1. Addressing Lost Status: Govt
Addressing Lost Status: Govt. attempt at reconciling those that unfairly lost status
Bill C-31
Abocide??

2. Unfairly losing “status” - reminder
First Nations lost (or could lose) status if:
-earned university degree
-went to war
-received Veterans Land Act
-convicted of a criminal activity
-wanted to vote in an election

3. Indian Act “Status” Criteria
3 main criteria:
1. Any male person of FN blood belonging to a band
2. The children of such a person
3. His wife
*** Why does this need to be changed? ***

4. “Status” and Women = UNFAIR
“Indian Status” was discriminatory and unfair for women:
Women lost status if:
-married non-native (children lost status as well)
-her husband lost status or relinquished status
Also:
-if a woman married a man from a different band her status transferred to her husbands band
Men However….
-could marry non-native and still retain status

5. Double Mother Rule Automatically lose status if:
-mother and grandmother gained status through marriage
-Children lost status at magical age of 21
Example:
Status male marries non native women – have girl
Girl marries status man – have child(ren)
 at age 21 that child lost status

6. Bill C-31 – designed to fix “lost status”
-addressed “lost status” issues
-focused specifically on returning status to those that unfairly lost status
-gave Bands control over membership (not DIA)

7. Bill C-31 comparison Bill C-31 Criteria: Old Criteria:
Status is given to:
* those who have two status parents OR
*1 status parent whose parents were both status
Old Criteria:
Status given to:
*Any male person of FN blood belonging to a band
*The children of such a person
*His wife

8. Bill C-31 - Analysis The positives:
-115,000+ FN’s have (re)gained “status”
-band control over membership (instead of DIA)
The Cons:
-FNs must maintain racial purity
-Leads to avoiding marriage with non-aboriginals
 failure to do this = lost status
Result:
-Bill C-31 is referred to as the ABOCIDE BILL
-Abocide meaning “Aboriginal-cide” [genocide]
-general decrease in # of “Status” FNs

9. "We have to ask what would happen if all status indians alive today married a non-indian or someone without status, and their children did the same: within two generations, there would be no status Indians left in Canada."
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, 1985.

10. Why is status sooo imporantant?
No Status = no rights Non-status Indians therefore DO NOT receive the same rights as STATUS INDIANS non-status indians are denied or cannot:  Hunting and Fishing  Practice traditions  Receive compensation  tax exemptions  access to social / economic programs

11. Jan 8, 2013 UPDATE
Landmark court decision: -All Aboriginal Canadians now considered “Status Indians” and thus, should receive the same rights and benefits - Metis / Non-Status / Status / Inuit