Module 4 - Belanger Ch 5 - The Indian Act Flashcards
What was the purpose of the Indian Act of 1876?
To assimilate Indigenous peoples into Canadian society and serve as the government’s primary tool for directing Indigenous development.
How did the Indian Act impact Indigenous governance?
It replaced traditional leadership with band councils and excluded women from voting or holding office, reinforcing gender discrimination.
What cultural practices did the Indian Act target?
It outlawed ceremonies, restricted Indigenous economies, and encouraged residential school attendance to suppress Indigenous culture.
How did early settlers view Indigenous peoples?
As “barbaric” and lacking structured religion or land-use strategies, justifying colonial policies.
What was the “civilizing project”?
A colonial effort to assimilate Indigenous peoples by erasing their culture, governance, and economies.
What was the Royal Proclamation of 1763?
A document that protected Indigenous land rights but also established a land-surrender formula used in future treaties.
How did the role of Indigenous peoples change after the War of 1812?
They were no longer seen as military allies and became viewed as wards of the Crown in need of protection.
What was the Darling Report (1828)?
A recommendation to reduce costs by promoting Indigenous farming and permanent settlements, laying the groundwork for the reserve system.
What did the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report reveal?
It documented over 3,000 student deaths, systemic abuse, and the use of punishment like a homemade electric chair in residential schools.
What was the Sixties Scoop?
A program in which over 20,000 Indigenous children were adopted into non-Indigenous families without consent, continuing cultural assimilation policies.
What is the Millennium Scoop?
The current overrepresentation of Indigenous children in foster care, echoing residential school policies.
What are the ongoing housing challenges on reserves?
An estimated 20,000 new houses are needed, and 44% of existing homes require major repairs.
What is the status of clean drinking water on reserves?
Many communities face long-term advisories, with some under a boil-water advisory for over 20 years.
How many Indigenous women went missing or were murdered between 1980 and 2014?
At least 1,181, with many considering this a form of systemic violence or genocide.
What is the two-row wampum?
A Haudenosaunee symbol of peaceful coexistence, representing two nations traveling side-by-side without interfering with one another.
How did Indigenous leaders respond to colonial policies?
They cited the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to assert their land and governance rights, arguing against their treatment as wards.
What were the implications of Indigenous populations being categorized as “wards”?
This classification allowed colonial governments to legislate for Indigenous peoples instead of negotiating with them as equals.
What were the goals of the 1850 Indian laws in Upper and Lower Canada?
To protect Indigenous lands from trespass and fraud while beginning to define who was legally considered an Indian.
What was the purpose of the Gradual Civilization Act (1857)?
To promote assimilation by enfranchising Indigenous individuals deemed capable of managing their own affairs, emphasizing that one could not be both Indian and civilized.
What did the Civilization and Enfranchisement Act (1859) achieve?
It consolidated earlier Indian legislation and marked a shift toward assimilating Indigenous peoples into European-style social norms.
What were the key areas administered by the Indian Act?
(1) Allocation of reserve lands,
(2) Definition of Indian status, and
(3) Enforcement authority granted to the federal government.
How did the Indian Act affect traditional governance?
It replaced hereditary leadership with municipal-style councils and granted Indian Agents significant authority to enforce its provisions.
What was the Indian Act’s long-term goal?
To assimilate Indigenous peoples and eliminate the category of Status Indians, thereby ending government responsibility for them.
What was enfranchisement, and how was it achieved?
It was the process by which Indigenous individuals renounced their status to gain full citizenship, requiring education, strong moral character, and, later, university degrees.
How did the Indian Act treat Indigenous women?
Women lost status if they married non-Indigenous men, and they were prohibited from voting, holding office, or inheriting property unless widowed.
What was the Daniels v. Canada decision (2015)?
It ruled that Métis and Non-Status Indians are considered “Indians” under section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867, extending federal responsibility to these groups.
What were the effects of the Indian Act on Indigenous mobility?
Passes were required to leave reserves, restricting personal freedom and political mobilization.
How did the Indian Act contribute to cultural disruption?
It outlawed traditional governance, suppressed cultural practices, and imposed European norms.
What role did Indian Agents play?
They enforced the Indian Act, controlled local governance, and wielded extensive discretionary power over Indigenous communities.
