CHAPTER 5 Flashcards
The Indian Act and Indigenous Affairs in Canada (19 cards)
Laws and policies are
socially constructed
instruments that expose fundamental social beliefs
The Indian Act allowed officials to legally coerce
“Indians” to abandon
central elements of their
culture and political economies
The Indian Act is the foundation of historic Indian policies
○ It continues to operate
○ Thus the state goal of “Indian” absorption into
Canadian society was/remains a prominent theme
The following trends and events can be traced to the Indian Act and policies constructed with its
guidance
■Truth and Reconciliation Commission
■’60s Scoop
■Community infrastructure challenges
■Murdered and missing Indigenous women
■Government cuts to Aboriginal spending
■AANDC discrimination against on-reserve children
■Millennium Scoop
At the time of contact, Indigenous peoples had in place
economic, political, and social processes
the first Indian Department was established in?
In 1755
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 enabled British
leaders to
lay claim to all of North America
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 created a legal
framework for Indian Department officials
Settler land demands led to
increasing Indian affairs
authority
Belief in Indigenous political independence was slowly
replaced by
the need to civilize Indians
Responsibility for Indians was stripped from field
officers and assigned to
Imperial Parliament officials
The 1857 Gradual Civilization Act was the first
colonial law to note assimilation as a policy outcome
Canada accepted responsibility for Indians under
91(24) of the British North America Act (1867)
the indian act provided for the administration of three key areas
■Allocation of reserve land
■Definition of “Indian” status
■Granting of enforcement authority to the federal
government
It is described as cradle-to-grave legislation
Indian Agents were granted
extraordinary
administrative and discretionary authority
how many Indian Act Amendments
16
Bill C-31
After 1857, married Indigenous women and their children lost status if their husband/father lost
status
Bill C-31 was enacted in
1985 to right the previous
wrongs, including
