MULTICULTURALISM, FIRST NATION ISSUES, CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM, AND GLOBALIZATION This is a very important Power Point. I have chosen the information that is most likely to be on your Provincial Exam. CHAPTER 8

CANADIAN MULTICULTURALISM ACT Enacted in 1988 Aimed to reinforce racial and cultural equality with legal authority.

RIGHTS ENTRENCHED 1982 Equality Rights enshrined in the Constitution 1985: Aboriginal women won the right to maintain their Aboriginal status even if they married non-Aboriginals. Tests for job suitability were challenged. (Height and Strength) Mid-90s sexual orientation discrimination outlawed. (failed in the 80s) 2005: same sex marriage legalized

THE FIGHT FOR ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS Recall the issues around Canadian Residential Schools: – Destruction of family ties – Increased substance abuse – Loss of culture – Horrendous cases of physical and sexual abuse 1996 last school closed 2006 Government and the Assembly of First Nations sign $4-billion dollar residential schools settlement agreement. (problems with collecting) As recent as 2008 PM Harper publically apologizes Truth and Reconciliation Committee launched.

THE PATH TO SELF GOVERNMENT Assembly of First Nations created in Purpose to represent Aboriginals in dealing with the Government Parliament passed legislation giving Aboriginal Band Councils the ability to decide who lives on Aboriginal reserves.

Prior to this the power rested with the Dept. of Indian Affairs. The questions now: 1. What other powers should be transferred to Band Councils? 2.What type of self-government should Aboriginal Peoples have? 3.What means could Aboriginal Nations lay claim to lands that they considered to be theirs? Specific and Comprehensive Land Claims: land under treaty and land that is questioned.

OKA CRISIS: SUMMARY WHO: Mohawk Nation, Kanesatake Reserve, Quebec WHAT: Dispute over plans to expand a golf course on Native land. WHEN: April September 1990 (Standoff lasted 11 weeks) HOW: A barricade was erected at Oka. WHY: The land which the mayor of Oka and other citizens of the city were eyeing for the new golf course was being claimed as long-held ancestral land by the Mohawks.

THE STANDOFF BEGINS On July 11, 1990, the police attacked the barricade being guarded by the Natives. Shots were fired and Marcel Lemay, an agent with the Sûreté du Québec (provincial police force), was killed. The conflict took on an entirely new perspective from that moment on. The Mohawk claims were no longer strictly territorial in nature, but rather a demand for recognition of Native independence.

NEGOTIATIONS FAIL The government refused to negotiate while the Mohawk barricades were up and sent in the provincial police to erect its own barricades on the roads leading to the municipality of Oka and the Kanesatake reserve.

THE SHOWDOWN Neither group was willing to dismantle their barricades and therefore Robert Bourassa (then Premier) called in the Canadian Armed Forces. Despite the armed presence, negotiations were slow, and it took several weeks before roads were able to reopen to regular traffic.

CONCLUSION Twenty days later, on September 26, 1990, the last barricades were taken down and the Warriors gave up the fight.

The Nisga’a

THE NISGA’A 1999 Parliament passes the Nisga’a deal. – Very small portion of the land they originally claimed – Ownership of the forests, and partial profits from salmon fisheries and hydro development – Own Municipal Government and Police created – $196 million paid for lost land – Agree to become tax payers.

NUNAVUT

Created in The largest land treaty ever negotiated in Canada Gave Inuit control over 2 million square kilometers of the eastern Arctic.

THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ABORIGINAL PEOPLES 1991 federal government launched a commission to look into issues that affected Aboriginal peoples. Results: – 1 in 4 First Nations children lived in poverty. (1 in 6) – Life expectancy for First Nations men 7.4 years less and First Nations women 5.2 years less compared to other Canadians. – Unemployment is over 50% and rise to 60% for those without a high school education. – Canada was also one of six countries who voted against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE Due to the October Crisis and the election of the Parti Quebecois, Quebec separatism seemed a reality. First, PM Trudeau felt Canada’s Constitution should be PATRIATED—to allow Canadians to change their Constitution without Britain’s approval.

THE 1980 SOVEREIGNTY-ASSOCIATION REFERENDUM Quebec Premier Rene Levesque called a referendum to give his government a mandate to seek political independence from Canada, control over their own resources, but maintain close economic ties with Canada (free trade, common currency, and common tariffs against imported goods) PM Trudeau promised Quebec a DISTINCT SOCIETY. 40% of Quebec voted ‘YES’

PATRIATING THE CONSTITUTION 1 st Step: – Create an AMENDING FORMULA: 7 out of 10 provinces representing 50% of Canada’s population must agree to a constitutional change. 2 nd Step: – Create an escape hatch to allow Provinces to bypass the Constitution: THE NOTWITHSTANDING CLAUSE.

CONTROVERSY The Kitchen Accord Fails to recognize Quebec as a Distinct Society Quebec provincial government refuses to sign, but Trudeau went ahead with the agreement. April 17 th, 1982 the new Constitutional Act becomes law. 1984, Brian Mulroney, the leader of the Progressive Conservatives is eager to get Quebec to sign the Constitution. Other provinces started to become upset: more control of their resources, more $ from their resources, and more say in the Senate. WESTERN ALIENATION

THE MEECH LAKE ACCORD PM Mulroney calls Premiers to a conference to discuss the Constitution at Meech Lake, Quebec. Offers to recognize Quebec as a DISTINCT SOCIETY, more power to the provinces, the right to VETO for all provinces. Critics worried the distinct society clause would separate the nation. First Nations were upset that they did not receive special status. Manitoba and Newfoundland withheld their support and it died. ELIJAH HARPER, Manitobian MLA critical in its defeat. Led to a rise in Quebec Separatism and a new radical political party formed—BLOC QUEBECOIS.

THE CHARLOTTETOWN ACCORD New referendum to try and push through the changes to the Constitution. On October, % of voters rejected it. Greatest opposition came from BC. (68.3%, felt it gave Quebec too much power) Quebec upset and elected the Bloc Quebecois who called a referendum on full sovereignty— 49.4% of Quebec voted ‘YES’ to sovereignty.

FINANCIAL CRISIS and GLOBALIZATION Canada had huge financial problems in the late 80s. – Huge national debt – Deficit financing – Social programs cut – Tax breaks to corporations – Dismantling of FIRA: FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW AGENCY (designed to protect Canadian business from foreign investment) – 1987 FREE TRADE AGREEMENT with the USA negotiated – 1992, NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT negotiated to include Mexico.

GLOBALIZATION would be the answer – Regions of the world would become economically and culturally linked. – Problems with trading with countries with human rights abuses.