1. The Study of First Nations

2. 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.

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

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

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

10. 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

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

13. 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

14. What went wrong 

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Pg Q: 2 & 3