lands Act-Created “Chief Superintendent of Indian Affairs” who was in charge of all Aboriginal issues and reserve lands, including who could belong, who could live where, and financial issues
1867 – Canada Becomes Country Instead of British Colony
1869 – Act to Enfranchise Indians-Allowed reserve self-government-Bands could elect chief and council to run reserves-Set rules for elections and what laws each council could pass-Women could not vote-Some bands did not have voting but were not forced to follow rules-Alcohol sales to Indians illegal-Aboriginal women lost status when marrying non-Aboriginal men. -First process of assimilation
![Page 3: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
History of the Indian ActSOME HISTORY…
1876 – Indian Act-Included vision of assimilation. Government felt need to turn Indians into civilized Canadians-Government in charge of all Indians affairs-Government decides who is and is not Indian.-Métis have no status-Reserves could be broken up
Indian Act had many changes between 1876 - 1951
![Page 4: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
History of the Indian ActSOME HISTORY…
1885: Prohibition of several traditional Aboriginal ceremonies1905: Power to remove Aboriginal peoples from reserves near towns with more than 8,000 people.1911: Power to take away portions of reserves for roads, railways and other public works, as well as to move an entire reserve away from a municipality if it made “sense”1914: Requirement that western Aboriginals seek official permission before appearing in Aboriginal “costume” in any public dance, show, exhibition, stampede or pageant.1918: Power to lease out uncultivated reserve lands to non-Aboriginals if the new leaseholder would use it for farming or pasture.1927: Anyone wanting to make land claims needed a license from the Superintendent of Indian Affairs.1930: Prohibition of pool hall owners from allowing entrance of an Aboriginal who “by inordinate frequenting of a pool room either on or off an Indian reserve misspends or wastes his time or means to the detriment of himself, his family or household.”
![Page 5: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
History of the Indian ActSOME HISTORY…
1951 – More Indian Act Changes-Created Department of Indian Affairs-Successful bands could get more lands to continue to grow-Women allowed to participate in band councils-Indians could perform cultural celebrations and activities-Indians could not possess alcohol or be intoxicated
1985 – Bill C-31 and Major Indian Act Changes-Women allowed to keep status no matter who they married-Status returned to some groups who had lost it-Bands could decide on their own members
2002 – First Nations Governance Act-Bands develop a system to choose their leaders-Rules developed on how bands spend money-Ensured bands protected by Canada’s Charter of Rights & Freedoms-Act did not pass due to protests from Aboriginal groups
![Page 6: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
History of the Indian ActIndian Agents…
INDIAN AGENTS worked for the Superintendent of Indian Affairs.-They had extraordinary powers to enforce the Indian Act and control the lives of FNMI people
•Agents replaced traditional Aboriginal leaders and introduced a new way of living that matched what European government wanted.•Often used the distribution of rations as a weapon to impose federal authority on the Native population. Facing hunger and destitution, Natives were forced to bow to the control of the central government.•Full Justice of the Peace powers: Arresting Officer; Prosecutor and Judge. •Powers to determine who qualified as a Status Indian. They did the original count that was so inaccurate and unfair that it continues to reverberate to this day. Enforcing the "blood quantum" - to qualify as an Indian, a person born after 1868 had to have at least one quarter Indian blood for status recognition.
![Page 7: History of the Indian Act SOME HISTORY… 1763 – The Royal Proclamation (England Claimed Canada) -Set rules for Aboriginals to have lands -Land could be](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082412/5a4d1b107f8b9ab05998f22e/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
History of the Indian ActWHITE PAPER…
1969 – WHITE PAPER ON INDIAN POLICY-Called for an end to any special status for Native people. -Its aim was to quickly culturally assimilate Native people into mainstream Canadian society. -The Indian Act would be abandoned. -Government management on reserve lands would be dismantled. -All federal responsibilities for Native people would end.
FNMI groups were upset.-Assimilation would destroy their cultures-Wanted official ownership of their lands-Wanted ability to have sovereignty and self-government