A reaction to alleged legislative abuses of indigenous treaty rights by the current federal government, the movement takes particular issue with the recent omnibus bill Bill C-45. After the May 2, 2011 Canadian Federal election, the federal government led by Stephen Harper proposed a number of omnibus bills introducing numerous legislative changes. While omnibus bills had been presented to parliament by previous governments, the perceived ideological nature of the changes proposed in Bill C-45 played to fears of a right-wing agenda held by the Conservatives, particularly concerning the removal of the term "absolute surrender" in Section 208, among others.…
The Attawaspiskat Cree and Ojibwa are a first nations group living in parts of Canada, mainly northern Ontario. The main languages spoken by these first nation groups are Mushkegowuk Cree and Ojibway. I will compare and contrast the experience of the Attawapiskat Cree to Ojibwa in relation to the Canadian Government. This will include analyzing the treaties introduced by the government towards the Cree and the Ojibwa: in particular, treaty 9 will be discussed. In addition, to these treaties the government has divided the first nation community into two different groups: status-Indians and non-status Indians. Within these two groups further division has been accomplished by the allocation of lands know as reserves to status-Indians and independent ownership for non-status Indians. This allocation of lands in reserves for status-Indians and independent ownership for non-status Indian is based on the policies developed through dependent and independent tenure. The laws permitting only status-Indians to live in reserves have fragmented the community and changes in culture and traditions have been rapid since the arrival of the government.…
The report outlines the extensive issues that existed prior to the modern land claim negotiations processes, and some of the more recent efforts that the federal government has made in order to regain the trust of Aboriginal communities. This report is authorized by the Canadian government, who holds a wealth of specific details regarding land claim negotiations. In this respect, this source is about as reliable as it gets. The report fully outlines the specific and comprehensive land claim negotiations processes. This source will be instrumental to my understanding of the dialogue that occurs between the government and Aboriginal groups in land claim negotiations. As well, when working on my policy paper, I can refer to some of the legal literature referenced in this report, such as for example, The Indian Act. This can help me to obtain a firm grasp on the ways in which First Nations people have been marginalized in the past, and possible ways that the government can achieve reconciliation with…
Ever since the settlers began to settle in America the west was a desired land where they envisioned new opportunities and better living conditions. To the west of the Mississippi laid fertile land occupied by thousands of buffaloes and 250,000 Indians which lived off the land and animals surrounding them. The American federal government had an enormous impact in the pushing of Indians off their land. To obtain this land the government would submit the indians to war, administer the sale of the lands, create policies with the indians, and giving land to farmers. The Indian community began to get furious and wars spurred out due to the injustice that was happening. Many people were promised easy land by the Homestead Act, which was a free piece of land given to the settlers to…
In the late 1800s, Americans were continuing to expand Westward as they “worried that the Northeast was overpopulated and that, as a result, the country would face the same problems as Europe—class conflict, poverty, and urban ills” (Document I). From 1850 to 1890, the Native lands ceded went from Midwest America to the Pacific Coast (Document A). This presented a similar problem that they had faced in the past with Native American land. In an attempt to overcome conflicts with the possession of Native American land, the United States set in place policies that were often inconsiderate to the Natives, but that they believed to be better economically, politically, and morally. These policies varied from government provided food for the Natives, to the distribution of the new land, and the treatment of Native for their various practices. All of these things greatly affected the course of Native American people and their cultures to this day.…
Conflicts over land developed between Native Americans and the settlers. The Natives took up most of the land because they moved from place to place. They did not have a set territory. They were like “foxes and wild beasts…” Colonist said “so it is lawful now to take a land which none useth; and make use of it.” Europeans believed that land was essential for a society to progress. On the other hand, Native American viewed the land as a resource to be used and left unchanged. Because of this fight over land and misunderstanding of cultures, colonists justified wars against the Native Americans.…
In modern society the question of why the aboriginal population receives benefits often arises. Much of today’s youth does not understand that the Native American people were often stripped of their rights in the past in order to gain these advantages. Two main incidents were established in the Aboriginal history, the first was the treaties that spread across Canada and the second incident was the Indian Act of 1876. The main difference between the Indian Act and treaties were the aboriginal’s role in the decision-making. Treaties allowed for a compromise between the Natives and the government that allowed for benefits on both ends whereas the Indian act was imposed on the Native culture by the Canadian government without any arrangement with the aboriginals.…
The many consequences of westward expansion were extremely harsh for Natives. The rapid growth of the United States developed a country of mining, farming and business. However, that is not to say that Natives were disintegrated from the population. Instead, Native Americans were forced to join settler society; For example, Indian children attended school, just as white children did. Although, Natives were incapable of purchasing settler land, therefore they were placed onto federal land known as reservations. The “Homestead Act” of 1862, enacted by President Abraham Lincoln, states anyone who had taken arms against the United States government were eligible to claim federal…
Native Americans were forced out of the land by treaties created by American leaders and the spokesperson for the native Americans they wanted to ensure peace and honesty between the two groups for the native Americans land to continue the trade for fur without any problems or difficulties many Americans were eager to stake claim on the native Americans territories. This erupted in many attacks and confrontations. The treaty convinced the native Americans to give, transfer, yield broad huge amounts of land to the U.S. government. To understand the point or reasons behind the treaty was that native Americans were seasonal hunters that only hunted for game and it was not necessary for them to have land. These reasons were fictional because many…
Canada’s political system makes more efforts to address, in a broad sense, the rights of minorities within their borders. Although some groups such as the Inuit still feel underrepresented, Canada still provides substantial aid and protections for every group and makes cultural acceptance an important consideration when passing legislation. In the wake of the recent US elections, I definitely admire the advantages of having representatives that actually consider the rights of all citizens, especially when discussing potential legislation. Considering the rights of minorities during all steps of the legal process allows for the possibility of more inclusive legislation that can address more facets of each problem being addressed. Hopefully,…
Back on the reservations, Native Americans were fed up with the unfair and harsh conditions. With the United States army deployed in the Civil War, openings for uprisings among Natives arose. The Civil War ended in 1865, but the following decade was plagued with wars between different indigenous tribes, known as the Indian Wars. By the late 1880’s most Native American groups had been forced onto the reservations. Following the Civil War, the government experimented with new policies for handling Native American affairs. In 1887 under President Grover Cleveland signed The Allotment/Dawes Act, ending the reservations system by dividing their lands into even smaller allotments. The Dawes Act was an attempt at opening up the Indian Reservation lands to white settlement and to encourage assimilation of Native Americans into American society. Under the Dawes Act, each head of the household was granted 160 acres of land to farm and harvest, the remaining land was then sold. The Dawes Act succeeded at granting the United States government the land they wanted but failed at improving the quality of life for the Native American Indians and integrating them into American society. Much of the land granted to the Native American men, was unsustainable for farming and couldn’t hold a harvest, most Native American Indians also didn’t have any money for farming equipment or supplies. In 1934, under the Indian Reorganization Act/Indian New Deal, the United States’ federal legislation terminated the allotment program of the Dawes Act. Legislation also provided funds for Native American tribes to purchase new lands, and finally formally recognized tribal…
As other nations arrived, Native Americans lost more and more of their land and were later moved to…
The conversion of reservations resulted in a housing crisis in the Native American community. A good percentage of reservations are considered inadequate for living conditions. Overall the living conditions of reservations have been compared to third world. Due to the the reservation system that was approved by congress in 1851 it created defined and limited boundaries to which tribes had to live. This was put in place so the Indians wouldn't harass the white settlers for the exchange of territory of the northern Plains Tribes the Department of Indian Affairs determined tribal territories.The treaties were signed at Fort Laramie. The promises made were that the Native community would be supplied with anything that couldn't be produce through…
As more and more Europeans came to colonize the new land, conflict began to develop. Native Americans were willing to share and allow the use of the land but the White…
The rights and freedoms of Aboriginal people have changed significantly during the 20th century after facing many years of neglect and inequalities. In that time, change in indigenous rights and freedoms was brought about as a result of government policies, political activism and legal changes.…