Indigenous rights movement (Canada)

Indigenous rights movement (Canada)
Name	Indigenous rights movement (Canada)
Caption	Wet'suwet'en solidarity protest, 2020
Location	Canada
Years active	20th–21st century

Indigenous rights movement (Canada) The Indigenous rights movement in Canada comprises organized efforts by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to secure recognition, restitution, and self-determination through activism, litigation, and negotiation. It connects landmark events such as the Calder Case, the Oka Crisis, and the creation of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples with sustained mobilization by organizations like the Assembly of First Nations, the Native Women's Association of Canada, and local grassroots groups.

Historical background

The movement draws lineage from pre-contact societies such as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami's predecessors, through colonial encounters including the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the signing of numbered Douglas Treaties and the Treaties of Fort Albany. Late 19th- and early 20th-century policies such as the Indian Act and the residential schools system overseen by institutions including the Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada catalyzed resistance by leaders like Tommy Prince and organizations such as the League of Indians. Mid-century legal and political shifts involved litigants and advocates appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada and engaging with commissions like the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and inquiries such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Legal and constitutional developments

Judicial and constitutional milestones include the Calder v British Columbia (Attorney General), the patriation process culminating in the Constitution Act, 1982 with section 35 recognizing Aboriginal and treaty rights, and Supreme Court decisions such as R v Sparrow, Delgamuukw v British Columbia, and Tsilhqot'in Nation v British Columbia. Statutory measures include the Indian Act amendments, the enactment of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Land claims processes engaged institutions such as the Specific Claims Tribunal, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and the Inuvialuit Final Agreement; constitutional negotiation efforts involved actors like the Métis National Council and provincial actors such as the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

Key organizations and leaders

National and regional organizations include the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Native Women's Association of Canada, Friends of the Earth Canada ally groups, and grassroots collectives such as the Idle No More movement. Prominent leaders and advocates encompass Elijah Harper, Phil Fontaine, Shirley Williams, Maggie Paul, Ellen Gabriel, Cindy Blackstock, Wilton Littlechild, and land defenders like Freda Huson and Hereditary Chief Na’Moks. Legal advocates and scholars linked to litigation and policy include John Borrows, Allan Rock (as federal Minister), Thomas Berger (as commissioner), and litigants such as the Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs.

Major protests and direct actions

Key confrontations and mobilizations include the Oka Crisis siege, the Ipperwash Crisis, the Gustafsen Lake standoff, and the wave of blockades during the Idle No More demonstrations. National protests and actions featured the 2012 Idle No More rallies, the 2020 rail blockades in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en conflict, and marches tied to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement. Occupations and encampments involved sites such as Caledonia, Ontario and the Musqueam and Secwepemc territories; solidarity actions connected unions such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees and global allies including Amnesty International.

Policy outcomes and social impacts

Consequence of movement pressure includes policy shifts like revisions to the Indian Act, funding changes following Cindy Blackstock's litigation on child welfare, implementation of Jordan's Principle, and adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the Government of Canada. Settlements arising from litigation and negotiation produced agreements such as the Nisga'a Final Agreement, the Calder settlement aftermath, and modern treaties in the Yukon and Nunavut. Social impacts encompass increased visibility of residential schools via the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, shifts in media portrayals influenced by outlets like AptN and the Broadbent Institute-linked research, and demographic and economic effects in communities like Attawapiskat.

Contemporary issues and debates

Current debates involve implementation of UNDRIP legislation, resource development disputes exemplified by pipeline conflicts involving Enbridge and Trans Mountain Pipeline, sovereignty claims by groups such as the Mohawk and Wet'suwet'en, and promises around Indigenous self-government models negotiated with provinces like British Columbia and territories such as the Northwest Territories. Ongoing legal work focuses on follow-up to decisions like Tsilhqot'in Nation v British Columbia and litigation over child welfare and education by litigants represented with advocates like Nishnawbe Aski Nation lawyers. Public policy and reconciliation discussions engage institutions like the Supreme Court of Canada, the Parliament of Canada, provincial legislatures including the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and non-governmental actors such as The Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Category:Indigenous rights in Canada