Indigenous and Minority Groups-Ch7 Flashcards
why was the royal proclamation an important document?
- prevented any further settlement across north america until treaties had been negotiated with indigenous peoples
- recognized that indigenous peoples had organized nations on their own lands
why did the can gov gather first nations peoples onto reserves?
-federal government passes legislation which granted government control and management of lands of property of first nations peoples in canada
negative impacts of living on a reserve?
- limits FN ability to fully participate in canadian economy
- canadian gov used individual property as leverage for loans and wealth creation
- chief and council given enough power and control over community expenditures
- poverty prevalent;high suicide rates
what was the purpose of the indian act 1876?
- canadian government’s official way of encouraging indigenous peoples to give up their own culture and traditions
- assimilating them into mainstream canadian culture
what were advantages of the indian act?
- provided schools, med care, hunting/fishing rights, annual treaty payments
- exempted indigenous peoples with “indian status” from paying certain taxes
- gave “special status” to indigenous peoples (IP wanted to keep this legislation for it provided them with recognition)
what were disadvantages of the indian act?
- denied right to claim land and right to vote in provincial elections
- perceived to be incompatible with being canadian citizen
- IP with “indian status” could not vote unless status was traded for voting rights
- lost “indian status if moved off reserves, joined military, obtained higher education or married someone with no “indian status”
- traditional activities (potlatch) outlawed
- memorabilia shipped to museums in NA
what was negative regarding residental schools?
- compulsory for all indigenous children from 1884-1951
- 150,000 children removed from famillies and communities
- taught children how to be apart of white society and forget their indigenous heritage (assimilate)
- children had to abandon their culture/language;were physically, sexually, emotionally abused
when were indigenous peoples given the right to vote in federal elections in canada?
-1960
what did indigenous people had to sacrifice in order to gain rights of a canadian citizen?
-enfranchisement:loss of “indian status” and right to live on a reserve
what is the sixties scoop?
- period in 1960s
- effort to remove indigenous children “scoop them up” from their families and adopt them out to white canadians
- goal to remove indigenous culture from canada
why was the white paper introduce by canada?
- to adress the issues facing indigenous peoples who lived on reserves such as unemployment, ill health, poverty
- introduced by PM pierre trudeau and indian affairs minister jean chretien in 1968
what did the white paper do in 1969?
- proposed abolition of reserves and an end to indigenous special status
- equality was necessary for solutions;believed special status was the magor reasoning behind all the difficualties
why did indigenous community reject the proposed changes to the reserve system?
-amounted to “cultural genocide” ; extermination of their culture
what were the amendments to the indian act?
abolishment of concept of enfranchisement:
-IP could be enfranchised by choice or marriage
bands increased self government
-gave bands more power than previous
why was the white paper withdrew?
- national indian brotherhood formed to represent “status indians”
- native council of canada formed to represent “non-status indians” and metis
- reaction of organizations caused PM pierre trudeau to withdraw the paper in 1971
- it increased political activism amongst IP since paper publication