First Nations Government After the Arrival of the Europeans

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First Nations Government After the Arrival of the
Europeans
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• In legal terms, a treaty is a binding contract
  between two parties for the term of the treaty.
• Treaty No. 239 in 1726 recognized British
  sovereignty in N.S.

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• Royal Proclamation of 1763 This was a guarantee
  by the British for Aboriginal people to retain
  ownership of the lands west of the Appalachians
  (mountains in Eastern US)
• This was not honored by the US.

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• Canada began its numbered treaty system in 1871
  to consolidate the 123 separate Aboriginal
  treaties in effect in North America in 1867.
• This system defined the relationship between the
  government and its first nations, and secured
  government access to land and natural resources.
• Unlike the US which used military force, this
  system became a non-violent way of moving
  native peoples off of their lands. Sometimes,
  coercion was necessary.

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• Native groups viewed it as a way to adapt to
  change, yet secure their cultures and tradition.
• In 1876, Canada passed the Indian Act, which gave
  a legal, and sexist, definition to the term
  Indian. Most native people viewed it as
  condescending.
• The 1969 White Paper suggested assimilation for
  Canadas native peoples.

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• In 1971, Natives began a legal challenge against
  the James Bay Project Hydro-electric.
• In 1973, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized
  land claims rights.
• These rights were affirmed in the 1982
  Constitution Act where they were recognized and
  affirmed.

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• In 1985, Bill C-31 removed the gender
  discrimination from the Indian Act.
• In 1990, phase 2 of the James Bay project was
  stopped.
• In 1990, Native activists and the government
  clashed at Oka, Quebec over property rights.

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• In 1998, BCs Nisgaa were given land and some
  governmental control over aspects of their
  society (but must conform to the Charter of
  Rights Freedoms).
• In 1999, the Inuit-controlled territory of
  Nunavut was created. Nunavut uses a consensus
  model of government.