The Major Events Impacting First Nations People of Canada:

1. The Major Events Impacting First Nations People of Canada: Then and Now

2. The History: As early as 1000 and 1003, Europeans came to North America across the Atlantic Ocean. These were Vikings from Scandinavia . After the Vikings, there were no Europeans arriving in North America until 1497. Europeans arriving after 1497 were given money by their Kings or Queens to explore North America or to find ways to get to India or other countries. The Impact: Within 200 years of the arrival of the Europeans, the population of First Nations people in Canada dropped by over 90%. The drop in population was due to many diseases brought by the Europeans. Many First Nations people were moved from their land onto “reserves”. First Nations people have felt like they don’t belong in their own country Today, First Nations people in Canada try to get their rights back to be in charge of themselves, to get their land back and are working towards helping their communities have better lives. The Arrival of the Europeans (year 1000 - late 1700s)

3. Then: Europeans arriving after 1497 were given money by their Kings or Queens to explore North America or to find ways to get to India or other countries. Now: Europeans brought diseases and a belief among settlers that First Nations people needed to assimilate and be more ‘European’. This led to a loss of culture, language and rights. Arrival of the Europeans (year 1000 - late 1700s): Points for your “Then and Now Chart”

4. Residential Schools (mid 1800s to mid 1900s) The Impact: • While in Residential school, children were taught that their traditional ways were evil. Children were not allowed to speak their own language and were often beaten if they did. • Many children suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse in the Residential Schools. • Between 35% and 60% of children died within 5 years of starting school (1909 study). Many of these children were buried close to the schools. • In 1998, the Canadian government apologized for the abuse the First Nations children received when they were in Residential Schools. • There are about 80,000 survivors of Residential Schools alive today. • Being forced to attend Residential Schools has led to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people being addicted to drugs, alcohol, living in poverty and with an shorter life expectancy The History: • First Nations children were forced to attend and live everyday throughout the year at Residential Schools. • Children were taken from their homes by the government and church officials. • Children were forced to attend Residential Schools from the age of 3 until they were 16 and many did not return to their communities for years at a time. • The schools were run by churches. • The Mohawk Industrial Residential School near Brantford, Ontario closed in 1969. • The Government of Canada had a policy to “kill the Indian in the child”. The government and churches believed that First Nations people lived in a terrible way and so they wanted to assimilate them.

5. Then: During the mid 1800s to the mid 1900s First Nations children were forced to attend Residential Schools (schools run by churches and the government) from the age of 3 until they were 16. Now: Being forced to attend Residential Schools has led to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people being addicted to drugs, alcohol, living in poverty and with an shorter life expectancy. Residential Schools (mid 1800s to mid 1900s): Points for your “Then and Now Chart”

6. The History: The Royal Proclamation of 1763 recognized First Nations as independent, sovereign groups with distinct territories. The proclamation arranged for First Nations and Euro-Canadian settlers to share the lands that would eventually become Canada. This led to land treaties being created between the First Nations people and the British Crown, and then between the First Nations people and the government in Canada later on. The Crown created the Royal Proclamation to stop First Nations people from selling land to settlers. The Royal Proclamation would benefit the Crown by making them the only group that could negotiate with First Nations group. The Impact: The Royal Proclamation was supposed to protect First Nations people from the settlers. The British Crown were the only ones who could make land deals with the First Nations people but their agreements were often poorly documented and some have never been found. This means that some First Nations people lost their land rights, despite having signed a treaty with the Crown. The Royal Proclamation(1763)

7. Then: The Royal Proclamation of 1763 led to land treaties being created between the First Nations people and the British Crown, and then between the First Nations people and the government in Canada later on. Now: Because documents signed between the Crown and First Nations people were often poorly documented, some First Nations people lost their land rights. The Royal Proclamation(1763): Points for your “Then and Now Chart”

8. The History: The Indian Act was written in 1876 and so it refers to First Nations people as “Indians”. The Indian Act gave the federal government power over ‘Status Indians’ (First Nations people who are registered as Indians under the Indian Act) and their land. The Indian Act tried to make First Nations people assimilate into the rest of Canada. It did not allow traditional practices. It gave certain perks to First Nations people who agreed to give up their status. Status Indians living on reserves had to carry identity cards if they wanted to leave the reserve. In 1985, a major change happened to the Indian Act: Bill C-31. Bill C-31 changed the Indian Act to take out gender discrimination, give back rights lost as a result of this discrimination, and recognize the right of bands to control memberships. The Impact: The Indian Act gives the federal government control over Indian Reserve lands and money made from reserves. It controls who can have status or who can be a member of an Indian band and live on a reserve. The Indian Act set up some promises that the federal government had toward Status Indians. This included certain health benefits, education costs, and tax exemptions. The Indian Act has created disagreements over band membership, land rights, and some First Nations, Métis, Inuit people not being eligible for rights they should have. The Indian Act (1876)

9. Then: The Indian Act of 1876 tried to make First Nations people assimilate into the rest of Canada. It did not allow traditional practices and benefited First Nations people who gave up their Status. Now: The Indian Act has led to disagreements over band membership, land rights, and some First Nations, Métis, Inuit people not being given rights they should have. The Indian Act (1876): Points for your “Then and Now Chart”

10. The History: After not been given land that was promised to them in 1870, life became very hard for the Métis people of Central Canada. In 1884, the Métis invited Louis Riel, a famous Métis leader to join them and fight the government. The government answered the Métis by sending thousands of troops to crush/stop their protest. Both sides fought with hundreds dying, and the Métis lost. Louis Riel was caught and sentenced to death. The Impact: When Riel was hanged, many Canadians were upset with the government. Sir John A MacDonald’s Conservatives, who were in power, then lost a future election to Wilfred Laurier’s Liberals. The Northwest Rebellion also represented the end of a strong Métis community in Canada. It was not until 1981 that they were recognized by the government as a “distinct cultural group”. The Northwest Rebellion (1885)

11. Then: Land was promised to the Métis is 1870 but they never got it so with Louis Riel in 1884, they fought for their land. They lost and Louis Riel was sentenced to death. Now: The Northwest Rebellion also represented the end of a strong Métis community in Canada. It was not until 1981 that the Métis were considered a distinct cultural group. The Northwest Rebellion (1885): Points for your “Then and Now Chart:

12. The History: Although there were some treaties going on between First Nations people and Europeans as early as first contact, those were peace and friendship treaties. Since 1763, treaties were forced on First Nations people by the government. First Nations people had to sign the treaties in order to protect their way of life. These treaties have numbers attached to them, such as Treaty #9 in 1905 (Northern Ontario) The Impact: Many treaties have not been followed by the government and are now being decided in court. These broken treaties are seen as Broken Promises. There were a lot of problems for First Nations people who were fighting for land rights and broken treaties. These problems include that the First Nations people were not allowed to vote or to have legal help (lawyers) until 1960. This means that First Nations people would not be able to fight the Broken Promises (broken treaties and land rights that were taken away from them). Land Rights and Broken Promises (early 1700s- today)

13. Then: Since 1763, treaties were forced on First Nations people by the government. First Nations people had to sign the treaties in order to protect their way of life. Now: Many treaties have not been followed by the government and are now being decided in court. Land Right and Broken Promises (early 1700s – today): Points for your “Then and Now Chart”

14. And for a photographic tour of the History of First Nations People in Canada… • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwBqWWyBQuc