Indian Act
• Created in 1876
• The act allows the federal
government to develop specific
policies to administer Treaty
rights to First Nations
• The act created “Indian Agents”
who made individual decisions
Indian Act
• The act defines who is a “status
Indian” with Treaty rights
• The act originally aimed to
assimilate First Nations peoples
• The act defined how to conduct
affairs
• It restricted their rights
• The act remains in force today
Indian Act Amendments
• In 1985, parliament attempted
to bring the act in alignment
with the Charter
• Three principles:
• Removal of discrimination
• Restoring status and membership
rights
• Increasing control of own affairs
Indian Act Amendments
• Latest attempt was in 2002, but
First Nations rejected the
attempt
• Read the article on pg. 138 and
complete the spot and respond
on the same page