1. Aboriginals Peoples in Canada: Repairing the Relationship
Harleen Kalirai
Vanessa De Castro

2. Aboriginals
Time:
- 1995, Federal government acknowledged the “inherent right” of Canada’s aboriginal peoples to self-government
- “Aboriginal” refers to the original or “first” occupants of this country (Canada).
Focus:
- Focused on survival strategies for the most part
Theme:
- Aboriginal people have travelled a great distance in order to get legal and constitutional space.

3. Divisions
Aboriginal people are divided into: Status, Non-status, Métis, and Inuit.
Métis are served by the same healthcare system as other Canadians receive, whereas the Aboriginal and Inuit people receive customized care.
Therefore it is difficult for Aboriginal peoples to speak from one voice due to the difference between each other within that community.

4. Constitutional Status
Federal government only provides services to those who are registered status Indians & the Inuit.
Status Indians are then divided further by treaty or non-treaty
Status Indians are:
- Registered in a general registry in Ottawa, entitlement to residence on band reserve lands, jurisdiction under the Indian act.

5. Non-status Indians
When their ancestors failed to register under the Indian act, or lost their status in order to be allowed to vote, drink alcohol of the reserves or marry a non-Indian. Non-status Indians do not live on reserve.

6. Métis
Are descendants of mixed European-aboriginal unions. Métis were originally from Red river settlements in Manitoba.

7. Inuit
Enjoy special status and relationship with the federal government, regardless of the fact they have not signed any treaties.

8. The Cycle of Destruction
Aboriginal people in the cycle of destruction face problems of poverty, ill health, educational failure, family violence and other problems reinforce one another. To break the circle of disadvantage all these conditions must be tackled together.

9. “No More Indians”
Aboriginal affairs policy: “no more Indians” through absorption into the system.
Accommodation: Royal Proclamation of 1763.
Assimilation:
Dependency
Justification
Indian Act
Integration: The White Paper.

10. Devolution Led to significant gains
- Increased Aboriginal input over local affairs
- Greater control over service delivery, administration of departmental programs & localized decision making.
Shift in Indian Affairs Department
- Establish Aboriginal control over community affairs.
- Different perception better equipped to solve local problems.
- Centralized problem solving structure prove ineffective.

11. Conditional Autonomy Four policy pillars: - Land claims settlement.
- Improved socioeconomic status on reserves.
- Reconstruction of Aboriginal peoples-government relations.
- Fulfillment of Aboriginal concerns.
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996).
Conditions for self-government.

12. Next Steps
Stop trying to solve the Aboriginal problem and focus on repairing the relationship.

13. Changes Take Aboriginals seriously.
Recognize Aboriginal title and treaty rights.
Promote Aboriginal models of self-determining.
Address the limitations of space.