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The Indian Act is one of the cornerstones of Canadian colonialism. Some of the main points we need to remember about the Indian Act are:
Read more about the Indian Act here.
Indigenous Peoples insist that their land ownership comes from their having lived upon and used the land since “when the world was new”, to use Dene elder George Blondin’s phrase. The rights and responsibilities that go with this relation to the land are inherent, though they may be augmented or changed by treaty.
Aboriginal title, by contrast, is a legal concept; the Canadian state says Aboriginal title derives from a set of legal documents like the royal proclamation of 1763. Aboriginal title is a common law ownership interest in the land that Aboriginal Peoples have. In the Canadian state's view, Aboriginal title derives its legitimacy not from fundamental principles, but from the recognition of the Crown.
Read more about Aboriginal title here.
Treaties
Canada's Comprehensive Claims Process
Specific Claims
History of Indigenous Resistance and Organizing
Extractive Industries and Aboriginal and Treaty Rights
Third Party Management
Canada's Agenda for Indigenous Peoples: Assimilation, Termination, Extinguishment
Sovereignty, self-determination, self-government: what's the difference?
Strategies of resistance today: what are the options?