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The history of indigenous people in canada essays
The history of indigenous people in canada essays
The history of indigenous people in canada essays
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Elijah Harper impacted the world in a positive way by standing up for indigenous rights and intercepting and ending the Meech Lake Accord. In 1990, Elijah Harper stood up in the Manitoba legislature with his eagle feather raised high and refused the Canadian constitutional amendment, known as the Meech Lake Accord. The accord had been negotiated without the consultation of First Nations and Harper's historic stance brought the Accord to a standstill. Following his actions, he is quoted saying “I stalled and killed it because I didn’t think it offered anything to the Aboriginal people”. His determined and strong stance, in the face of enormous pressure, is considered a turning point for Aboriginal people in Canada. Harper made news stories across
...n.p.). Soon the Canadian government amended Section 12 in 1985, and Bill C-31 was passed for those who lost their status and want to regain them (Hanson, n.p.). Unfortunately a fault existed in Bill C-31, which stated that the statuses of the aboriginals can only be passed on for one generation. Seeing as this was still unconstitutional, the government is now attempting to again retract its footsteps by amending the Indian Act altogether (Hanson, n.p.), but is still meeting difficulty in doing so.
...ill help achieve his dream rather than violence. Finally, Claude Ryan, future leader of the Liberal party, said that “the Bourassa government placed itself under the tutelage of the Trudeau government.” This shows that due to the execution of the WMA, the government of Québec and Canada worked together, despite their differences. This relationship possibly might have resulted in Trudeau making 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, so the Quebecers can feel as a part of Canada. Therefore, the end result, which was positive, proves that Trudeau’s implementation of the WMA was correct.
The years following the Second World War were bleak in regards to Canada's future as a country, with the public and politicians alike set against each other, but soon a Québec man by the name of René Lévesque entered journalism, and then politics, voicing his views for all to hear, with great success and vigour. Though obstacles presented themselves often in his life, he changed the views of Québec, Canada and the world as a whole. René Lévesque was a passionate and charismatic politician who greatly contributed to post-war Québec and even today through his beliefs in separatism, founding the Parti Québecois and passing Bill 101.
From 1968–1979 and 1980–1984, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the Canadian Prime minister. He represented the Liberals. Throughout his time he has done many things for Canada. During Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s time as the Prime minister, he managed to improve relationships between Canada and France and as well as diplomatic relations with China. He also stopped the French separatist movement, which was when the French people of Quebec wanted to part from Canada and become independent. In 1982, Trudeau also formed the Constitution that includes the bills of rights and the amending formula. The significance of this quote was referring to the separatist movement of the French. The relations of the French and the English people in Canada created conflict.
One of the most contentious issues in Canada’s history is that of the Metis. Some people feel this unique group of people does not deserve any sort of recognition, whereas others believe their unique history and culture is something to be recognized and cherished. The history of the Metis people is filled with struggle; not only struggles against other powers, but also a struggle for self-identification. Despite strong opposition, the Metis people of Canada have matured as a political force and have taken great strides towards being recognized as a unique people.
...ises Jean Chretien, the prime minister at the time made. Chretien promised to amend the constitution, which at the time did not include Quebec’s approval.
The Calder Case was the spark that led to the Canadian government recognizing Aboriginals and their rights. Firstly, the aboriginals used the Calder Case to inform the government that they were taking away their rights. The Calder Case was launched after the Attorney General of British Columbia declared “that the Aboriginal Title, other wise known as the Indian Title, of the Plaintiffs to their ancient tribal territory...has never been lawfully extinguished.”1 The statement made by the government claimed that the Aboriginal Title did not exist in the eyes of the law and before the Calder Case, it allowed them to ignore Aboriginal land rights all over the country. In addition, The Calder brought the issues the Aboriginals were facing with land claims to the attention of the Canadian government. “According to Kainai Board of Education The case made it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada where the court ended up rejecting the native's claims after being split on it's validity. However, the Supreme Court of Canada's recognition required new respect for Aboriginal land claims.”2 The Supreme Court of Canada's recognition of the Calder Case benefited the Aboriginals as the government was...
...ents and therefore opposed to provinces having more control than federal institutions. Brian Mulroney, to Trudeau, was upsetting the balance of power that existed through the provinces and federal government. The federal government should be the supreme power among the provinces, and Mulroney was about to flip the controls. That being said, Mulroney thought he was still keeping with Trudeau’s vision of a “just society” by giving the provinces more say in what happens to them. Mulroney examined what Trudeau had previously expressed as possible agreements between the provincial and federal governments and found Trudeau was sabotaging Mulroney’s plans only because Trudeau could not stand to watch another Prime Minister succeed at what he had failed to do. Whether this is true or not, it is obvious the battle for the Meech Lake Accord was won by Trudeau in the end.
Tolvanen, A. (1992). The rise of Native Self-determination and the crisis of the Canadian Political Regime. Culture, Volume XII (No. 1), 63-77.
“In about half of the Dominion, the aboriginal rights of Indians have arguably been extinguished by treaty” (Sanders, 13). The traditions and culture of Aboriginals are vanishing at a quick pace, and along it is their wealth. If the Canadian Government restore Native rights over resource development once again, Aboriginals would be able to gain back wealth and help with the poverty in their societies. “An influential lobby group with close ties to the federal Conservatives is recommending that Ottawa ditch the Indian Act and give First Nations more control over their land in order to end aboriginal poverty once and for all” (End First). This recommendation would increase the income within Native communities, helping them jump out of
Canada likes to paint an image of peace, justice and equality for all, when, in reality, the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in our country has been anything but. Laden with incomprehensible assimilation and destruction, the history of Canada is a shameful story of dismantlement of Indian rights, of blatant lies and mistrust, and of complete lack of interest in the well-being of First Nations peoples. Though some breakthroughs were made over the years, the overall arching story fits into Cardinal’s description exactly. “Clearly something must be done,” states Murray Sinclair (p. 184, 1994). And that ‘something’ he refers to is drastic change. It is evident, therefore, that Harold Cardinal’s statement is an accurate summarization of the Indigenous/non-Indigenous relationship in
...ereignty. As mentioned Quebec does not have complete sovereignty and it shares its powers with the federal government (Johnson). Strong words like Johnson's found in the mass media are very significant to issues such as this. As elected representatives the government will not act against the wishes of the majority of citizens. Therefore if the Canadian citizens claim that Native Sovereignty in Canada can not coexist with Canadian sovereignty than it will not.
...tool of the Canadian Federal Government to extinguish Indian land rights (Stout and Kipling, 2003:38).
The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) represents the Métis community in Manitoba in political, cultural, social and economic matters (Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), 2013). Manitoba Métis Federation, representing Métis in Manitoba, filed a claim asking for a declaration that the federal and provincial statutes, which affected the implementation of Manitoba Act provisions, were "constitutionally invalid” (Chartrand, p. 477, 1991). In Section 31 of Manitoba Act, 1870, it provided lands to the Métis people. Section 32 assured the settlers, Aboriginal or not, that their occupied lands in 1869 would not be “jeopardized” by the wave of newcomers (Sprague...
Prior to the arrival of the Europeans in Canada in the mid- to late 1600s, Aboriginal people were the original inhabitants of the Canadian land. In Canadian history, we forced our Aboriginal people to adapt to the European-Canadian culture and values. Prior to overthrowing their land and culture, the Aboriginal peoples were thriving off the natural land materialistically and financially. In years to come in response to the mistreatment of them, the Canadian government would implement what is known as the Indigenous and Northern Affairs act [1966] this act would aim to establish financial rights and benefits for the aboriginal demographic. Today in the 21st century Canada is comprised of over 1.4 million indigenous peoples (Aylsworth