Affirmation  What is affirmation? What does it mean to affirm somebody?  Have collective rights of Anglophones, Francophone, First Nations, Métis and Inuit been acknowledged over time?  Do these groups have a greater sense of belonging and collective identity in Canada?

Vocabulary  Affirm  Anglophone  Annuity  Autonomy  Assimilate  Collective identity  Collective rights  Ethnocentrism  First Nations  Indian  Indian Act  Official language community  Official language minority  Numbered Treaties  Publicly funded  Reserve  Scrip  Sovereignty  Status Indian  Treaty Rights

What are Collective Rights?  What are collective rights? Collective rights are held by groups (peoples) in Canadian society that are recognized and protected by Canada’s constitution. Collective rights are different from individual rights. Every Canadian citizen and permanent resident has individual rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, such as the right to live anywhere in Canada. Collective rights are rights Canadians hold because they belong to one of several groups in society.

Who holds collective rights in Canada?  Aboriginal peoples including First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.  Francophone and Anglophones.

Why do some people’s have collective rights and not others?  Collective rights recognize the founding peoples of Canada. Canada would not exist today without the contribution of these peoples.  Collective rights come from the roots of Aboriginal peoples, Francophones and Anglophones in the land and history of Canada.

Numbered Treaties  Historical agreements that affect the rights and identity of some First Nations in Canada  Royal Proclamation Act of 1763: when Britain took control of North America they recognized the First Nations right to land, and established the principle of making treaties with the First Nations through peaceful negotiations.

Numbered Treaties continued…  The numbered treaties are a series of eleven treaties signed between First Nations in Canada and the reigning Monarch of Canada from 1871 to 1921.treaties  It was the Government of Canada who created the policy, commissioned the Treaty Commissioners and ratified the agreements. These Treaties are agreements with the Government of Canada.

Numbered Treaties continued…  In order to obtain title to most of the lands, the Canadian government proceeded with this series of treaties. Each treaty delineates a tract of land which was thought to be the traditional territory of the First Nation or Nations signing that particular treaty (the "tract surrendered").  In exchange for a surrender of their rights and title to these lands, the First Nations were promised a smaller parcel of land as a reserve, annual annuity payments, implements to either farm or hunt and fish and the right to continue to hunt and trap or hunt, trap and fish on the tract surrendered.

Why do you think it was important for the Government of Canada to negotiate these Treaties?

Answer:  First Nations in the west and Canada negotiated the Numbered Treaties for many reasons: * railway to link Canada sea to sea * to avoid war like in the USA * secure the future of First Nations * recognize the rights of First Nations

Perspectives play a role in the interpretation of the Treaties  The Canadian government believes First Nations gave up their land under the Treaties. Many First Nations disagree, especially since their worldviews DO NOT think of land as something anyone can “own” or “give up”.  Treaties were written down on paper by the Canadian gov’t. The First Nations recorded the Treaties in their oral history. Could there be a discrepancy?

The Indian Act (1867 onward)  Since the Numbered treaties protected the collective rights of First Nations, the Indian Act aided in this protection. The Federal government is able to develop specific policies and programs to administer Treaty rights to First Nations.  Created Indian Agents. People who had the power to individually decide how governments would fulfill its duties. Thus – many interpretations of what Treaty rights meant.  In the decision making process, ethnocentrism played a role.

Indian Act cont….  Defined who may be registered as a STATUS INDIAN with Treaty rights. The Federal Government controlled these decisions, not the First Nations. It is a way of government control.  The act’s initial intent was to assimilate First Nations peoples  It defined how they had to conduct their affairs, such as band elections,  At certain points in history, the act restricted their rights to travel freely, to take political action, to wear traditional clothing and to take part in traditional ceremonies.  Up until 1960, aboriginals could only vote if they gave up their legal identity and Treaty rights.