Module 6 - Belanger Ch 9 - Political Organizations in Canada Flashcards
(39 cards)
When did Indigenous political organizations in Canada begin to form?
They date back to 1870, emerging separately from Indian Act–mandated band councils to advocate for Indigenous rights.
What challenges do Indigenous political organizations face?
Balancing community-based political needs with operating within federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal political systems.
How did Indigenous peoples organize politically before European contact?
Through complex governance systems and councils based on spiritual, political, and social principles.
What were two key systems of pre-contact Indigenous organizing?
Intra-tribal: Focused on internal community relations.
Inter-tribal: Addressed regional political and economic issues.
What was the purpose of Indigenous confederacies?
To unify nations for mutual goals, maintain political and economic ties, and counter European influence.
Name two historical Indigenous confederacies and their members.
Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee): Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga, and later Tuscarora.
Blackfoot Confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, North Piikuni, South Piikuni, and formerly the Gros Ventres.
What led to the formation of Indigenous political organizations after Confederation?
The need to counter federal policies like the Gradual Enfranchisement Act (1869) and advocate for treaty rights and self-governance.
What was the Grand General Indian Council of Ontario and Quebec (GIC)?
A political alliance formed in 1870 by Ojibwa and Mohawk leaders to address federal policies and settler immigration impacts.
What challenges did early Indigenous organizations face?
Internal discord over strategy, competition with band councils, and federal resistance to Indigenous governance models.
Who were key early Indigenous political leaders?
Leaders like Peter Jones (Ojibwa Methodist missionary) and F.O. Loft (Mohawk World War I veteran).
What catalyzed the second wave of Indigenous political organizing?
The B.C. land question.
Indigenous participation in the labor movement.
A growing pan-Indigenous consciousness.
Inspiration from the Society of American Indians (SAI) in the U.S.
What was the League of Indians of Canada, and who founded it?
Founded by F.O. Loft in 1918, it aimed to unify Indigenous peoples and advocate for their rights nationally.
What role did the Allied Bands play in Indigenous political organizing?
They resisted land surrenders, lobbied for treaty protections, and laid the groundwork for self-determination and nation-building language.
What was the significance of the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia (NBBC)?
Initially a labor union, it evolved into a provincial political organization advocating for Indigenous rights and representation.
What was the purpose of the SJC?
To investigate the validity of the Indian Act and hear Indigenous leaders’ concerns.
What were the outcomes of the SJC hearings?
It reaffirmed Canada’s assimilation policies while making minimal changes, frustrating Indigenous leaders.
How did Indigenous leaders react to the recommendations of the SJC?
Reactions ranged from complete disgust to cautious optimism that federal officials had at least consulted them.
When did Indigenous peoples in Canada gain the right to vote in federal elections without losing their status?
In 1960, under Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.
What barriers prevented Indigenous voting in federal elections prior to 1960?
Perceived lack of “civilized status”
Access to “privileges” such as treaty rights
Lack of fee simple landholdings (private property ownership)
Assertions of Indigenous nationhood
What was Leah Gazan’s (Lakota) perspective on Indigenous voting?
Voting does not compromise sovereignty as sovereignty comes from the land.
Voting is a tool to influence treaty relationships and community-based politics.
What was the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI), and when was it formed?
A regional Indigenous organization formed in 1946, addressing issues like the Indian Act, hunting and fishing rights, medical services, education, and land.
What was the significance of the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood (MIB)?
Released the 1971 report Whabung: Our Tomorrows, which influenced Indigenous community-development policy.
Highlighted dismal health care in Indigenous communities.
Set policy directions for building a stronger Indigenous economic base.
What organization filled the leadership gap after the MIB disbanded in 1981?
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), formed in 1988.
What was the original name of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN)?
The Union of Saskatchewan Indians, later renamed the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations in 1982.
