Departments responsible for Indian Affairs, 1755-present British War Office, Office of the Governor General, Crown Lands Department, Department of the Interior, Department of Mines and Resources, Dep’t of Citizenship and Immigration, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1966-present
Confederation Indian policy in Upper Canada (Canada West) before Confederation British North America Act, 1867 B.C. entry into Confederation, 1871
B.C. Terms of Union The charge of the Indians, and the trusteeship and management of the lands reserved for their use and benefit, shall be assumed by the Dominion Government and a policy as liberal as that hitherto pursued by the British Columbia Government shall be continued by the Dominion Government after the Union. To carry out such policy, tracts of land of such extent as it has hitherto been the practice of the British Columbia Government to appropriate for that purpose, shall from time to time be conveyed by the Local Government to the Dominion Government in trust for the use and benefit of the Indians on application of the Dominion Government; and in case of disagreement between the two Governments respecting the quantity of such tracts of land to be so granted, the matter shall be referred for the decision of the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Native Life in the West, Changing Native life in the 1870s Treaty 6 Chiefs’ varying strategies for dealing with change The federal Indian Act Changing Metis life: the 1870s and 1880s Leading to the Northwest Rebellion… The Northwest Rebellion
The Negotiation of Treaty 6 Background The Negotiations Different Chiefs; different approaches: -Mistiwasis -Ahtukukoop (Starblanket) -Poundmaker - Sweetgrass -Big Bear
Indian Act, 1876 “Terms” “Protection of Reserves” “Councils and Chiefs” “Intoxicants” “Enfranchisement”
Leading to the Northwest Rebellion… Growing discontent since 1868 Big Bear’s band: -Declining numbers -Rivalry for leadership by his son, Imases, and War Chief, Wandering Spirit -Big Bear signs the treaty, 1882 Continued difficult conditions, Big Bear’s Thirst Dance, 1884 Riel’s return, 1884
The Northwest Rebellion Causes of the Rebellion Major Events: -Riel’s Provisional Government at Batoche -Duck Lake -Frog Lake -Cut Knife Hill -Metis defeat at Batoche Outcomes
The Northwest Rebellion, March: Provisional Government at Batoche 26 March: Duck Lake 2 April: Frog Lake 24 April: Fish Creek 2 May: Cutknife Hill 9-12 May: Batoche Surrenders: Riel (15 May); Poundmaker (26 May); Big Bear (2 July)
Outcomes of the NW Rebellion Arrests, convictions and executions Outcomes for the Cree Outcomes for the Metis
Discussion Identify similarities and differences between the two Riel Rebellions.