Indigenous Rights in Canada

Question 1

How many indigenous people live in Canada?

Answer 1

1.8m, 5% of population

Question 2

How many indigenous people live in urban areas?

Answer 2

50%

Question 3

What is Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982?

Answer 3

recognizes and affirms Indigenous treaty rights, including existing Aboriginal rights in Canada.

Question 4

What is the Indian Act 1876?

Answer 4

governing First Nations people; widely criticized as paternalistic and colonial.

Question 5

What is the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)?

Answer 5

A UN framework to align national laws with indigenous self-determination and consent

Question 6

What does “Free, Prior, and Informed Consent” (FPIC) mean?

Answer 6

A principle in UNDRIP ensuring Indigenous communities must consent to developments on their lands — now a point of contention in resource extraction projects.

Question 7

What is the significance of the Wet’suwet’en protests (2019–2021)?

Answer 7

Indigenous land defenders opposed the Coastal GasLink pipeline, highlighting tensions between economic development and Indigenous sovereignty.

Question 8

How large is the Coastal GasLink pipeline?

Answer 8

670 kilometres

Question 9

How much did it cost Canada to build the pipeline?

Answer 9

CA$6.6 billion.

Question 10

What legal case reassured indigenous rights to land?

Answer 10

1997 Delgamuukw v British Columbia

Question 11

How much is the pipeline said to increase the carbon footprint by?

Answer 11

8-9 megatons

Question 12

What is the poverty rate among Indigenous people in Canada?

Answer 12

25% below poverty line, double national average

Question 13

What is the life expectancy gap?

Answer 13

5-10 years lower

Question 14

What is Jordan’s Principle?

Answer 14

equitable access to health and social services for First Nations children, based on a real-life case of healthcare denial.

Question 15

Constructivism

Answer 15

colonial narratives and national identity influence Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples; emphasizes norm-building and recognition.

Question 16

Liberalism

Answer 16

institutional reform, equal rights, and collaborative governance to integrate Indigenous peoples within democratic frameworks.

Question 17

Realism

Answer 17

state sovereignty and resource interests often override Indigenous self-determination, especially in land and pipeline conflicts.

Question 18

Postcolonial Theory

Answer 18

enduring legacy of settler colonialism, marginalization, and power imbalances in Canada’s treatment of Indigenous nations.