The Study of First Nations

First Nation First nation – an aboriginal group whose members wish to be treated as a distinct group, on the basis of a shared common culture and history.

Key Terms Aboriginal (Native): Descendant of Canada’s first inhabitants

Key terms con’t The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal people — Indians, Métis and Inuit. These are three separate peoples with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs Innuit - An Aboriginal person in Northern Canada, who live in Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Northern Quebec and Northern Labrador. (The word means "people" in the Inuit language — Inuktitut. The singular of Inuit is Inuk.) Metis - an aboriginal who has mix of First Nation and European ancestry (The Métis have a unique culture that draws on their diverse ancestral origins, such as Scottish, French, Ojibway and Cree)

The Treaty Making Process Treaties: Official agreement between the federal government and First Nations whereby the Aboriginal people give up their land rights except for reserves Reserve – an area of land where aboriginals could hunt, fish and live undisturbed as they had in the past.

The Treaty-Making Process Canadian treaties date back to 1665 Early years: small number of European explorers, fur traders, and settlers As years followed, more Europeans arrived, the British government wanted to obtain control of the land used by Native groups In exchange offered Native’s payment, an area of land (reserve) and goods

Royal Proclamation of 1763 Established TWO important principals Land-ownership rights of the First Nations must be respected If a First Nation did choose to give up land, it should receive a fair payment for it

Experience with treaties Pg 179 First Nations Europeans Land Had the land; were prepared to share it Wanted to settle on it Wanted Peace; realized the Europeans had great power Europe had money and goods Peace; realized that the First Nations would always be a threat without a treaty Experience with treaties Used them to settle disputes with neighbours

From 1780 to 1875 Larger areas of Native land exchange for cash, goods and promises of fishing and hunting rights

The Indian Act of 1876 Government signed treaties with Native groups - required them to give up their lands – then told them to move to reserves Received cash, goods and land rights to fish and hunt Government gave gifts of flags and medals

A broken promise… Many treaties proved to be unfair Words in treaties – didn’t understand what they were signing

Government Control Decided who “Indians” were Make decisions on behalf of them Decided how reserve lands were to be used Did not have the right to vote in Federal elections until 1960

What went wrong 

Loss of Land and Economic Base Enormous loss of land that occurred as a result of European settlement Natives thought they had free access to land but treaties meant they had to give it up Many reserves do not have rich fertile land, minerals, fish and animals

Can stay on the reserve with family and friends but face a future of unemployment and poverty Can move into the city for economic security but only by abandoning their own community

Lack of Self-Government Native peoples were given no right to govern themselves Europeans came to Canada Native traditions were lost Most damaging: sending Native children to residential schools Wanted to assimilate them Provincial and Federal laws and buildings

Treaties Today In recent years, the Canadian government came to realize that the Aboriginal people of Canada had been treated unfairly Reviewing treaties in Court

Two types of treaty settlements Comprehensive treaties: areas where treaties were never signed Have to deal with many issues: land ownership, government, fishing hunting, etc. Specific Claim: area where treaty exists Can be made by First Nations who feel that their claim wasn’t fair

Pg 177-182 Q: 2 & 3